Pender Island Forage Fish Report

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Emerald Sea Biological 
 
Prepared for the Islands Trust Fund 
 
Prepared by: 
Ramona C. de Graaf, BSc., MSc. 
Marine Biologist 
Forage Fish Specialist 
 
Emerald Sea Biological 
 
April 8, 2013 
 
North and South Pender Islands 
Beach Spawning  
Forage Fish Habitat Assessments 
Photo:  RC de Graaf 

Emerald Sea Biological 
 
Beach Spawning Forage Fish Habitat Assessments 
North and South Pender July/Aug 2012 
 
 
CONTENTS 
 
            
           Page 
 
Acknowledgements            1 
 
1.0 Introduction to Forage Fish          
 1.1 Critical Forage for marine ecosystem function         1 
      1.2 Connections to other valued ecosystem components     1 
 
2.0 Beach Spawning Forage Fish Habitat        2     
 
3.0 Spawning Habitat Characteristics         2 
      3.1 Intertidal Elevation          2 
      3.2 Sediment Characteristics         3 
      3.3 Beach Biophysical Characteristics            3 
 
4.0 Spawning seasons            3                
 
5.0  Threats to Beach Spawners’ habitat        4 
 
6.0  Introduction to the Penders Mapping Project       4 
            6.1 General Introduction            4 
            6.2 Area Surveyed           5 
            6.3 Project Limitations          5 
 
7.0. Methods            6 
           7.1  General Methodology         6 
    7.2 Specific Methodology         7 
                7.2.1 Forage Fish Grain-Size Profile Types          7 
          7.2.2 Grain-Size Analysis and Statistical Testing      7 
       7.2.3 Beach Metrics          7     
       7.2.4 Statistical Testing            8 
       7.2.5 Habitat Coverage            8 

Emerald Sea Biological 
 
 
 
 
8.0 Results            9 
 8.1 North Pender               9 
    8.1.1 Statistical Analyses          9 
    8.1.2 Grain-Size Analyses         9 
    8.1.3 Length of Potential Forage Fish Spawning Habitat     9 
    8.1.4 Potential Forage Fish Spawning Habitat Types     11 
           8.1.5 Foreshore Modification        11 
         8.1.6 Foreshore and Backshore Structures      12 
    8.1.7 Overhanging Shade Vegetation       12 
 
 8.2 South Pender                               14 
    8.2.1 Statistical Analyses         14 
    8.2.2 Grain-Size Analyses        14 
    8.2.3 Length of Potential forage Fish Spawning Habitat    14 
    8.2.4 Potential Forage Fish Spawning Habitat Types     16 
    8.2.5 Foreshore Modification        16 
    8.2.6 Foreshore and Backshore Structures      17 
    8.2.7 Overhanging Shade Vegetation       17 
     
9.0 Summary & Recommendations               19-21 
 
References              22 
 
Appendix A Figures 3-12          23 
Appendix B Beach Type Classifications North Pender       28 
Appendix C Beach Type Classifications South Pender      29
 

1 
 
Emerald Sea Biological 
Acknowledgements 
For  assistance  in  the  field  and  with  local  logistics  I  would  like  to  thank  the  Pender  Islands 
Conservancy Association and Bonnie Parks.  For laboratory assistance and technical overview, I 
would

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