In a new blog by Long Live the Kings, they explore the preliminary findings of post-restoration monitoring undertaken by the UW Wetland Ecosystem Team at a habitat restoration project at Vigor Shipyards, which was completed in the Spring of 2023.
Monitoring efforts measure fish presence and density, insect abundance, and fish feeding habits within the newly restored area. The team also monitors nearby Jack Block Park, which represents a more natural shoreline not being restored to use as a reference and comparison for the team’s measurements. Similar monitoring efforts were conducted in 2021, before the new habitat was constructed, so the team would have a baseline to compare to.
The goal of restoring habitat is to provide higher quality food for juvenile salmon as they migrate to the ocean, enabling them to grow larger and have a better chance of survival. If the results show that salmon are using the habitat for resting and feeding, it will be a good indication that more “salmon rest stops” could help salmon in the Duwamish estuary.