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This data shows inconclusive and absent forage fish beach spawn samples. Forage fish are small, schooling fish that provide a crucial link in the food chain between zooplankton and larger marine predators, such as salmon and marine mammals. Two forage fish species, Pacific sand lance and surf smelt, spawn in the high intertidal on a specific mixture of sand and small gravel.
Absent indicates no eggs were found in a sample. Samples with only one egg of a given species are considered inconclusive. This is preliminary data. For comprehensive Washington state data, please visit the WDFW website. http://wdfw.wa.gov/conservation/research/projects/marine_beach_spawning/ |