Forage fish survey – lab processing

Join us in the lab to process forage fish samples!

Forage fish are small, silvery fish that swim in schools. The 3 most common species we see in the Puget Sound are Sand lance, surf smelt and pacific herring. These small but mighty fish play a crucial role in the marine food web, serving as an essential food source for salmon, seabirds, and other marine animals. They rely on our island shorelines to lay their eggs in the gravel, check out this map of forage fish spawning habitat created by WDFW. Through monthly forage fish surveys we seek to answer basic questions about these animals’ biology and habitat needs: When do they spawn? What beach substrates and other habitat features do they need? When shorelines are restored do fish populations rebound?

This is the lab portion of our forage fish surveys, where you’ll assist Vashon Nature Center staff in preparing samples for lab analysis and identifying species under a microscope,. Learn how to rinse sediment samples and use specialized equipment to prepare them for laboratory analysis. Then, examine beach sand samples under a microscope to search for forage fish eggs. You’ll receive training on how to identify different fish egg species and gain insights into their role on our island shorelines. No prior experience required!

There is also a field portion of the forage fish survey. If you are interested in getting out on the beach and collecting the samples please fill out this form. Watch this sampling video to get a glimpse into the entire survey process.

For questions, reach out to taylor@vashonnaturecenter.org