The ecology of eelgrass meadows in the Pacific Northwest: A ...

1978, for all assumptions, formulations,
and consideratlotls used in the
calculations) .
If these calculations are even only
approxiruately correct, the economic value
of seagrasses 1s enorlnous in the Pacific
Horthwest. Proctor et al. (198db)
calculatcxi that ttlere are 8,4dd ha (21,WW
acres) of eelyrass ln Washington (this
probably does not include Puget Sound),
L,OW ha (5,c)W3 acres) In Oregon, and
1,odW ha (4,LWU acres) In northern
California. On a prslstent annual basis
this represents a sizeable econcmic
resource, even without considering
coastdl-sediment stabilization value,
wlilch is ~ncalculable.
Specifically in the Northwest there are
some data that relate to economlc values
of food anlmals associated with eelgrass.
hebb and Iiourston (1979) fou:lu thdt in
southern Brltlsh Colur~ibla alorie, the value
of the Pacific herrlrig fishery for 1976-77
was $29.9 million (81,000 tons, $29 million
for roe; 7,000 tons, $0.9 million tor
food fish). Helfferich and WFOy (1978)
reported that the total 1976 catch of
Pacific herring (20.2 million tons) was
worth $10.7 million. It must be remembered
that herring lay eggs on algae,
pilings, and several types of hard substrates
as well.
Dr. Robert Trulnble, bJashinyton State
Department of Fisheries, related the
values of the Pacific nerring in
\.Jashinyton State for 1979-8k9 (Table lb).
The co~i~bined value for 1979 was
$4,46d,122. In 19t3W the combined value
was Y1,774,b70. 111 lYitl the sport bait
price was $2).33-$~.4~/lb; canmercial bit
was $d.lU/lb. This price was lower due to
low crab stocks for which the comn~ercial
bait was sold. The last liarvest of roe
herring was iri 19819, owing to iow
ppulatlons in Washlryton State.
In Iiashlngton Stdte there are no records
kept on trie fcucl fishery of tleLrlng, since
the food use 1s locallzed. Eelgrass is
the .adlor substrate for egg deposltlorl,
but the herring also use algae. The
largest sinyle ppuldtlon of herrlry is in
the Strait of Gmryla. Large populations
are also founu at Port Orchdru, Port
Maaison, Quartermaster Harbor, southern
Hood Canal, Discovery Bay, Port Gamble,
and lesser populations in the San Juan
Islands, in Wastlinyton State (Dr. Robert
'rumble, pers. colnm. 1982). erring lay
eggs on eelgrass in February-March in
Washington State and in mid-April to mid-
Flay in the Strait of Georgla.
Dr. Lynn Goodwin, 'CJashlngton State
Deprtment of Flsherles, applied the data
on values of shellfish in Washington State
(Table 161 (pers. cam. 1982). Eelgrass
provides the cover for the juvenile spot
shrlnip to mature. Thls resource is
primarily taken in Hood Canal. Dr. Ken
Chew, University of Washington (pcrs.
cwinm.) provided the current (1932) values
ot several of the shellfish spies (Table
16).
Dr. Baumgartner, Washington stace
Department of ~isheries, related the
harvest and price values for Dungeness
crabs caught in Puget Sound and the
coastal harvest. The number of crabs
actually taken in eelgrass cannot be
ascertained, since the crabs range from
depths of 6 m (28 ft) to 72 m (240 ft).
It is known that the crabs use eelgrass at
certain times in their life cycle: in the
juvenile stage, during spring molting, and
at certain times of molting throughout the
year. But the exact extent they depend on
eelgrass or the exact role of eelgrass in
their existence are yet to be discovered
(pers. ccmm. 19821.
The Washington State Department of Game
estimated the economic value to the State
of Washington for black brant. In the
1981-82 season, each bird taken by hunting
was worth $50 to $60/bird and
$lOO/man/day. In the 1981-82 season there
were 1,500 brant taken during the hunting
season.
Finally, Stokes (1978) estimated the value
of the various animal species which result
in indirect or direct income to the State
of Washington. It appears that income
generated by the estuarine habitats and
wetlands of the State comes to millions of
dollars. Only those species listed by the
Washington State Department of Fisheries
are given in Table 16. The prices are
based on 1975 values. Stokes (1978)
listed the commercial, recreational, and
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