Overview

In November 2002, coastal and fisheries staff from Olympic National Park conducted a four-day inventory of intertidal fishes at San Juan Island National Historical Park. Beach seine sampling was employed in all intertidal zone habitat types associated with the coastal areas of the American and English Camp units. A total of 26 sites were sampled in both park units, with 11 sites sampled in the protected bay habitats of English Camp and 15 in the more exposed coastal habitats of American Camp. Intertidal habitat diversity was relatively low, with most areas dominated by mixed-coarse gravel and sand (American Camp) or mud/silt (English Camp) substrates. A total of 14 species were documented including various baitfish (smelt, herring, sandlance), surfperch, flatfish, sculpins, and gunnels. This project is the first effort to inventory the intertidal fishes of San Juan Island National Historical Park and only represents the assemblage structure found within the limited sampling period.