Fight to save eelgrass

The Northwest Straits Commission is working with multiple partners in Washington State and British Columbia to help protect eelgrass beds in the Salish Sea.

Part of this effort is a survey intended to make boaters aware of the damage that they can do by anchoring in sensitive areas where eelgrass is threatened.

Eelgrass is a common species of seagrass that when healthy forms expansive, underwater meadows that create a complex habitat which benefits numerous marine species. Fish, invertebrates and even waterfowl use these beds as nursery, refuge and foraging habitats.

While eelgrass is often mistaken for seaweed, it is actually a species of aquatic, flowering plant found in tidelands and shallow, calm inlets, bays and estuaries. Like all plants, eelgrass converts carbon dioxide into energy by photosynthesis.

Boaters can do their part by taking the survey.