A Survey of Shoreline Property Owners of Island County in June 2000

In June of 2000 the Island County Marine Resources Committee (MRC) secured a grant from the Northwest Straits Commission to carry out a two part project of (1) mapping eelgrass and (2) involving the public in the process as a way to help them better understand the role and importance of eelgrass habitat to nearshore fish populations. This second part was given to the WSU Beach Watchers by the MRC to develop and implement.

The intent of the work outlined for the WSU Beach Watchers was to engage the shoreline community in eelgrass mapping and through that effort to teach them about the importance of eelgrass habitat. This was accomplished through the development of a questionnaire that, in general, asked shoreline-owners to go to their beaches during specific low tide days and determine if, in fact, eelgrass was present.