Nurturing the Energy Bars of the Sea

Pacific sand lance are small, silvery fish with a big job. Think of them as the “energy bars” of the Salish Sea as they fuel salmon, seabirds, and even whales. But before they can fuel the marine food web, they need the right shoreline to lay their eggs. So, what kind of beaches do they prefer?  

Pacific Sand Lance ~ V. East

To track down these hidden nurseries, Project Watershed’s forage fish team (with Gwen Janz, Sammy Alkhalifa, Kate McKeown, and Jacqueline Huard) went on a scientific treasure hunt. They compared: 

• ShoreZone shoreline maps (what the beaches look like),
• Habitat suitability models (predictions of good spawning spots),
• Egg surveys (boots-on-the-beach fieldwork), and
• Environmental DNA (eDNA) surveys (traces of fish DNA left in the sand/water).

Stacking these datasets, the team focused on three Pacific sand lance “hotspots”: Nanaimo, Parksville, and Courtenay/Comox. What do these beaches have in common? Gently sloping tidal flats and sandy stretches mixed with fine gravel – prime egg-laying real estate.  

The study also showed that the ShoreZone mapping & classification system is a great tool for predicting spawning beaches without even having to set boots on the beach. That gives communities another way to protect Pacific sand lance and in turn, the salmon, seabirds, and sea life that depend on them.  

To find out more about this endeavor and its findings read our report Comparing Coastal Datasets to Assess Intertidal Forage Fish Spawning Habitat.