Where the Young Fish Are: Monitoring for Conservation

Abstract

The San Fransisco Estuary is an important nursery for young fish. Scientists use special nets and techniques to identify and count small fish in the estuary. Knowing how many and where the young fish are helps managers avoid harm to fish populations. Water flowing in rivers naturally flows out to sea, but in the San Francisco Estuary, some of that water is stored in reservoirs or pumped to other parts of California, which can have a negative impact on fish populations. These and other challenges to fish have resulted in severe declines in numerous species. In this article we will describe how we monitor young fish population trends. We also describe how the sampling method changes depending on the habitat and time of year sampling occurs. Finally, we explain how the information is used by scientists, managers, and the public within the San Francisco Estuary, California, USA.