The role of seagrasses and kelps in marine fish support

certain activities in the nation's waters since 1890. Until 1968, the primary focus of USACE’s regulatory program was the construction and maintenance of navigation infrastructure. Since then, the program has evolved to one that reflects national concerns for both protection and utilization of important resources. Activities that involve construction, excavation, fill, and certain other modifications of the “waters of the U.S. ” are regulated by USACE under the authority of Section 10 of the Rivers and Harbors Act of 1899, Section 404 of the Clean Water Act, and other regulatory policies. In estuarine waters, some of these regulated activities have the potential to impact sensitive aquatic resources such as seagrasses and kelps that provide important habitat for many commercially and recreationally important fish species. PURPOSE: This report provides a comprehensive summary of research related to fish utilization of seagrass and kelp habitats in the Pacific Northwest in a single document that will serve as a useful reference for resource managers. Preparation of this document was sponsored by the USACE Wetlands Regulatory Assistance Program (WRAP) at the request of the Seattle District of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Regulatory Branch. ORGANIZATION: This document is organized into two major sections. The first is a general review of the importance of seagrass and kelp habitats to fishes and invertebrates in marine and estuarine ecosystems. This section presents a broad summary of general results and trends from numerous studies conducted both in the United States and abroad, and provides a foundation for interpretation of the site-specific information provided in the following section. In the second section, the focus is narrowed to include only the results of those studies conducted in fiord-like estuaries of the Pacific Northwest