It is estimated that up to 8,000 buoys exist in San Juan County and that a significant amount of these buoys are located within eelgrass habitat.

Over two-thirds of existing buoys located in eelgrass habitat in San Juan County are of a design known to negatively impact eelgrass, and fish, including juvenile salmon, through loss of prey, shallow water refugia, and nursery habitat.

Results from this project will prioritize mooring buoys for anchor system redesign or relocation based on previous FRIENDS survey and GIS mapping products that provide spatially explicit information on marine habitats (eelgrass, macroalgae, and herring spawn), juvenile salmon presence and physical characteristics of the immediate area. To improve the efficiency and cost effectiveness of the project and maximize the eelgrass and salmon habitat benefits, higher weighting will be given to groups of buoys in close proximity.

A detailed restoration implementation plan of buoy redesigns and relocations will then be developed in consultation with nearshore experts and marine diving contractors. Relocated mooring buoy anchor systems will be sited using differential GPS to ensure that the new location is in the desired position.

“The goal of the Mooring Buoy Eelgrass Restoration Pilot Project is to restore eelgrass habitat through landowner education and incentives,” stated Friends of the San Juans Executive Director, Stephanie Buffum Field.

FRIENDS of the San Juans is a tax exempt public interest organization that uses science, education and advocacy to preserve the land, water, sea and livability of the San Juan Islands. For thirty years, Friends of the San Juans has been protecting the environment of the San Juans by applying science to better land management decisions. Friends of the San Juans is based in Friday Harbor, Washington.