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Fish and Fish Habitat Restoration
Case: Montrose/PV Shelf, CA

Fishing and Fish Habitat Restoration:
Restore Full Tidal Exchange Wetlands

Wetlands restoration was evaluated as a general action that will require further planning and site selection. Because large-scale wetlands restoration is costly and numerous entities are involved in coastal wetlands restoration in the Southern California region, the presumption was that MSRP funds will be used to augment a larger-scale restoration project in the region. In particular, MSRP funding will be directed at habitat restoration of tidally-influenced wetlands that are used as nursery and foraging habitat by commonly caught coastal fish species, such as the California halibut.

The costs of this action are scalable and proportional to the size and nature of the project. Existing large-scale wetlands restoration work involving significant engineering can cost several tens of millions of dollars, not including land acquisition costs. Given the limits of MSRP funding, restoration funds will be best used to complement funding from other sources in achieving larger-scale habitat improvements. The selection of specific sites (see below) was guided by the MSRP goals and objectives for restoring fishing and fish habitat. NOAA and the other Trustees sought specifically to restore coastal wetland/estuarine habitats in the region that have direct tidal links to the ocean and serve as nursery habitats for fish, especially species that are targeted by ocean anglers. Two projects were funded in 2007 and both are still ongoing.

Project Updates
Huntington Beach Wetlands

MSRP provided funding to the restoration of Huntington Beach wetlands, specifically to restore parts of the Talbert Marsh and some funding for the Brookhurst Marsh. MSRP's support for this project has filled a critical funding gap and the full restoration of the Huntington Beach Wetlands is now moving forward. This project opens up approximately 140 acres of full-tidal wetlands that play an important role as nursery and foraging habitat for fish and birds.

Contractors breached a portion of the levee to let ocean water flow into the marsh in April 2009. The wetlands site has been returning back to life quickly. This short film shows the restoration process and the value of this wetland to humans and wildlife. Video transcript

If you cannot view the video, click here to install the latest Adobe Flash Player

Bolsa Chica Wetlands
MSRP provided funding for maintenance dredging of the Bolsa Chica wetlands. The Bolsa Chica wetlands project is one of the largest full-tidal-exchange wetland restoration projects in Southern California. Recently completed, full tidal exchange is a critical element in the wetlands function as nursery and foraging habitat for marine fish. Contributing to the maintenance of tidal flow will help to perpetuate this service.



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Logo - Montrose Settlement Restoration Program (MSRP) - Restoring Natural Resources Harmed by DDTs and PCBs

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