Ecological assessment criteria for restoring anadromous salmonid habitat in Pacific Northwest estuaries

Restoration of estuarine habitats is essential for the conservation and recovery of depressed Pacific salmon populations. However, assessing the functions of recently restored habitat poses a number of problems because of the transitory occurrence of salmonids in any one location. We propose assessment criteria and metrics that are based on the habitat’s capacity, opportunity, and realized function to enhance survivability of juvenile salmon. Because of the paucity of data relating capacity and opportunity attributes to realized function (e.g. growth, consumption rate, survival), there continues to be a need for manipulative experiments to assess the developmental status of restoration sites. Such a self-monitoring approach of letting the fish diagnose the ecological state of restoration would effectively address the small-scale, site-specific assessment goals and criteria, but ignores the larger-scale issues relating to the ability of diverse salmon species and life histories to occupy estuarine habitat landscapes. If coastal restoration is going to contribute the recovery of anadromous salmonid populations, a landscape perspective is fundamental to restoration planning, implementation, and particularly assessment. © 2000 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.

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