Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, WDFW surveys were interrupted near the peak of herring spawning, and some spawning areas were not sampled thoroughly or at all. Citizen reports and photo documentation of spawning events was critical to documenting the timing, location, and extent of spawning in 2020. The reports and images showing herring spawn intensity that were provided to us during this period when we were unable to complete surveys has allowed us to document and account for spawning events that would have otherwise been unknown to us. Based on these reports, we added roughly 800 tonnes of spawning biomass to the estimates generated by our surveys.
Increase the overall amount of spawning herring throughout Puget Sound to 19,380 tons (17,581 metric tonnes). For each stock, the targets are:
Washington State Department of Fish and Wildlife, Marine Fish Unit (Forage Fish)