Beamer, E.,Kagley, A. and Fresh, K., 2006. Juvenile Salmon and Nearshore Fish Use in Shallow Intertidal Habitat Associated with Harrington Lagoon, 2005. Skagit River System Cooperative, La Conner, WA. pp. 19.

Fish use studies of pocket estuaries in the Whidbey Basin started in 2002. At first, research was
limited to understanding juvenile Chinook salmon use of sites within Skagit Bay (Beamer et al.
2003). In 2004, study expanded to sites throughout Whidbey Basin, Fidalgo Bay and Samish Bay
via a cooperative effort that was partially funded by the Northwest Straits Commission3. The focus
of the expanded research is to understand landscape scale patterns of fish usage including what
species and life history types use these systems, how connectivity or position within the larger
landscape affects fish use, and how patterns of fish use relate to protection and restoration of these
systems. This expanded research effort has continued voluntarily in 2005 and included sampling in
Harrington Lagoon with the help of Island County WSU Beach Watchers. The focus of this report
is on fish abundance and size in Harrington Lagoon during 2005. Although we primarily report
only fish abundance and size in this one system, we will also briefly consider results within the
context of the larger Whidbey Basin study of pocket estuaries. The results of this study can be used
to inform local citizens about fish populations currently using the Harrington Lagoon area. The
results may also be useful to Island County, or other agencies and groups interested in Puget Sound
salmon recovery or nearshore fish ecology.
STUDY AREA
Harrington Lagoon is located on the eastern shoreline of Whidbey Island, in Saratoga Passage
(Figure 1). This approximately 8.5 acre longshore coastal lagoon is located behind the leeward side
of a spit beach formed by accreting sediments that originate from bluff-backed beaches south of the
lagoon. Harrington Lagoon historically was connected to Saratoga Passage via an outlet channel
located near its northwest end. Under contemporary conditions, the Harrington Lagoon outlet
channel is located roughly along the middle of the lagoon’s outer margin. The northwest end of the
historic lagoon is mostly developed with homes and the old outlet channel is no longer present.