The Port of Vancouver is proposing to plant eelgrass beds near the Tsawwassen Ferry Terminal in the hopes of increasing the diversity of fish and wildlife in the area.
The proposed project is part of the port's habitat enhancement program and is currently in the design, permitting and approvals stage.
The two proposed sites are on Roberts Bank, south of the ferry terminal. They are subtidal sites bordered to the north by a recreational boating channel and are surrounded by eelgrass meadows to the south and east.
Creation of these eelgrass beds would be accomplished by constructing rock containment berms followed by the placement of suitable substrate material and transplanting of eelgrass.
Completion of the project's regulatory review is anticipated by summer, with work possibly starting in late summer or early fall.
To mitigate potential impacts to fish and wildlife habitat, the works would be scheduled to occur within the least-risk work window for Roberts Bank. Transplanting of donor stock eelgrass would take place during the summer of 2018 and 2019.
In the Pacific Northwest, local studies suggest that fish communities within eelgrass habitats are more diverse and abundant compared to areas that don't have eelgrass. Eelgrass is said to provide an important habitat for fish and wildlife, including juvenile salmon, Pacific herring, Dungeness crab, migrating brant geese, shrimp and sea stars.
In 2008, the B.C. Transmission Corp. funded a similar eelgrass habitat compensation project near the ferry terminal.
A public open house on the project has been set for Wednesday, April 5 from 6 to 9 p.m. at the Port of Vancouver Delta community office in Ladner's Trenant Park Square.
Public feedback is being solicited until April 7. Residents can also offer feedback via email: [email protected].
The port is proposing to construct Terminal 2, a second three-berth container port at Roberts Bank.
