We are dealing with our yearly Non-growth period for Eel grass. What this means to Swift Slip is that we are not able to survey the proposed dock area for Eel grass from November 1st to March 1st. This survey is the first puzzle piece for the California Costal Commission application. Usually we have found the grass is there or it isn’t regardless of the season. We have found a firm that we are working with to do our surveys and we have had great success with their mitigation plans.

Mitigation requirements can be as simple as 2 annual surveys which are a fancy name for a hired Biologist to free dive and inspect the bottom for the grass. If there has been a significant decrease in the “shoot count” of Eel grass and the die back is more than similar Eel grass beds in the area we will be required to supplement the shoots with new plants. We have found shoots for sale even on the internet.

After the replant another dive will survey the results with hopefully satisfactory results. The cities of Newport Beach, Long Beach, Huntington Harbor and Coronado (San Diego) have no mitigation beds which can be donated to at this date. Newport Beach has realized the potential problem the Eel grass can be when we want to change a dock shape, dredge or even install a dock where there was not one. The Marine Department, namely Chris Miller has taken on the fight to get a handle on what the Fish and Game Department is really looking for in a plan. We are very optimistic and we know that if anyone can tackle this problem it is Chris.

This is out first Newsletter, more news to come, keep it floating!

Pete