Division of Marine Fisheries HubLine Eelgrass Restoration Mid-project Progress Report

The Massachusetts Department of Marine Fisheries; Evans, N. Tay; Dukes, Wesley; Carr, Jillian

2012 Report on the restoration of eelgrass to Salem Sound and Boston Harbor. This report serves as our 2012 annual report and mid-project update summarizing MarineFisheries’ progress after three years of work to restore eelgrass to Salem Sound and Boston Harbor, funded as partial mitigation for Algonquin’s HubLine pipeline impacts to eelgrass in Beverly Harbor. Our project began in 2010 when we received funding to restore 1.8 acres of eelgrass based on test planting performed in 2009 by Battelle. In 2010 we assigned the project manager and hired one full time project staff member, began project planning and worked on site selection and reconnaissance in the field. In 2011 staff was increased to two full time staff on the project in addition to the project manager. In 2011 we initiated full scale planting at the pipeline impact scar in Beverly and conducted additional test-plots and site selection data collection throughout Salem Sound and Boston Harbor. At the conclusion of the 2012 field season, we finished planting four sites in Salem Sound, for a total of 1.01 acres of eelgrass restored to Salem Sound. Salem Sound sites are Woodbury Point with 0.47 acres successfully planted, Middle Ground with 0.27 acres successfully planted, Juniper Cove which was planted but ultimately not successful and Fort Pickering with 0.27 acres successfully planted. Our focus for the 2013 field season will be full scale restoration at up to six sites in Boston Harbor, selected based on both Battelle and Marine Fisheries test-plot results.

Division of Marine Fisheries HubLine Eelgrass Restoration Mid-project Progress Report

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