Friends of the San Juans (Friends) has successfully restored another ecologically important beach in San Juan County.
Neck Point, the westernmost point of Shaw Island, is treasured by islanders and marine life alike, and it has now been designated as a vital spawning habitat for forage fish, a cornerstone species in the Salish Sea food web.
Move the arrow to see before (left photo) and after (right photo) at Neck Point on Shaw Island. Crews removed excess armoring rock that had been burying forage fish spawning habitat and disrupting natural beach processes. Notice the shift from angular quarry rock and boulders to natural mixed sand and gravel substrate—the grain sizes that surf smelt and Pacific sand lance need for successful egg deposition. Today, the east end of the shoreline is fully restored, reconnecting sediment transport, supporting forage fish and salmon, and nourishing the beach in front of the road to protect infrastructure while sustaining habitat.
Over the decades, Friends has led or supported over 30 nearshore restoration projects. Collectively, these projects have brought more than $5 million into local communities through restoration contracts and technical assistance services, bringing jobs, expertise, and lasting ecological benefits to the islands.
Restoring Neck Point brings wide-reaching benefits: it re-establishes natural shoreline processes, supports diverse marine life, and strengthens the food web from the bottom up. Forage fish such as surf smelt spawn at high tide, with their eggs settling into sand and pebbles as the water recedes. These fish depend on natural beaches with small gravel and overhanging vegetation to keep eggs cool and moist. Neck Point is one such place but years of rockfall from a nearby road and an outdated bulkhead had buried much of its spawning zone.
Recognizing the site’s unique ecological value, Friends partnered with neighboring landowners, engineering geologists, archaeologists, habitat experts, and local contractors to design and implement a restoration plan. The project both safeguards existing road infrastructure and re-establishes natural sediment supply and transport. By removing unnecessary rock and bulkhead remnants and adding beach nourishment, the project restored spawning habitat along the full 500-foot stretch of shoreline.
“Pocket beaches like Neck Point are common across the San Juan Islands, but they are highly vulnerable,” shared Tina Whitman, Senior Science Director at Friends of the San Juans. “When bulkheads bury beaches and block sediment supply, forage fish lose the very conditions they need to spawn. Salmon, seabirds, and Southern Resident killer whales lose critical food sources, too.”
Community members and contractors echoed the project’s importance:
- Jon Christofferson, project neighbor: “This remarkable project was planned and managed by Friends to reverse some of the adverse impacts that early development had on forage fish habitat. Without their science and experience, it would never have happened.”
- Matt Arata, A1 Marine, LLC: “It’s great that Friends is able to fund and carry out these projects. They were excellent clients, and it’s rewarding to work on restoration and habitat enhancement.”
- Levi Ross, equipment operator: “I like to fish for salmon, and knowing salmon are food for orcas, being part of a project that restores the salmon food chain was deeply rewarding. Learning how surf smelt spawn was an added bonus. This project was a highlight in my career.”
This project was made possible thanks to the expertise of Natural Systems Design, A1 Marine LLC, the Washington Department of Natural Resources, and the support of neighbors and landowners. Funding was provided by Friends’ members, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, U.S. Department of Defense through the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation, Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife’s Estuary and Salmon Restoration Program, and Washington’s Climate Commitment Act through the Salmon Recovery Funding Board. The Climate Commitment Act supports Washington’s climate action efforts by reducing pollution, creating jobs, and improving public health. Learn more at www.climate.wa.gov.
For more information about shoreline restoration or to schedule a free site visit with coastal experts, visit sanjuans.org/shore-friendly
Be Part of the Change
The restored beach at Neck Point shows what’s possible when community members, scientists, and partnerships come together to heal the shoreline. But this is just one stretch of coast—together, we can protect and restore more of the San Juans’ vital forage fish and salmon habitat.
Your support makes restoration like this happen. By becoming a member of Friends of the San Juans or making a donation today, you support the science, advocacy, and on-the-ground action that protect this special place we all love. Together, we can make a difference for the San Juan Islands and Salish Sea, for generations to come.
