Our goal is to conduct a retrospective assessment of seagrass restoration efforts made over the past several decades

Oregon State University received a $184,932 Project Grant from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Department of the Interior) under the National Fish Habitat Partnership program (CFDA 15.686), effective July 1, 2025, through March 30, 2029. The award funds a retrospective assessment of seagrass restoration efforts conducted over several decades in two Oregon estuaries (Coos Bay and Yaquina Bay). OSU will evaluate species richness, abundance, and performance metrics—including growth and survival rates—at seagrass restoration sites and compare these results to natural seagrass beds and nearshore nursery habitats to determine restoration effectiveness. The project encompasses approximately 27 acres across 2.1 miles of habitat at five designated sites.

Deliverables include monthly comparative analyses of fish and invertebrate assemblages between natural, restored, and nearshore seagrass beds to assess habitat use by focal fishery species and establish recovery timelines for nursery habitats. The project will produce four technical reports and five datasets to be made publicly available, facilitating broader dissemination of restoration effectiveness findings within the scientific and resource management communities. Additionally, OSU will conduct targeted outreach efforts designed to engage approximately 10,000 people from 30 coastal communities, supporting public awareness and understanding of seagrass habitat conservation and restoration outcomes.

We will evaluate species richness, abundance, and performance metrics (growth, survival) of species at seagrass restoration sites in two oregon estuaries and compare those metrics to natural seagrass and nearshore nursery habitats to assess restoration effectiveness. Monthly comparisons of fish and invertebrate assemblages between natural and restored seagrass beds and nearshore counterparts for coos BAY and yaquina BAY will allow US to assess habitat use for several focal fishery species and define expectations and timelines for recovery of nursery habitat. We estimate that 10,000 people from 30 coastal communities will engage with outreach efforts detailed in this application. About 27 acres across 2.1 miles of habitat will be assessed for our 5 sites. Four reports and 5 datasets from this work will be made publicly available.