The Restoration of Batiquitos Lagoon | The Ecological Story | Open Water

Open Water Fish

The fish community of Batiquitos Lagoon is showing dramatic signs of recovery since the lagoon's hydrologic connection to the ocean was reestablished in 1996 as part of restoration efforts. Results of monitoring conducted in 1997 show that the number of fish species in the lagoon and the population of each species have increased. Approximately 71,000 fishes, representing 48 species and unidentified larvae from five families (gobies, [Gobiidae], herring [Clupeidae], smelt [Atherinidae], basses [Serranidae], and pipefishes [Sygnathidae]), were observed. These numbers are far greater than existed before restoration began. This abundance and diversity is known as "species richness" and indicates a healthy lagoon ecosystem.

Shark collected during monitoring

The lagoon fish community supports three guilds of fish.

Pelagic fish (fish that live and feed primarily in the water column, such as smelts)
Demersal fish (fish that live and feed primarily along the bottom, such as rays)
Structured-habitat fish (fish that use underwater structures, such as rock pilings and eelgrass)

Pelagic species make up the largest proportion of fishes observed during monitoring. The abundance of pelagic species has reached a plateau faster than other guilds. However, the demersal guild has shown the largest increase in number of species in a guild; the diversity of this guild is expected to continue to increase. The number of structured-habitat species also is expected to increase as eelgrass habitat reestablishes.

Fish species present throughout the year include

deepbody anchovy (pelagic)-dominates lagoon's fish community
topsmelt (pelagic)-dominates lagoon's fish community
bat rays (demersal)
spotfin croaker (structured)
California killifish (structured)
cheekspot goby (demersal)
arrow goby (demersal)

Fish species present during the summer and fall include

slough anchovy (pelagic)
California grunion (pelagic)
diamond turbot (demersal)-important for commercial and recreational fishing
California halibut (demersal)-important for commercial and recreational fishing

In the Batiquitos Lagoon, fish abundance and population density varied seasonally: abundance and density were highest in summer (July) and lowest in winter (January). Monitoring, however, showed that some fish species appear to use the lagoon only during certain seasons.

Winter (January)

threadfin shad (pelagic)
Pacific herring (pelagic)
mussel blenny (demersal/structured)

Spring (April)

giant kelpfish (structured)

Summer (July)

brown smoothhound (structured)
California flyingfish (pelagic)
California corbina (structured)
shiner surfperch (structured)
barred surfperch (structured)
California barracuda (pelagic)

Several fish species were collected during the 1997 monitoring surveys that had never been collected at Batiquitos Lagoon:

kelp bass (July and October) (structured)
barred sand bass (July and October) (structured)
spotted sand bass (July and October) (structured)
white seabass (July and October) (structured)
shovelnose guitarfish (October) (structured)
pile surfperch (October) (structured)
striped mullet (October; had previously been observed but never collected) (pelagic)