Hat Island East Long-Term trends
Hat Island East is located in the Washington Salish Sea. Hat Island is adjacent to Padilla Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve (NERR) and managed by the WA State DNR. The primitive island has limited access due to its steep rocky shoreline and receives very little human use. The area experiences complex tidal currents due to its location adjacent to tidal flats and major channels and is 2.7 km NE of two active oil refineries.
Hat Island East is dominated by a mixture of consolidated bedrock (metamorphosed serpentinite) and boulders, and the area surrounding the site is comprised of a mixture of consolidated bedrock and boulders. This mildly sloping site consists of extremely uneven terrain, containing many deep cracks and large boulders. The primary coastal orientation of this site is east/southeast.
Long-Term Monitoring Surveys at Hat Island East were established in 2010, and are conducted by by Padilla Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve staff. Long-Term monitoring surveys currently target the following species: Chthamalus/Balanus (Acorn Barnacles), Fucus (Northern Rockweed), and Pisaster (Ochre Star). For more information see the Long-Term trends at this site.
For more information about Hat Island East, please contact Heath Bohlmann (hbohlmann@padillabay.gov).