VI-108 



particles which are then used by bacteria, and what organisms miqht 

 "graze" on the bacteria? 



An important link in the food webs of the estuaries is the olankton 

 serving as a food supply for higher, more predacious organisms. 

 These higher predators are in the estuary as permanent residents, 

 as migrants coming in to feed, or as organisms that may use the 

 estuary as a migratory path going upstream or downstream, during 

 which time they might be feeding. One often hears of the conser- 

 vation efforts directed towards such major sport fish as the salmon, 

 but little emphasis is placed on the conservation of lower members 

 of the food web which are quite important, not only to forms such as 

 salmon, but also to all of the other forms utilizing this basic 

 food stuff of the ocean as a food supply. In brief, we must deter- 

 mine the degree to which estuarine and off-shore commercially and 

 recreational ly important fishes, and their resoective food chains, 

 depend upon the estuary. 



Habitat Reouirements 



We must determine the fish and wildlife habitat areas necessary to 

 maintain adequate population levels for future uses in the estua- 

 ries of food organisms, as well as the desirable species themselves. 

 This question of adequate habitat has proved to be a very difficult 

 determination to make, in view 



