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Sund
Rock Conservation Area
WAC
220-16-480: "The 'Sund Rock Conservation Area' is defined
as those waters and bed lands enclosed by a line originating at
the shore of Hood Canal, at the mouth of Sund Creek (47° 26.4' N,
123° 7.1' W), thence due east to 123° 6.9' W,
thence due south to 47° 26' N, thence due west until
it intersects the beach, thence north along the ordinary high water
line to the point of origin, including all of the underwater feature
known as Sund Rock." Effective since 1994.
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| CLICK
IMAGE TO ENLARGE MAP
 
(Note: this is
the same map as used for the Octopus Hole CA)
Geographic
Statistics
| Area
Type |
Acres |
Hectares |
| Intertidal |
None |
None |
| Subtidal |
71.20 |
28.81 |
| Total |
71.20 |
28.81 |
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Links
to other imagery about this site
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A
view to the NNE of an access to the area, located in a cove
near its south end (left) and a closeup of the sign (right).
 
Image
of the rocks on the beach at latitude 47° 26' N,
thus determining the southern edge of the area.
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| Recreational
Restrictions / Openings |
| Species |
Status |
Comments,
notes... |
| Salmon |
Closed |
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| Trout |
Closed |
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| Bottomfish |
Closed |
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| Shellfish |
Closed |
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| Forage
Fish |
Closed |
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| Unclassified |
Closed |
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| Commercial
Restrictions / Openings |
Species |
Status |
Comments,
notes... |
| Salmon |
Closed |
|
| Bottomfish |
Closed |
|
| Shellfish |
Closed |
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| Forage
Fish |
Closed |
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| Unclassified |
Closed |
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| Prominent
and unique features |
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The Sund Rock Conservation Area is one of three marine
reserves in southern Hood Canal that were established
to protect rare natural bedrock and boulder habitats.
The subdital portions of the area consist of three discrete,
subtidal rocky habitats consisting of rock walls and boulder
fields. There are silt and mud habitats separating these
features and occurring offshore at a depth of 80 feet
(mllw). Sand and mud flats occur inshore in the northern
half of the conservation area and these habitats support
an eelgrass bed. In the photic zone (to approximately
30 feet, mllw), bladed kelps such as Laminaria saccharina
and foliose red algae grow on the rocky habitats and provide
substantial cover for fish and invertebrates. The site
was previously used as an anchorage for a salmon net pen
and significant debris can be found on the bottom from
these activities. In December 2001, a derelict fishing
vessel was suspiciously sunk in the northern portion of
the conservation area. The upland and shorelines consist
of forested zones giving rise to steep, rocky slopes,
or to a cobble-rock strand along a small bay. The upland
is privately owned, however, a private road leads to the
bay in the center of the conservation area. Recreational
divers can access this road by paying a fee. |
| Description
of fish, bird, and mammal resources at the site |
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Sund Rock supports fish and invertebrate communities that
are typically found on rocky habitats in Washington's
inland marine waters. Copper rockfish (Sebastes caurinus)
are abundant at the site, and the site also supports brown
(S. auriculatus), yelloweye (S. ruberimus)
, vermilion (S. miniatus), black (S. melanops),
Puget Sound (S. emphaeus) and quillback (S.
maliger) rockfishes. Wolfeel (Anarrichthys ocellatus)
and lingcod (Ophiodon elongatus) are also common
at Sund Rocks as are three species of surfperches including
pile perch (Rhacochilus vacca), striped seaperch
(Embiotoca lateralis), and shiner perch (Cymatogaster
aggregata). Blackeye goby (Coryphopterus nicholsii)
inhabit much of the rock and sand interfaces throughout
the conservation area. Dominant invertebrate species include
giant Pacific octopus (Enteroctopus dofleini),
red sea cucumber (Parastichopus californicus),
red sea urchin (Strongylocentrotus franciscanus),
sunflower seastar (Pisaster helianthoides), red
rock crab (Cancer productus), and squat lobster
(Munida quadrispina). Harbor seals (Phoca vitulina)
can be seen foraging in the conservation area and sea
ducks and sea birds may be observed within the boundaries
of the conservation area. |
| Programs
in place to manage the site |
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WDFW regulations prohibit recreational and commercial
fishing at the Sund Rocks Conservation Area, and WDFW
manages the site as fully-protected marine reserve for
non-tribal citizens. The taking of all species of invertebrates
and fishes is prohibited by WDFW regulations.
Volunteer efforts are very important at this site. An
active dive community uses the site with some people
diving it regularly on at least a weekly basis. The
volunteers have provided signage and onsite observations
of activities in the site. They have contacted WDFW
regarding potential problems and changes at the site.
The upland access to the site is privately maintained
and divers may enter the site by paying a fee. Divers
have placed semi-permanent buoys to mark significant
features of the park.
The enforcement of the harvest restrictions is relegated
to the Enforcement Program of WDFW. Information on the
site boundaries and restrictions is found in WDFW's
Sport Fishing Pamphlet and formal regulations are published
at the State of Washington's Administrative Code available
on the state's web site. In addition, WDFW is developing
specific pamphlets describing each of its marine reserves.
WDWF scientists include Sund Rocks as part of their
marine reserve monitoring efforts. The site is visited
several times per year when the scientists perform a
census of the fish living on the two southern rocky
habitats. During these surveys, all fish are identified,
counted, and measured. The areas of the rocky habitats
have been measured so fish densities can be assessed
and compared to previous surveys or other areas. |
| Issues
of concern |
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The lower end of Hood Canal has been subject to low dissolved
oxygen events. In 2002, the dissolved oxygen content dropped
very low in the shallow and mid-depth zones of this portion
of the Canal. Sessile organisms died and mobile organisms
underwent major behavioral changes. Volunteers notified
WDFW and department divers surveyed the lower Canal to
determine the extent of the problem. The Washington Department
of Ecology (WDOE) is investigating the contributing factors
(oceanography, enrichment of southern Hood Canal, weather
patterns, etc.) to the low dissolved oxygen event and
indications are this phenomenon may be a periodic event
plaguing the waters of southern Hood Canal.
The sinking of a derelict fishing vessel raises concerns
regarding the naturalness of the site and preserving
the ecological and scientific integrity of the Sund
Rocks Conservation Area. The Department of Natural Resources
manages most of the state's subtidal lands and has a
program to deal with derelict fishing vessels, but no
action has been taken to remove the vessel.
Members of the Skokomish Tribe actively fish the shores
and waters of southern Hood Canal. Occasionally, these
treaty fishers will use gill nets that drift through
the reserve or are anchored from the reserve's shore.
These and other fishing activities are guaranteed by
court mandates and there has been no cooperative agreement
between state and tribal managers to limit tribal fishing
in the marine reserves in southern Hood Canal. |
| Performance
measures |
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This area is part of the network of sites being developed
by WDFW to manage rocky habitat species. As such, WDFW
marine fish staff is evaluating it as it develops.
Biological performance measures include:
Sizes
of principle marine fish increasing or staying the same
Densities
of rockfishes, lingcod, wolfeel, and surfperches, increasing
or remaining moderately high
Increasing
or high levels of fish reproduction
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