|
|
Titlow
Beach Marine Preserve
WAC
220-16-460: "The 'Titlow Beach Marine Preserve Area' is
defined as all waters and tidal and submerged lands within a line
beginning at the mean high water line at the southernmost point
of the Tacoma Outboard Association leasehold, then projected due
west to the intersection with the outer harbor line, then following
the outer harbor line to a line projected due west from the old
ferry dock at the foot of the Sixth Avenue extension, then east
on said line to the mean high water line, then following the mean
high water line to the point of origin." Effective since 8/1/1994.
|
| CLICK
IMAGE TO ENLARGE MAP
 
Geographic
Statistics
| Area
Type |
Acres |
Hectares |
| Intertidal |
14.78 |
5.98 |
| Subtidal |
26.87 |
10.87 |
| Total |
41.65 |
16.86 |
|
Links
to other imagery about this site
|
|
Image
taken from outside the southerly portion of preserve and to
its west, facing east.
|
| Recreational
Restrictions / Openings |
| Species |
Status |
Comments,
notes... |
| Salmon |
Limited |
Salmon
fishing allowed, but only by using lures from shore or
from non-motorized watercraft. |
| Trout |
Closed |
|
| Bottomfish |
Closed |
|
| Shellfish |
Closed |
|
| Forage
Fish |
Closed |
|
| Unclassified |
Closed |
|
| Commercial
Restrictions / Openings |
Species |
Status |
Comments,
notes... |
| Salmon |
Closed |
|
| Bottomfish |
Closed |
|
| Shellfish |
Closed |
|
| Forage
Fish |
Closed |
|
| Unclassified |
Closed |
|
|
| Prominent
and unique features |
|
Titlow Beach is closed as a cooperative project with the
City of Tacoma. The area is closed from the ordinary high
water mark offshore to the outer harbor line. The beach
is located just south of Tacoma Narrows, a narrow and
prominent sill dividing two large oceanographic basins.
Consequently, strong tidal currents run just offshore
of the reserve that result in a gradation of mixed, coarse
sediments from the offshore extent of the reserve to sand
and mud habitats at the shore's edge. There are sporadic
boulders throughout the reserve but most of the subtidal
habitat is dominated by sand, gravel, pebble, and cobble.
A sparse bed of eelgrass occurs in the nearshore and bladed
kelps and red algae occur on coarse substrates or on the
sand.
There are substantial artificial structures
in the reserve consisting of dense pilings that are
the remnants of a ferry dock and other pilings along
the shore and intertidal zone that once supported a
pier. |
| Description
of fish, bird, and mammal resources at the site |
|
Unlike most of the other subtidal reserves, very little
habitat exists within the Titlow Beach Preserve that supports
rocky habitat species. Those species present include flatfishes
such as rock sole (Lepidopsetta spp.), buffalo
sculpin (Enophrys bison), pile perch (Rhacochilus
vacca), striped seaperch (Embiotoca lateralis),
and painted greenling (Oxylebius pictus). Copper
rockfish (Sebastes caurinus), brown rockfish (S.
auriculatus), and lingcod (Ophiodon elongatus)
are rocky-habitat species that have been observed in the
reserve.
Dominant invertebrates include giant
Pacific octopus (Enteroctopus dofleini), sea
pens (Ptilosarcus gurnei) and giant anemones
(Metridium senile). |
| Programs
in place to manage the site |
|
WDFW regulations prohibit commercial fishing and most
forms of recreational fishing at the Titlow Beach Marine
Preserve, and WDFW manages the site as a partially-protected
marine reserve for non-tribal citizens. The taking of
all species of invertebrates and fishes is prohibited
by WDFW regulations except for the harvest of salmon by
anglers using lures from the shore or non-motorized watercraft.
The City of Tacoma displays interpretive material highlighting
the shore and marine environment at the site. This is
a very popular site for recreational diving and the
parks department has developed diver-friendly facilities
at the site. The City of Tacoma has a management plan
for the park and adjacent park waters. Local school
programs use the park for field trips and as a teaching
tool.
Volunteers and students at a local high school have
mapped the site and have planned an artificial habitat
for the site.
The uplands are under the control of the City of Tacoma,
which provides some protection from impacts due to upland
development. The city also has some control over bedlands
inside the harbor line, which was set as the outer boundary
of the site.
WDFW Enforcement Officers patrol the waters and shoreline
of the conservation area, and fishers are informed of
the prohibited fishing in the WDFW recreational fishing
pamphlet and by shore-side signs.
WDFW scientists monitor the reserve on a sporadic basis.
Scientific divers survey fish at the site by identifying,
counting, and measuring fishes encountered throughout
the park. Species composition and length frequency data
are compared over time and among fished and other reserve
areas. |
| Issues
of concern |
|
The derelict pilings contain creosote, a known toxic chemical.
Some of the shore-side pilings may be removed as a mitigation
activity associated with a nearby construction activity.
The small size of the reserve may not be sufficient to
include the natural home ranges of many of the fish and
invertebrate species that occur at the site. There are
nearby natural rocky habitats that may serve as the primary
habitat for some species that range into the park. These
may be exposed to fishing.
The plan by some community members
to build an artificial rocky habitat could drastically
alter and deter the reserve effects in a natural habitat.
|
| Performance
measures |
|
This area was cooperatively closed and the City of Tacoma
manages the site for recreational uses. The site is actively
used by the general public, recreational divers, and by
teachers with their students from neighboring schools.
There are no performance measures associated with this
use. |
|
|
|
