Newport Beach continues its discussion on managing eelgrass in its harbor

NEWPORT BEACH — “Living with eelgrass in a recreational harbor” was the topic of discussion at a Newport Beach workshop held in November. The purpose of the workshop was to explain the importance of eelgrass to boaters and residents as well as answer questions about the unique plan the city put in place for dredging projects. Marine Restoration Director Sara Briley of Orange County Coastkeeper, Harbor Resource Manager of Newport Beach Chris Miller and dredging contractor Adam Gale of Anchor QEA were the three presenters at the workshop. There were 35 local residents in attendance. Most attendees had very specific questions about their docks and their particular situation. “By the number of questions asked, it became apparent that not as many people know about the eelgrass plan as previously thought,” Briley told The Log. “This showed that there was definitely a need to have such a workshop.” Eelgrass earned a bad reputation over the years specifically for getting caught in boat engines and being an obstacle to dredging projects. Eelgrass, however, has high ecological value. An abundance of eelgrass means better water quality, increased fish populations and a better ecosystem overall, according to coastal habitat analysts and scientists. The ecological value of eelgrass served as...