Little Squalicum Estuary project models successful coastal habitat restoration

The City of Bellingham completed construction on the Little Squalicum Estuary in spring of 2024, transforming a solid grassy beachfront park into a vibrant coastal hub for animals and plants alike, including endangered Chinook salmon and eelgrass.

The city aimed to improve fish passage, water quality and wetland habitat. So far, it has yielded promising results for the coastal ecosystem.  

In 2024 and 2025, marine fish ecology classes from Western Washington University teamed up with the Lummi Department of Natural Resources to catch fish in the new estuary habitat using a beach seine, a wide fishing net used in shallow water.