But the areas are thought to be important in the estuarine food web. And the submerged vegetation beds are vital nurseries for many commercial species. The first year's counting will be an inventory to prove what species inhabit the sites at various times of the year. The first year's work will serve to establish a baseline for future studies of the sites. By definition, a monitoring project is a long-term study, and the research will continue after baseline data are gathered.
Pollution is one potential agent of change in estuarine fish populations.
A likely culprit might be chemicals called nutrients, including nitrates and nitrites, entering the estuary from agricultural lands and other sources. The researchers would have population data on such indicator species, thanks to the monitoring program. Estuaries are prime habitat for species coveted by commercial fishermen. Changes in the fish populations in a stream feeding the estuary would affect food webs and natural diversity. Land, water and organisms are all interconnected.