So what to folks know about the occurrence of anchovies in interior PS? Been catching BM with anchovies in their guts recently, seems like about 10 years since I've seen anchovies in A-10...that year there were lots of em around the marina docks and the BM were right up in the marinas chasing.....they do seem to very much like em.

Chip,
I haven’t seen any in the sound, but a couple years ago there were millions of them at my favorite SRC beach on the canal.

The Coastal Cutthroat Coalition folks have been seeing them in the south sound as well.
If you go on their Facebook page, you can see them netting them and discussing the increase in the numbers.
SF

Cool website and FB page.....lots of good info there, thanks SF.

I've seen them as far South as the Great Bend in the Canal. Also near Boston Harbor, MA13.

I believe the loss of eel grass and kelp in the lower Salish Sea is behind this change of forage fishes.

You might find this article informative...

https://www.nwfsc.noaa.gov/news/features/spawing_shift/index.cfm

There are a ton of them in my area of MA 13. Most years lately they are present in large schools 4-6 inches long in deep water, late last year was crazy with an endless parade of 2 inch recruits in massive schools 20 ft wide traveling 24/7 along my beach. Millions and millions of individual fish. They have obviously been spawning successfully in S Sound. Lately there are large schools every day out farther with birds, seals, and resident coho following them.

I recall Tug mentioning to me the increase in anchovies from about 15-20 years ago. See to have replaced herring. Be really interesting to know the nutritional value of anchovies vs. herring since many marine species are having malnutrition problems with full stomachs. A belly full of anchovies may not be as nutritious as a belly full of herring.

I think that they were first observed after a warm summer or two, having moved up the coast with warmer water. They found PS to their liking and stayed. The herring fishery created a rather vacant niche, so they filled it.