The Skagit Valley Herald editorialized about the Skagit River System Cooperative’s effort to rebuild a boat launch and restore the beach near the Tesoro Refinery on March Point. The Skagit River System Cooperative is the natural resources arm of the Swinomish and Sauk-Suiattle tribes.

Rehabilitating the beaches of Fidalgo Bay is not just a good thing — it is urgent.

It is encouraging to see efforts of the Skagit River System Cooperative and government agencies to reverse the degradation of this important habitat for sea life.

The bay’s beaches suffer from a combination of pollution, sea walls and “hard armoring” of shorelines, and poorly placed or designed boat launches and docks.

All of these manmade factors have long been eating away at what one state agency official called a “nursery” for shellfish, crabs, herring and forage fish, all vitally important in Puget Sound’s food chain.