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More on ship breaking and how the companies involved in Union Bay have not yet been penalized despite their overstepping/ignoring regional and provincial regulations.
A BC Ship Breaking Firm Lands in Court | The Tyee
thetyee.ca
Information provided to The Tyee contradicts the business’s defence against the injunction. Part one of two.
This is part two in The Tyee series on ship breaking.
Who Watchdogs BC’s Ship Breakers? | The Tyee
thetyee.ca
Hazardous industries setting up shops in vital ecosystems are traditionally the purview of the province. Not this time. Second of two.
Great research on the importance of herring to the diet of adult Chinook salmon.
Adult Salmon Diet Program Chinook Stomach Contents Results
maps.sogdatacentre.ca
Learn what salmon are eating in the Strait of Georgia through this interactive dashboard map.
The Baynes Sound / Lambert Channel Ecosystem Forum is looking for a new coordinator. The position is for short-term / part-time work that has its busier times. For more details about the position and background info on the forum: bayneslambertecoforum.ca/announcements/![]()
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The deadline for applications is August 14th. ![]()
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Conservancy Hornby Island
Announcements – Baynes Sound / Lambert Channel Ecosystem Forum
bayneslambertecoforum.ca
The Baynes Sound / Lambert Channel ecosystem, within the unceded territories of the K’omoks, Qualicum and Snaw-naw-as First Nations and the Treaty territory of the Tla’amin Nation, will be healthy...
The Tsolum River Restoration Society suspects that someone may have dumped fish from a backyard pond into the marsh or creek. People, please don't do this!
Invasive fish species trapped in Courtenay creek threaten salmon
www.cheknews.ca
A disturbing discovery in a Courtenay marsh has locals worried after an invasive species known as Pumpkin Seed fish turned up in random salmon monitoring nets there. Skye Ryan has more.
Species are on the move in response to climate change and there will be winners and losers. This movement in response to human caused change can raise difficult questions about what constitutes an alien species.
In Graphic Detail: The Green Grass of the Arctic | Hakai Magazine
hakaimagazine.com
Eelgrass and seaweed are advancing north so fast your grandkids may be crabbing and fishing in formerly polar regions.
Nice article on indigenous sea gardens. It was originally published in Hakai Magazine.
Sea Gardens Sustained Indigenous People. Now They’re Being Revived | The Tyee
thetyee.ca
‘It’s like a playbook to get through climate change and sea level rise.’
Important message to boaters about Glacier and all whales.[Update: Glacier has most recently been seen in the Victoria area.] ![]()
We are sharing this information about Glacier in the hopes that knowing just how stressed whales might be will add to the understanding (and compliance) of why whales need space. ![]()
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Glacier is a 16-year-old female Humpback who is emaciated and has developed a skin condition also indicating depreciated health. This was detected off the coast of BC in early July through the vigilance and knowledge of Straitwatch Quadra. ![]()
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Once we knew of her condition Straitwatch / MERS alerted the Fisheries and Oceans Canada Incident Reporting Line (1-800-465-4336), the Whale Protection Unit, and local whale watchers. We have since also been in contact with the provincial marine mammal veterinary pathologist, Dr. Stephen Raverty. ![]()
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Straitwatch, and members of the whale watching community who can recognize her, are monitoring Glacier from a distance in the hopes that her fitness will improve here in the feeding grounds. Photos are being relayed to the Canadian Pacific Humpback Collaboration via data@mersociety.org. They are also striving to alert boaters about staying further away. ![]()
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But to all you concerned boaters out there, any whale could be Glacier or a whale who is stressed like Glacier. The Marine Mammal Regulations specify staying at least 200 metres away from Humpback Whales if resting or with a calf. ![]()
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It is not known what has caused Glacier’s condition nor is there treatment. There is little to no food for Humpback Whales in the breeding grounds whereby all baleen whales who migrate are skinnier when they come back to the feeding grounds off Washington to Alaska. Glacier was nursing a calf last year so that would have taxed her system. ![]()
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Once we noted her condition in BC waters, via Happywhale we could look back at a sighting from late May, reach out to the photographer, and see that Glacier was already skinny then. She did not have the skin condition she has now.![]()
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The most optimistic outcome is that she will bulk up whereby she may then build the immunity to ward off the pathogen (bacteria, algae, virus or fungus) causing the skin condition. But as I think we all realize from our own human health realities, it may be that something is depreciating her immune system.
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Thank you all for caring as you do and for giving whales space.
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Great thanks in particular to all the work of Straitwatch / Cetus, and all those who help monitor the welfare of whales.![]()
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- Happywhale![]()
- Humpback Whales of the Salish Sea![]()
- Photographer of the May sighting - Brittany Hendricks, San Juan Excursions. ![]()
- Members of the Campbell River / Quadra whale watching community
This short article on the government's ocean protection plan is worth reading. It also includes results of a public opinion poll, which found that "among the top elements of the Oceans Protection Plan considered important by those surveyed were strengthening polluter-pay principles to ensure companies take responsibility for spills, improving pollution response, protecting and restoring coastal ecosystems and protecting endangered whale species." We couldn't agree more with the polluter-pay principle and have been advocating for the shellfish aquaculture industry to take more responsibility in addressing its debris/ghost gear problem.
www.comoxvalleyrecord.com
Government pledged to add $2 billion over 9 years to $1.5 billion already set aside for program
Interesting article on the complexity of kelp die-off. Some kelp forests are more resilient to marine heatwaves due to a wide range of ecological factors, but the combination of high temperatures and sea urchins appears to be a deadly combination.
How Urchins and the Blob Tag Teamed Kelp Forests | Hakai Magazine
hakaimagazine.com
From 2013 to 2016, the Blob derailed the ecosystem in the northeast Pacific. Years later, scientists are still uncovering new consequences wrought by this extreme heatwave.
If you're on or can make it to Hornby, this is today!Join us this Thursday, July 21st, 1:30pm at New Horizons for a presentation with marine conservationist, Dorrie Woodward: "Protecting Herring Habitat in Baynes Sound and Lambert Channel." Admission is a sliding scale of $5-$10. Children attend free.
Great observations/commentary and photos on herring and salmon. ![]()
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We need to do everything possible to ensure that marine life is protected and this includes supporting our petition bit.ly/dontexpand, which calls for stopping shellfish aquaculture expansion in/near herring spawning and rearing habitat in Baynes Sound/Lambert Channel until an ecosystem based assessment is completed on the impacts of this industry on herring.
Interesting short video of herring interacting with kelp in the Salish Sea. There is still much to learn about this keystone species.
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𝐏𝐥𝐞𝐚𝐬𝐞 𝐡𝐞𝐥𝐩 𝐮𝐬 𝐬𝐭𝐨𝐩 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐞𝐱𝐩𝐚𝐧𝐬𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐨𝐟 𝐬𝐡𝐞𝐥𝐥𝐟𝐢𝐬𝐡 𝐚𝐪𝐮𝐚𝐜𝐮𝐥𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐞 𝐢𝐧 𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐬𝐩𝐚𝐰𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐡𝐚𝐛𝐢𝐭𝐚𝐭. Link to the petition: bit.ly/dontexpand Reminder: After signing, you must respond to the petition confirmation email or your signature won’t count. ![]()
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𝐀 𝐟𝐞𝐰 𝐩𝐞𝐭𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐫𝐞𝐥𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐝 𝐮𝐩𝐝𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐬: We are excited and grateful to have our Conservancy Hornby Island friends join us in our efforts to stop the expansion of shellfish aquaculture. CHI has a long history of advocating for herring protection and, of course, hosts the fabulous Herring School on Hornby Island every March. ![]()
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We now have 310 e-petition signatures, which is good but not nearly enough! We need at least 500 for the petition to be presented in the House of Commons by MP Gord Johns. So, if you haven’t already signed/shared, please do! We have made it easier for some to sign by providing a QR code on the petition poster. ![]()
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As always, thanks so much to those who have already signed/shared!![]()
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The petition includes the following requests for Minister Joyce Murray: ![]()
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𝟏. 𝐏𝐨𝐬𝐭𝐩𝐨𝐧𝐞 𝐥𝐢𝐜𝐞𝐧𝐬𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐚𝐧𝐲 𝐟𝐮𝐫𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫 𝐬𝐡𝐞𝐥𝐥𝐟𝐢𝐬𝐡 𝐚𝐪𝐮𝐚𝐜𝐮𝐥𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐞 𝐟𝐚𝐜𝐢𝐥𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐞𝐬 𝐥𝐨𝐜𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐝 𝐢𝐧/𝐧𝐞𝐚𝐫 𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐬𝐩𝐚𝐰𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐡𝐚𝐛𝐢𝐭𝐚𝐭 𝐢𝐧 𝐁𝐚𝐲𝐧𝐞𝐬 𝐒𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐝/𝐋𝐚𝐦𝐛𝐞𝐫𝐭 𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐧𝐧𝐞𝐥 𝐮𝐧𝐭𝐢𝐥:![]()
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(i) an ecosystem-based assessment is completed on the impacts of this industry’s activities on the herring stock,![]()
(ii) this industry establishes a record of effectively managing its gear and equipment, and pays for the cleanup of the tons of plastic debris it produces annually; and![]()
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𝟐. 𝐃𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐥𝐨𝐩, 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐅𝐢𝐫𝐬𝐭 𝐍𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬, 𝐚 𝐜𝐨-𝐦𝐚𝐧𝐚𝐠𝐞𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐩𝐥𝐚𝐧 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐁𝐚𝐲𝐧𝐞𝐬 𝐒𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐝/𝐋𝐚𝐦𝐛𝐞𝐫𝐭 𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐧𝐧𝐞𝐥 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭:![]()
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(i) is area-based and ecosystem-based,![]()
(ii) respects and recognizes unceded traditional territories and this location’s unique value as an Ecologically and Biologically Significant Area and Important Bird and Biodiversity Area with twenty-one salmon-bearing creeks, and herring spawning and rearing grounds,![]()
(iii) considers other stakeholders.![]()
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𝐓𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐞 𝐢𝐬 𝐚𝐥𝐬𝐨 𝐚 𝐩𝐚𝐩𝐞𝐫 𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐨𝐟 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐬𝐚𝐦𝐞 𝐩𝐞𝐭𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧, 𝐰𝐡𝐢𝐜𝐡 𝐰𝐞 𝐡𝐨𝐩𝐞 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐰𝐢𝐥𝐥 𝐚𝐥𝐬𝐨 𝐬𝐢𝐠𝐧. 𝐖𝐞 𝐡𝐚𝐯𝐞 𝐚 𝐭𝐚𝐛𝐥𝐞 𝐚𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐃𝐞𝐧𝐦𝐚𝐧 𝐒𝐚𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐝𝐚𝐲 𝐦𝐚𝐫𝐤𝐞𝐭 𝐮𝐧𝐭𝐢𝐥 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐞𝐧𝐝 𝐨𝐟 𝐉𝐮𝐥𝐲. 𝐄𝐯𝐞𝐧 𝐢𝐟 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐡𝐚𝐯𝐞 𝐚𝐥𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐲 𝐬𝐢𝐠𝐧𝐞𝐝, 𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐞 𝐯𝐢𝐬𝐢𝐭 𝐮𝐬! 𝐄𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐲𝐨𝐧𝐞 𝐢𝐬 𝐰𝐞𝐥𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐞 𝐭𝐨 𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐚 𝐝𝐫𝐚𝐰 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐚 𝐛𝐞𝐚𝐮𝐭𝐢𝐟𝐮𝐥 𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐢𝐧𝐞𝐝 𝐠𝐥𝐚𝐬𝐬 𝐝𝐢𝐯𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐰𝐡𝐚𝐥𝐞, 𝐜𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐝 𝐛𝐲 𝐀𝐃𝐈𝐌𝐒 𝐝𝐢𝐫𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐨𝐫 𝐌𝐞𝐥𝐚𝐧𝐢𝐞 𝐇𝐞𝐰𝐬𝐨𝐧. ![]()
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𝐋𝐢𝐧𝐤 𝐭𝐨 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐞-𝐩𝐞𝐭𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧: bit.ly/dontexpand
The newly named orca is K pod's first calf since 2011.
Researchers name newest baby orca spotted in B.C. waters | CBC News
www.cbc.ca
A young southern resident killer whale spotted swimming in the waters off the west side of Vancouver Island now has a name.
An interesting article on the Sea Shepherd Conservation Society.
Can former conservation ‘pirates’ help scientists study the oceans?
fcld.ly
Sea Shepherd jettisons its militant past in favor of a new focus on research