National Observer, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter
B.C.’s critical kelp forests withered as climate change has triggered marine heat waves along the entire West Coast in recent years.
But exceptions to the rule may provide insights helpful to saving and restoring our underwater forests, said Samuel Starko, a University of Victoria researcher.
Continue reading West Coast kelp is in hot water, but scientific insights may help save our underwater rainforestsCKTZ News, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter
While the many legged Sunflower Sea Star is now nearly extinct in most of the United States, there is still hope it may survive in British Columbia. Researchers have seen signs of recovery in a few areas, including the Discovery Islands, despite the threats to the marine population.
Continue reading UBC researcher says there’s hope for the Sunflower Sea Star
Kelly Fretwell from the Hakai Institute recently described sea stars as wolves of the ocean floor.
The topic came up when I mentioned that they prey upon the oysters in Gorge Harbour, on Cortes Island.
Julia Rendall, President of the Bee Islets Growers Corporation, said they normally eat about a third of her crop. The bottom clusters are “all chewed, eaten.” She remembers the summer that Sea Star Wasting Disease reached the Gorge.
“That was the year I had the very best harvest, for shuck oysters,” said Rendall … I got about $8,000 a raft instead of $5,000.”
Continue reading Sea Stars – Wolves of the Ocean floor“Sunflower Sea Stars are one of the largest and fastest sea stars in the world’s oceans and a decade ago they were a common sight from Mexico to Alaska. Now this once abundant predator is missing from most of its range. The Global population has shrunk by over 90%, a decline that recently earned them the ICUN Red List status of “critically endangered.”
“So what happened?”
Continue reading Sea Star Wasting Disease
