Canada’s National Observer, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter
Sunfish sightings continue to surface on the West Coast and — Holy Mola! — some examples are pretty big ones.
Jackie Hildering was astonished by a recent photo depicting an enormous Mola mola submitted to the Marine Education Resource Society citizen science project, which is collecting data on two different species of sunfish along the Pacific Coast.
Continue reading Holy Mola! That’s a big fish!
Paul Muskee has been working for QXMC for close to 15 years and for the last decade has been with Klahoose Aquaculture.
“I feel like my life has led me this way. When I was younger, I did work in aquaculture and I did work in forestry. I was also a mining technologist for a bunch of years, but I grew up around Powell River, Lund and Desolation Sound. Running boats has always been part of what I’ve done. I’ve loved working for Klahoose. They’ve been a great employer and I really like the people I’ve work with,” he explained.
Continue reading Paul Muskee on Klahoose Aquaculture & QXMC
Editor’s note: A disturbing question, which is also pertinent on Cortes and neighbouring areas.
By Alexandra Mehl, Ha-Shilth-Sa, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter
Vancouver Island, BC – Since July 13, Vancouver Island has been in a drought level five, making for an earlier dry season than last year. Some experts say that smaller salmon bearing streams could face impacts from the early drought if no substantial and sustained rainfall begins.
With last year’s drought causing weeks of delay, entailing salmon holding up and awaiting rainfall, this year is the first time that Jim Lane, manager of biologists with Uu-a-thluk, has seen extreme drought two years consecutively.
Continue reading Will the second consecutive year of extreme drought impact salmon runs?By 1979, Norm Gibbons wanted a change. He had been one of the partners in the Refuge Cove Store for the past eight years. He had not yet decided to move to Cortes Island, when he started looking into the oyster sector.
“Oysters weren’t cultured at that point in time. There were just oysters out there. Anybody involved in the industry picked oysters, shucked them, and sold the shuck to Vancouver.”
Continue reading Norm Gibbons: Cortes Island, beginnings of oyster cultivation and writingEditor’s note: Are we going to be hearing more stories of orcas coming closer to human communities as they search for food?
By Alexandra Mehl, Ha-Shilth-Sa, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter
Port Alberni, BC – As the sun was setting on Saturday, Aug. 26 three kakawin, the Nuu-chah-nulth word for orca, traveled into Port Alberni’s Harbour Quay for what some would say is the farthest up the Alberni Inlet they’ve been seen.
Only meters from Fisherman’s Wharf, orcas breached multiple times, putting on a show for the lucky crowd who cheered them on. Soon, videos and photos would be circulated on social media to share the incredible sight.
Continue reading Kakawin breaching at Harbour Quay in the Alberni Inlet
