Category Archives: Rivers & Oceans

Herring cut not enough, says west coast First Nation

qathet Living, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

For decades, the Salish Sea’s herring nearly disappeared, starving local salmon, whales and other species. The run miraculously came back in 2014. 

Since then, Ottawa has allowed commercial boats to harvest 20 per cent of the herring run – in spite of lobbying by First Nations and environmental groups. 

Continue reading Herring cut not enough, says west coast First Nation

Cortes Island’s latest Citizen Scientist Project: Monitoring Dungeness Crabs 

Cortes Island’s newest citizen science project, monitoring Dungeness crab larvae, was announced last Friday. Local diver Mike Moore,  Helen Hall from the Friends of Cortes Island (FOCI) and Kelly Fretwell from the Hakai Institute joined Manda Aufochs Gillespie on CKTZ’s Folk U Friday.  

Continue reading Cortes Island’s latest Citizen Scientist Project: Monitoring Dungeness Crabs 

Will you help save local salmon?

qathet Living, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

As the Fraser river flooded valleys in the Lower Mainland, salmon flooded the streets.

In the midst of the atmospheric storms last fall, salmon streams along the Fraser river submerged roads in Vancouver, leaving creeks destroyed with trash, mud, and branches. Both wild and hatchery salmon were seen all over the news, swimming on roads alongside cars, stranded on fields, and trapped in puddles of muddy water.

Almost every salmon stock in the Fraser River has been in an endangered state for years, the impact of the floods and landslides have further damaged the salmon’s habitats.

Continue reading Will you help save local salmon?

Ocean Acidification poses a top climate change danger on B.C. coast

National Observer, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

Lurking in B.C.’s ocean is a lesser-known climate risk experts say has the potential to cause significant harm to the marine ecosystem and the economies of coastal communities.

Now scientists and stakeholders are developing an action plan to deal with the dual dangers of ocean acidification and hypoxia — or dangerously low oxygen levels — in the marine environment. 

Continue reading Ocean Acidification poses a top climate change danger on B.C. coast

Tools for Citizen Science on FolkU Radio @89.5FM

Islanders make great observers of the natural world and are helping create meaningful scientific inquiry into what is happening on and around the islands. This week on Folk U Radio, Helen Hall from Friends of Cortes Island and Kelly Fretwell from the Hakai Institute join host Manda Aufochs Gillespie to learn more about the roles of citizen scientists, the tools to help them succeed, and how FOCI and Hakai are helping to make meaningful use of data collected (and how they hope to do even more.) Join us live this Friday at 1 p.m. on 89.5FM or livestream from cortesradio.ca.

Continue reading Tools for Citizen Science on FolkU Radio @89.5FM