Salish Sea Nearshore Habitat Recovery Project - SeaChange Marine Conservation Society

Salish Sea Nearshore Habitat Recovery Project

In 2017, SeaChange was awarded a 5-year Coastal Restoration Fund grant in the amount of $1.3 million to support the recovery of nearshore marine habitats in four regions: Gulf Islands, Howe Sound and Burrard and Sechelt Inlets. This community based work included native eelgrass and marine riparian restoration and underwater debris removal from nearshore areas where eelgrass is impeded. Community decisions based on field observations and scientific data determined the restoration sites. The final report for this project can be viewed further down this page.

In the 3rd episode of Pacific Salmon Foundation’s, Salmon Matters, our Executive Director, Nikki Wright talks about the Salish Sea Nearshore Habitat Recovery Project. A project supported by the Pacific Salmon Foundation’s Salish Sea Marine Survival Project.

📢 We Are Hiring! 🌊🗺️ SeaChange Marine

📢 We Are Hiring! 🌊🗺️

SeaChange Marine Conservation Society is looking for someone passionate about coastal ecology to join our team as a Coastal Biological Mapper on a contract basis. We are looking for 2 people who are willing to learn and are committed to producing high quality mapping products as part of a team.

SeaChange Marine Conservation Society is a Victoria based non-profit organization that is passionate about marine conservation and restoration. A key project of ours is the use of the ShoreZone mapping protocol, which has been implemented along the coastline from Alaska to Oregon, and now also on the East Coast of Canada, and is available as an online resource for use in oil spill planning and response, environmental assessment and resource management

📧 To apply, send your cover letter and resume to Laurie@seachangesociety.com

❓Any questions regarding the position can also be sent to Laurie@seachangesociety.com

#ShoreZone #OceanConservation #BCJobs #GreenJobs #MarineBiology #WorkBC #VancouverJobs

Did you know there is a coral reef off the coast o

Did you know there is a coral reef off the coast of BC?

While we usually think of coral in warmer, shallow waters of the tropics, there are cold-water coral species that live in deeper parts of the ocean. Located in the Finlayson Channel, the Lophelia reef is one of those deep-sea reef habitats and the most northern known coral reef in the Pacific Ocean! Lophelia corals can be found between depths of 80 metres to over 3,000 metres. Unlike their shallow-water coral relatives, Lophelia corals do not have zooxanthellae, a symbiotic algae that lives in coral and produces nutrients through photosynthesis. Lophelia corals get all their nutrients by feeding on plankton with the tentacles on each coral polyp.

The reef is known by its Wakashan name, q̓áuc̓íwísuxv. The reef is ecologically sensitive and culturally significant to the Kitasoo Xai’xais and Heiltsuk. Earlier this year, DFO banned bottom-contact fishing near these reefs to protect them.

Image from DFO

#CoralReef #MarineBiology #OceanConservation

Update from the ShoreZone team! 🗺️🚁 Over

Update from the ShoreZone team! 🗺️🚁

Over the past few months, the ShoreZone team has been busily working on mapping the imagery they took on Cape Breton Island and in the Bras d’Or Lakes on the East Coast of Canada (2022), and more locally around Ucluelet and from north of Campbell River to south of Nanaimo on the West Coast (2023).

In images taken along the coast near Ucluelet, like this one, we have been able to identify species such as the introduced Sargassum muticum, as well as a variety of sea stars such as ochre stars (Pisaster ochraceus) and bat stars (Paritira miniata)

The differences between the two coastlines are incredible and we have been amazed at what we can see. While maybe not as exciting as spending a week in a helicopter, we consider ourselves very fortunate to be able to spend work days analyzing these beautiful coastlines, especially knowing that the knowledge gained from this work aids in protecting them.

#OceanConservation #ShoreZone #CoastalMapping #MarineBiology #SalishSea

Saanich Peninsula Environmental Coalition (SPEC) h

Saanich Peninsula Environmental Coalition (SPEC) has launched a new program to monitor the implementation of environmental principles: Check-Up!

SPEC is a collection of independent organizations that have come together to further the values, purposes, and interests outlined below. SeaChange is proud to be one of these organizations! We function as an informal, collaborative group that provides independent advice to Central Saanich, North Saanich and Sidney on matters related to the environmental health of the Saanich Peninsula.

Check-Up! will help SPEC measure the progress of environmental goals by the three municipalities. “Our goal,” says Bob Peart, SPEC’s Coordinator, “is to ensure that the health of the natural environment on the Saanich Peninsula remains vibrant.”

Learn more about SPEC and Check-Up! at the link in our bio

#VancouverIsland #SalishSea #Saanich #SaanichInlet #SidneyBC #Conservation #EnvironmentalConservation

We are conducting an underwater marine debris clea

We are conducting an underwater marine debris cleanup in Oak Bay and Cadboro Bay from March 18 - 26th! A boat will be in the bay removing debris from the ocean floor to a dumpster and excavator located at the Cattle Point Park parking lot.

Thank you so much for your patience as we get this work done!

If you want more information or have questions about the marine debris cleanup or the Resilient Estuaries of the Salish Sea project please reach out to connect@seachangesociety.com!

“Wonders of the Salish Sea” begins next week!

“Wonders of the Salish Sea” begins next week! 🐋

The Salish Sea is one of the largest inland seas in the world. Discover the wonders of this uniquely biodiverse, yet fragile, ecosystem with the guidance of scientists, naturalists, and environmentalists from various groups and organizations such as @friendsofthesanjuansinsta and @cvpws. Learners of all knowledge levels are welcome.

Register at @wondersofthesalishsea

#SalishSea #MarineBiology #VancouverIsland #OceanEducation #OceanConservation

The Mermaid Creek Salt Marsh Restoration project,

The Mermaid Creek Salt Marsh Restoration project, aimed at revitalising the delicate salt marsh ecosystem of Roberts Bay, has been regrettably cancelled due to complications surrounding riparian property rights infringement. Cancelling this restoration project underscores the complexities inherent in balancing environmental conservation goals with legal considerations and property rights, especially in urban areas.

Thank you to everyone who took action to submit comments in support of the restoration project. Moving forward, stakeholders remain dedicated to exploring alternative avenues for preserving and enhancing the ecological integrity of Roberts Bay while respecting the rights of property owners. The West Coast Environmental Law Centre is examining how the jurisdictional complexity of the coast impacts the future of coastal restoration work in British Columbia despite the policy intentions in the upcoming Coastal Marine Strategy.

Please read our full statement. For further inquiries or information, please contact:
Kyle Armstrong - kyle.armstrong@peninsulastreams.ca
Sarah Cook - sarahcook@seachangesociety.com

We had a wonderful time last weekend with Shaw Cen

We had a wonderful time last weekend with Shaw Centre for the Salish Sea to celebrate World Seagrass Day! Thank you to everyone who attended to learn about eelgrass and the Resilient Estuaries of the Salish Sea project. We are also so grateful to the @salishseacentre for their work and for helping us celebrate eelgrass 💚🌿

Stay tuned to know about tabling events and activities we will be participating in this spring and summer!

Happy World Seagrass Day! 🌎 💚 Eelgrass (Zo

Happy World Seagrass Day! 🌎 💚

Eelgrass (Zostera marina) is a flowering marine plant that grows along shorelines. Many species depend on eelgrass meadows for food and habitat. These meadows are especially important for juvenile salmonid species, creating a nursery habitat that protects them from predators.

Eelgrass meadows are highly effective natural carbon sinks and account for 10% of the ocean’s carbon storage capacity. Eelgrass also plays a crucial role in buffering coastal communities from the impacts of rising sea levels and ocean acidification. Protecting and restoring eelgrass meadows is essential for maintaining coastal resilience and combating climate change.

Tomorrow we will be at the @salishseacentre to celebrate eelgrass! Come by anytime to enjoy the aquarium and say hello to SeaChange staff at our booth to learn more about eelgrass with Salish Sea wildlife puppets, educational presentations, games, a scavenger hunt, and more! Admission to the Shaw Centre for the Salish Sea is required. Hope to sea you there!

📷 @tavishcampbell | Thank you to Tavish Campbell for this image documenting how important eelgrass is for juvenile salmon!

#WorldSeagrassDay #Eelgrass #ResilientEstuariesOfTheSalishSea #MarineBiology #ClimateChange #OceanConservation #Seagrass #PacificSalmon

Introducing our new logo! 🥳💚 Over the last

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