Salish Sea Nearshore Recovery Project

By Peter Scholefield

The Seachange Marine Conservation Society has been awarded a 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 will proceed until 2022 and entails native eelgrass and marine riparian restoration and underwater debris removal from nearshore areas where eelgrass is impeded. The goal of the project is to restore the integrity, resilience, and connectivity of threatened nearshore habitat in Howe Sound/Atl'kitsem and throughout the Salish Sea. The project's focus is on eelgrass and marine riparian habitat that is important to forage fish and salmon species.

As part of this project, on 10 April, 2018, Conservancy Director, Kathy McTaggart and I participated in a Howe Sound Marine Conservation Workshop and a follow-up workshop at the Pacific Science Enterprise Centre (PSEC) in West Vancouver. The purpose was to identify nearshore areas in Howe Sound that might be suitable for restoration, such as expanding and planting eel grass beds. Approximately 54 potential restoration sites were proposed in Howe Sound with several on Gambier Island. I agreed to become a member of a technical committee to explore in more detail possible restoration sites in Howe Sound. Further technical meetings were held where some priority sites in Howe Sound were decided upon, including three on Gambier Island: Brigade Bay, Halkett Bay and at the head of Long Bay near the Sea Ranch and finally Cotton Bay.

On 15 August, 2018 Nikki Wright the project lead and her dive team conducted the first eelgrass transplant at Halkett Bay, within the marine provincial park boundary. I joined campers and staff from the David Suzuki Foundation's Camp Suzuki at Camp Fircom to provide volunteer help. The next day, the SeaChange dive team conducted habitat surveys at the following nine locations: Gambier Island (Halkett Bay, Sea Ranch/Long Bay, Brigade Bay, Cotton Bay); West Howe Sound (Hopkins Landing, Williamsons Landing); Keats Island (Plumper Cove); and Bowyer Island (Campbell Bay).

We are pleased to participate in this important restoration project.

Photo credit: P. Scolefield. Preparing for eelgrass planting at Camp Fircom