Fish Farm Closures Linked to Fraser Sockeye Surge
The Fraser River’s unexpectedly strong sockeye salmon returns this year have renewed calls to accelerate the removal of open-net fish farms from BC’s coastal waters. Marine scientists, First Nations leaders, and wild salmon experts say the surge, with some runs six times higher than forecast, is evidence that removing fish farms from key migration routes […]
Freed Entangled Whale “Starry Knight” Seen Breaching and in Healthy Condition
The young humpback whale Starry Knight, seen entangled near Sooke on July 14 and later freed by rescuers, was spotted breaching near Galiano Island just two weeks later—an inspiring sign that recovery is underway. “Now we’ll be able to note this tragic event in Starry Knight’s life, follow its recovery, and hopefully see it return […]
Sea Stars Are Melting Away: Scientists Identify The Cause Behind Devastating Wasting Disease
This cookie sea star found near Calvert Island, British Columbia, shows how SSWD “melts” the animal’s flesh. Photo credit: Hakai Institute / University of British Columbia
Serial Poacher to Face Six Years in Prison After 17 Years of Violations
A BC man with the longest record of Fisheries Act violations in Canadian history has been sentenced to six years in prison – a punishment the judge said was the only way to stop him from “ravaging the ocean.” Scott Steer, a poacher from Gabriola Island, was convicted earlier this year of illegally harvesting and […]
BC Trawlers Pressured Observers to Not Report 140 Million Pounds of Bycatch
When Monitoring Breaks The federal government requires every industrial trawler in BC to carry an independent at-sea observer to monitor bycatch. Former observers told The Narwhal that they were bullied, isolated, and threatened by crew members onboard trawlers, to the point of fearing for their safety. “You’re out there alone.” Jon Eis, a veteran observer, […]
Killer Whales May Be Sharing Food with Humans to Learn More About Us
Killer whales off the BC coast have been observed doing something astonishing: offering food to humans. The behaviour is rare, potentially unprecedented among wild apex predators, and documented in a new peer-reviewed study published in the Journal of Comparative Psychology. The study’s lead author, marine researcher Jared Towers of Bay Cetology, was present for two […]
Dragged to Death: New Report Reveals the Full Impact of Industrial Trawling on BC’s Coast
Industrial bottom trawling has long operated out of public view, but Pacific Wild’s recently released report, “Dragged to Death”, is shining a light on its scale and ecological cost. Using satellite tracking data, Pacific Wild reveals that just nine super trawlers have dragged 89,700 square kilometres of BC’s seafloor over 13 years of dragging activity. […]
UK Proposes Expanding Ban on Bottom Trawling. Will BC Follow?
As global concern over bottom trawling intensifies, last week the UK government proposed extending its ban on the controversial fishing method across an additional 30,000 square kilometres of offshore protected waters, bringing the total to 48,000 km². The decision was announced ahead of the UN Ocean Conference in Nice, where Sir David Attenborough condemned the […]
New Research Highlights Elevated Pathogen Levels and Environmental Concerns Near B.C. Open-Net Salmon Farms
A recent study conducted by the Pacific Salmon Foundation, in collaboration with three northern Vancouver Island First Nations, reveals that water samples collected near active open-net salmon farms in British Columbia contain four times more pathogens harmful to wild salmon compared to samples from areas near inactive farms. Published in the peer-reviewed journal Scientific Reports, […]
The Cost of Bottom Trawling: “Marine Deforestation”, Massive Bycatch, and Losses of €11 Billion a Year in Europe
Scientists and marine researchers are calling for stronger regulations on bottom trawling in the UK and Europe, citing its damaging impact on seafloor habitats—an effect increasingly likened to marine deforestation—with estimated annual costs of up to €11 billion due to environmental and economic losses. The Impact of Bottom Trawling Bottom trawling has long been under […]