Millions of Seabirds Lost to Record-Breaking Heat Wave
A single marine heatwave between 2014 and 2016, known as “The Blob,” wiped out an estimated four million common murres on the West Coast. This catastrophic event, triggered by record-high ocean temperatures, is described as the largest wildlife mortality event of its kind in modern history. The findings, published Thursday in Science, highlight how the […]
Major Diesel Spill at BC Fish Farm Leads to Clam Harvest Closure, Sparks Cleanup Challenges
A significant diesel spill of 8,000 litres occurred at Grieg Seafood’s Lutes Creek open-net pen salmon farm near Zeballos on Saturday, marking an incident eight times larger than Cermaq’s 2017 Echo Bay spill. Grieg Seafood, a Norwegian aquaculture giant, attributed the spill to “human error” during fuel transfer operations when a pump was not properly […]
2024 Pacific Halibut Harvest Hits Record Lows, Prices Set to Rise Amidst Stock Shortages
Preliminary totals from the 2024 Pacific halibut fishery suggest that this year’s harvest may have been one of the lowest on record. Landings from 2024 represent only about 74% of the year’s catch limit. Typically, this fishery achieves about 90% of its limit. The spawning biomass of Pacific halibut is also said to be at […]
Illegal Shark Finning Still Occurring in the North Pacific
The illegal practice of shark finning continues to occur in the North Pacific. Experts say it is a key factor in dwindling shark populations. This fall, an international task force, including Fisheries and Oceans Canada officers, set out to combat illegal fishing in international waters. They boarded 15 fishing vessels and found illegal activity that […]
Southern Resident Orcas Revive Salmon Hat Trend From the Eighties
The demure “salmon hat” fashion trend has been revived by a southern resident killer whale in Puget Sound. On October 25th, researchers spotted at least one southern resident wearing a deceased salmon on its head as it swam. The orca also appeared to be snacking leisurely on its salmon hat. First observed in 1987, the […]
Canada’s Draft Plan to Phase Out Open-Net Salmon Farms Arrives Seven Weeks Late
The Federal government’s draft plan for transitioning open-net pen salmon farms out of BC has finally arrived, seven weeks after the initial due date. The new draft plan outlines the government’s vision for how it plans to support the fish farm industry’s move to land-based farming, which is seen as a much more sustainable alternative. […]
Scottish Salmon Farm Accused of Dumping Dead Fish Ahead of Inspection
A Scottish salmon farm removed tonnes of dead fish from its pens before inspectors were scheduled to arrive.
BC’s “Whale Police” Have A Whale-Sized Task With Drone Violations and Increased Ship Strikes
Whales were in BC waters long before humans–but nothing prepared them to deal with vessel strikes or pesky drones. Cue the “whale police.”
Gang of Teenage Elephant Seals Known as The Beach Boys Photobomb Research Site
Eight young male elephant seals turned a science project off BC’s coast into a photo booth. The images are hilari
ous.
“Golden Rules” Proposed For Fishery Management
Overfishing is destroying the world’s oceans, say researchers who propose 11 “golden rules” to improve fisheries management.