Pacific Wild

🐺 You might be surprised by how many people in #BritishColumbia share the places they call home with wolves. Wolves keep a low profile, but how many are actually roaming the landscape and where? 🌳 Wolves inhabit various regions of British Columbia (B.C.), adapting to a range of habitats within the province. They are commonly found in the coastal rainforests of the #GreatBearRainforest, the interior forests and valleys of the Rocky Mountains, as well as in the boreal forests of the northern regions. The provincial government believes that the estimated number of wolves in the province stands at roughly 8,500. 👩🏻🔬Renowned wolf biologists John and Mary Therberge explain that to get these numbers, researchers fly over selected areas, count the animals that are spotted and use mathematical models to extrapolate from there.  “Establishing reliable population estimates and trends is difficult because wolves typically live in forested areas, are highly mobile with large home ranges, and are frequently nocturnal... However, indirect population estimates can be made based on wolf density extrapolations and relative densities of ungulate prey”  according to the B.C. Management Plan for the Grey Wolf (2014).  According to the Therberges, there is a lot of room for misrepresentation of animal population estimates, if these mathematical models are not handled with care. The current estimated number of wolves in B.C. is based on two independent assessments, one made in 1979 and the most recent being more than 3 decades ago in 1991 by John and Mary Therberge themselves. 🌟 Wolves are a valued, #keystone species in many places in the world, however there is a surprising lack of up-to-date information on how the wolf populations of British Columbia are faring and where they live. #wolveskeystonespecies #savebcwolves #cariboutwolves #wolves #wildlifeconservation #beautifulbritishcolumbia #wildlifephotography

The Haíłzaqv (Heiltsuk) Nation is suing the federal government for banning the commercial spawn-on-kelp (SOK) #fishery in 2022. The nation filed the civil action in B.C. Supreme Court, alleging the prohibition contradicted the management plan jointly developed by Fisheries and Oceans Canada (#DFO) and the Heiltsuk. By shutting down the spawn-on-kelp fishery, DFO’s decision also undermined ongoing reconciliation agreements. While the sustainable, low-impact spawn-on-kelp fishery was shut down in 2022, further south gillnet and seine boats gobbled up herring whole by the tonnes in the Strait of Georgia. The traditional spawn-on-kelp fishery involves the suspension of hemlock branches, kelp fronds, and seaweeds in sheltered spawning areas. Such a method allows the spawning herring to live on and spawn again or be eaten by predators, therefore maintaining the herring’s critical ecosystem function. In contrast, the “sac roe” fishery, industrial seine and gillnet boats net schools of herring just before spawning and kills them, preventing them from returning and spawning again in future years. The roe, which is only 12% of the catch on average, is removed for international export, mainly to Japan. Most of the carcasses from the male and female fish are processed into pet food, fertilizer or fish meal to feed Atlantic salmon raised in open net-pens. #MarineConservation #MarineProtection #britishcolumbia #marineconservation

Happy World Seagrass Day! 🪸 Studies have found that #seagrasses, like eelgrass, account for about 10% of the ocean’s capacity to store #carbon despite covering only about 0.2% of the global sea floor. Amazingly, seagrasses can capture carbon from the atmosphere up to 35 times faster than terrestrial forests! Seagrass meadows also protect coastlines from erosion, help to reduce sediment in the water and provide important habitat space for many species such as Pacific herring. Eelgrass is one of the key substrates used by Pacific herring for spawning across British Columbia. Female herring lay rows upon rows of roe on the blades of eelgrass and other seaweeds where they in turn provide an essential food source for many other species. Disturbance, development and climate change in coastal and estuarine environments has led to a decline in seagrass abundance around the world, including eelgrass meadows in British Columbia. Luckily, organizations such as Sea Change Conservation Society (https://lnkd.in/gi2WfBMT) are working hard to restore these precious marine ecosystems. To date, Sea Change Conservation Society has restored over 40 restored eelgrass habitats within the Salish Sea! This year, our staff is excited to join our colleagues at CONSERVANCY HORNBY Island (https://lnkd.in/gU3VP33M) for the 8th Annual Herring Fest (March 7-11) for a series of presentations (including one from the folks at SeaChange Marine Conservation) and a panel discussion about herring, climate change and the Salish Sea.  Get your tickets here: https://lnkd.in/givV4yUP #MPAs #MarineConservation#MarineProtection #30x30 #internationalday#seagrass #britishcolumbia#marineconservation

From all wildlife families of the #GreatBearRainforest, we're wishing you a happy and relaxing #FamilyDay! 🌿🐺🦅🌊

🌊 Our week of celebrating the one year anniversary of the endorsement for the Northern Shelf Bioregion #MarineProtectedArea (#MPA) Network Action Plan is coming to an end. Now you know how well-managed MPAs and a MPA networks are key to protecting the Great Bear Sea's endangered ecosystems, but for that to happen, we need to hold the government accountable on meeting Canada’s #30x30 goal. Join us to support the protection of 30% of Canadian oceans: https://lnkd.in/gEkdxicD #MPAs #oceanconservation #marineprotectedareas #MPANetwork #protecttheoceans #ecosystemmanagement #marineconservation #oceanlife

Contrary to popular belief, #marineprotectedareas (#MPA) often remain open to some commercial fishing! The #fisheries and gear types allowed to operate business-as-usual depend on the conservation goals of the protected area. The level of restriction on other fishing practices are determined by the importance of the ecological groups included in the MPAs. For instance, MPAs that protect sensitive sponge reef habitats, such as the Hecate Strait and Queen Charlotte Sound MPAs, prohibit bottom-contact gear but may still permit seine or gillnet fisheries in the water column above the reef. Some commercial activities, such as bottom trawling, oil and gas extraction, undersea mining and dumping, are now prohibited in Canadian MPAs for their destructive nature. A socioeconomic overview conducted with a clear and transparent methodology by the MPA network’s partner Nations, Canada and B.C. helps to dispel some of the misunderstanding and misinformation surrounding the creation of the network. The MPA network has been designed to limit the potential impact of closures to commercial fisheries. In fact, it is anticipated that the Northern Shelf Bioregion #MPAnetwork will only affect a maximum of 8% of the total commercial fishing effort across the region. In contrast, it is expected that the MPA network will bring in hundreds of millions of dollars to B.C 's coast, and is forecasted to create over 3,000 new jobs and over 2,000 new businesses in a range of coastal industries over the next 20 years. #MPAs #oceanconservation #marineprotectedareas #MPANetwork #protecttheoceans #ecosystemmanagement  #marineconservation #oceanlife 

No Trawl, No Problem! 🐚 A benefit of MPAs is the “spillover effect”. The #spillovereffect is one way that no-take marine reserves have a positive influence on adjacent fisheries. Target fish migrate outside the boundaries of protected areas as populations increase where they can be caught by fishers. In the Irish Sea, a network of marine protected areas around the Isle of Man helped to recover commercial stocks of king scallops. After five small areas were closed to bottom trawling, king scallops were five times more abundant in non-trawled areas, increasing their reproductive potential by over 1,200%. 🤝 Do you want to hear more success stories like this for B.C. #ecosystems? Follow the link in our bio to send a pre-written letter telling government officials you support the protection of 30% of Canadian oceans by 2030: https://lnkd.in/gEkdxicD #MPAs #oceanconservation #marineprotectedareas #MPANetwork #protecttheoceans #ecosystemmanagement  #marineconservation #oceanlife 

🌊 Join us as we celebrate the one-year anniversary of the endorsement of the #MarineProtectedArea Network Action Plan for the Northern Shelf Bioregion! This week, we are highlighting some #MPA successes from around the globe. 🐬 Have you ever heard of Hector's #dolphins? Hector’s dolphins are the smallest dolphin species in the world and are found exclusively in coastal waters around New Zealand. This critically endangered species is threatened largely due to human activities. Since the implementation of the Banks Peninsula marine mammals sanctuary, the survival rate of Hector’s dolphins has increased by 5.4% as they are protected from being caught as bycatch in set nets within the sanctuary. A 2012 study of the Banks Peninsula marine mammal sanctuary provides the first empirical evidence that MPAs are effective in protecting threatened marine mammals. 🤝 Do you want to hear more success stories like this for B.C. #ecosystems? Follow the link in our bio to send a pre-written letter telling government officials you support the protection of  30% of Canadian oceans by 2030: https://lnkd.in/gEkdxicD #MPAs #oceanconservation #marineprotectedareas #MPANetwork #protecttheoceans #ecosystemmanagement  #marineconservation #oceanlife 

🌊 Join us as we celebrate the one-year anniversary of the endorsement of the MPA Network Action Plan (https://mpanetwork.ca) for the Northern Shelf Bioregion! 🌟 Let’s start the week with the great success story of the Cabo Pulmo #nationalpark whose marine ecosystem recovered after decades of pollution and overfishing, thanks to the creation of a #MarineProtectedArea.   🤝 Do you want to help create more success stories like this for #britishcolumbia’s ecosystems? Send a pre-written letter to tell government officials you support the protection of 30% of Canadian oceans by 2030: https://lnkd.in/gEkdxicD #MPAs #oceanconservation #marineprotectedareas #MPANetwork #protecttheoceans #ecosystemmanagement  #marineconservation #oceanlife 

❓ Do you know what MPA stands for? This morning, the Pacific Wild team hit Dallas Rd to engage with the community and dive deep into discussions about #MarineProtectedAreas (#MPAs). 🎉 Next week, join us as we celebrate the one-year anniversary of the endorsement of the MPA #NetworkActionPlan (https://mpanetwork.ca) for the Northern Shelf Bioregion, also known as the #GreatBearSea, by leaders from 15 First Nations, the federal and provincial governments. 🐋 🌟 Stay tuned for upcoming posts on our social media channels, and support our MPAs campaign by sending our pre-written letter telling government officials you support the protection of 30% of the oceans by 2030 through the timely implementation of an MPA network in the Northern Shelf Bioregion of B.C.: https://lnkd.in/gEkdxicD ▶ Follow us on: ✅ Instagram: https://lnkd.in/g3jWk-U5 ✅ Facebook: https://lnkd.in/gK8XsRss ✅ Youtube: https://lnkd.in/gq6GwXC7 ✅ Twitter: https://lnkd.in/gkN4HpGK ✅ Subscribe to our Newsletter: https://lnkd.in/geN_JPtk  #MarineConservation #GreatBearSea #MPANetwork #CommunityEngagement