Finding Coral Expedition a Success

This June the Finding Coral Expedition spent two weeks exploring the spectacular under-sea world of coral forests on B.C.’s coast. This Living Oceans Society expedition was designed to gather scientific data and raise awareness of the importance of these spectacular marine creatures.

Jennifer Lash with a red tree coral sample from Portland Inlet. Below: Gorgonian coral in Juan Perez Sound.

The research team, including Living Oceans Society’s Jennifer Lash, used one person submersibles to explore the deep sea. The Finding Coral team travelled onboard the research vessel Cape Flattery to seven dive sites from Vancouver Island to the Alaska border. At five of the expedition’s seven sites the science team found at least 16 different kinds of coral, ranging from small orange cup corals to red tree corals one meter high.

“We went looking for coral but we found so much more,” said Jennifer Lash, Executive Director if Living Oceans Society and the leader of the Finding Coral Expedition. “We explored places no one has ever been before and saw spectacular corals that were absolutely blooming with life. We found at least 38 species of fish, and over 50 species of invertebrates. A thorough scientific review of the dive video is will reveal more species.”

The scientists used single person submarines to dive to depths of more than 500 meters to film and gather evidence of dense, beautiful coral forests. The discovery of these thriving forests at depths of  200-300 meters was truly profound for everyone involved – especially the sub divers.

“It was an experience of a lifetime to go to the bottom of the ocean and see these beautiful corals,” said Dr. Lance Morgan of Marine Conservation Biology Institute. “The video that we filmed and the samples we gathered fill an important gap in our knowledge of deep sea corals along the west coast of North America.”

Deep sea corals are fragile, long lived, slow growing animals that provide habitat for other creatures. Globally, there is widespread scientific concern regarding the threat posed by bottom trawling to these corals and the ecosystems that they support.

While government has taken steps to protect B.C.’s unique glass sponge reefs, there are currently no specific measures in place to protect deep sea corals from the impacts of harmful fishing methods such as bottom trawling. Living Oceans Society is concerned that these fishing practices will affect commercial fish stocks and the health of the ecosystem as well as the fate of the corals.

Over the next few months the science team will analyze the data gathered during the expedition and the findings will be used to develop a conservation strategy to protect these beautiful and important creatures. Living Oceans Society will also share the data with universities, government agencies, fishermen and others to advance the world’s knowledge about deep sea corals.

You can see the glorious underwater world, the submarines, and the people involved by visiting the expedition website at www.findingcoral.com

Help stop another massive salmon farm!

A massive new salmon farm may soon be coming to Gunner Point in Johnstone Strait unless concerned citizens make their voices heard. On June 25 the Strathcona Regional District approved re-zoning that may see 4,400 tonnes of Atlantic salmon raised at the proposed Gunner Point farm, making it one of the largest on the B.C. coast.

The proposed Gunner Point salmon farm would join the gauntlet of farms that wild salmon must swim through. Click map to open pdf.

The District’s ruling brings Norwegian-owned Greig Seafood one step closer to adding another industrial salmon feedlot to a critical wild salmon migratory route. The northern Georgia Strait is a bottleneck that is already choked with 30 open net cage salmon farms – a gauntlet that jeopardizes the future of many wild salmon runs. New scientific reports suggest that both local and Fraser River sockeye are being infected with sea lice near salmon net-cages in this area.


The final decision on the massive new Grieg farm is now be in the hands of the Provincial Ministry of Agriculture and Lands.

Call your own MLA and contact the Honourable Steve Thomson, the new Minister responsible for salmon farms. Voice your strong opposition to any new net-cage sites in this wild salmon bottleneck. It’s time for the Province of B.C. to say no to Norway and stand up for our wild salmon. ALERT EXPIRED!

The environment gets a seat at the table ~ New groundfish advisory process offers a promising avenue for ecosystem concerns

Living Oceans Society Sustainable Fisheries Campaign Manager John Driscoll, on behalf of the Marine Conservation Caucus (MCC), has been part of a group working to develop the Terms of Reference for a new groundfish advisory board, the Groundfish Integrated Advisory Board (GIAB). After several meetings, John is hopeful and optimistic that this board can be a positive step forward for all groundfish stakeholder interests.

“It is common knowledge that different interest groups often don’t work together,” John says. “Some groups may not even communicate their concerns and ideas directly to others. In the worst cases, interest groups can act like two people refusing to speak to each other, by communicating through a third party – which is often the role that government finds itself playing. This method isn’t constructive for anyone in the long run, because it breeds distrust and confusion between the groups.”

Living Oceans Society hopes that GIAB may be a step away from these old ways by offering a venue for different interests to express their concerns and ideas to each other before they harden into disagreements. In this way, ideas can be discussed, reservations and concerns can be lodged and taken into account, and solutions can be found for old disagreements. Most importantly, all groups at the table can contribute knowing that their voices will receive fair consideration and will be conveyed accordingly.  

“We hope that GIAB will offer a chance for regular dialogue and discussion between groups that deal with groundfish issues,” John says. “The most important thing for us as members of the MCC, of course, is to ensure that environmental concerns are taken into account and are conveyed appropriately. However, we also hope that GIAB will enhance cross-group understanding and cooperation as a beneficial side-product.”

The terms of reference for GIAB are still being developed. Environmental interests in GIAB will be represented by members of the MCC. The MCC is a stakeholder body that participates in formal consultations with DFO on behalf of marine conservation interests; Living Oceans Society is a member of the MCC Steering Committee.  

Notes From the Field: Oonagh O’Connor, Energy Campaign Manager

Over 200 people from communities along Enbridge’s proposed pipeline and tanker routes met at the community hall on a June Saturday afternoon in Morristown, B.C. (near Smithers) to discuss their growing concern about the massive project. Participants included First Nations all the way from the Alberta tar sands to Haida Gwaii.

Oil tankers headed for the proposed marine terminal in Kitimat would transport crude oil 140 km up Douglas Channel to Kitimat. Below: Proposed tanker routes through Hecate Strait and the Inside Passage.

A speaker from Fort Chipewan, an Alberta community downstream from the tar sands, shared stories of the devastating effect  tar sands production is having in their community. The First Nations Energy Summit ended with a mixing of water from the territories of all the First Nations’ present, to symbolize their commitment to work together to protect their lands and waters.

Later in June, Enbridge held its first marine Community Advisory Board meeting in Kitimat. Community and environmental representatives came expecting to talk with Enbridge on how the company planned to consult with communities considering whether they would tolerate the pipeline and tanker project proceeding at all. Instead, the company asked for input on project design, on the assumption that it will undoubtedly proceed. Many participants made it clear to Enbridge that they want an independent public review  to give communities a chance to weigh the risks and benefits before they decide about the mega-project.

A project of this magnitude has the potential to change the face of the north and the coast forever. Communities need information about Gateway’s potential impacts. Living Oceans Society and several other environmental organizations asked Enbridge to support a full public independent inquiry prior to any further discussions on the details of the project. It is expected that Enbridge will respond to our request in the next few weeks.

Support the call for a public inquiry into the Enbridge project. Please write Prime Minister Stephen Harper and let him know that you want the federal government to hold an independent inquiry into the project. CLICK HERE to send an e-mail to the PM.

The Gateway Project: Enbridge wants to run two 1,170 km long pipelines from the tar sands in Alberta to the coast at Kitimat. The pipelines will carry an average of 525,000 barrels per day of crude oil to the ocean, and 193,000 barrels a day of condensate to Alberta. Condensate is a toxic kerosene-like product used to dilute crude oil so that it can be transported by pipeline.