Working to protect B.C.’s ancient glass sponge reefs

Living Oceans Society is working to protect glass sponge reefs that are found only in the waters off B.C. and Washington State. These living fossils are up to 9,000 years old and extremely vulnerable to damage from bottom trawling. In order to preserve these fragile reefs, we are providing input into a federal process to create a Marine Protected Area around them.

We are part of the Hecate Strait Area of Interest Advisory Board which makes recommendations to Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO) on how best to protect the four major Hexactinellid reef complexes in the Queen Charlotte Basin (see map).