Did you know that Pacific sand lance, capelin, and surf smelt spawn on sandy and pebble beaches right at our feet?
These forage fish species are the cornerstone of marine food webs and are essential food for seabirds, marine mammals fish and their predators. Juvenile salmon forage along the high tide line, feeding on land-based insects swept to the ocean’s surface by winds, and on tiny invertebrates living within the beach seaweed wrack line.
Communities throughout the Salish Sea are working with biologists to better understand and protect these critical fish habitats.
Sea Watch Society Executive Director and Scientist, Ramona de Graaf, will be joining us on Bowen for an evening talk titled “More than a Pretty Beach: Marine shorelines are critical fish habitats”. Ramona is a marine biologist and oversees the province-wide research program to document and protect beach spawning forage fish habitat.
The talk will be held at Bob Turner’s home at 710 Minnows Lane (park in the cul-de-sac at the end of Cates Hill Road and walk up the trail) at 7:30pm Thursday May 22. Ramona will also be leading a beach tour on Friday May 23 (9:00 to 9:45AM) at Pebbly Beach on Deep (Mannion) Bay. Meet at the Pebbly Beach access off Senator Road in Deep Bay. Classes from Bowen Island Community School will tour the beach with Ramona after the public walk.
