Forage fish are small fish found in high numbers near the base of the food chain that consume plankton, linking the phytoplankton and zooplankton at the bottom of the food chain to whales, predatory fish, and sea birds at the top.

Long-term monitoring of forage fish spawning events allows us to quantify the changes in population, shifts in spawning habitat, and the effects that changing climate and habitat conditions have on these important fish. Our monitoring protocols were adopted initially through the BC Shore Spawners’ Alliance and have been evolving through our work with partners at the Coastal Forage Fish Network, World Wildlife Fund Canada, and Washington State’s Fish and Wildlife Program. All our data contributes to a network of data that is accessible to the public at the Strait of Georgia Data Centre.

Seagrass beds are vital marine habitats that provide essential breeding and nursery grounds for fish, reduce coastal erosion, improve water quality, store carbon, and form the base of productive marine food webs. These vital habitats are at risk from numerous impacts, including anchoring, dredging, pollution, runoff, and climate change.

Our Seagrass Monitoring Program enables us to document changes to these key ecosystems and identify opportunities for protection and restoration. Our survey protocols follow those outlined in Methods for Mapping and Monitoring Eelgrass Habitat in B.C.

The intertidal zone is one of Earth's most productive ecosystems, but it is also one of the most stressful, with organisms facing daily exposure to tidal changes, fluctuations in salinity and temperature, risks of desiccation, and other variables.

Long-term monitoring of intertidal organisms helps track changes in biodiversity, evaluate the impacts of environmental stressors, and inform conservation strategies to maintain ecosystem health and resilience.

We follow protocols outlined by the Multi Agency Rocky Intertidal Network (MARINe) and aim to contribute data to their database in the near future.

Invasive species are usually characterized as having prolific reproduction and, in the absence of natural predators, rapid population growth leading to direct competition for habitat and food. This can lead to negative ecosystem impacts through disrupted food webs, as well as reproduction and habitat loss for native species. In addition to harmful effects on natural communities and ecosystems, invasive species can cause economic harm and human health impacts.

Monitoring for the arrival of invasive species helps ensure that management strategies can be implemented if required. To monitor for the invasive European Green Crab, we work closely with the Department of Fisheries and Oceans (DFO) to ensure effective early detection as well as initiating a speedy response program if detection occurs. 

Pinnipeds are marine carnivorous mammals including seals, sea lions, and walruses. Along the coast of B.C., pinnipeds play an important role in influencing the dynamics and structure of marine ecosystems. As consumers of fish and invertebrates, they impact the growth, reproduction, and population size of prey species. Seals and sea lions also act as parasite hosts, transfer nutrients and energy in marine ecosystems, and influence habitat structure. As top predators, pinnipeds can also serve as indicators of environmental health and change.

Our pinniped surveys currently occur monthly at the same time as our bird survey. Protocols are based on the Pinniped Long-Term Monitoring of the San Francisco Area Network of Parks, which provides an extensive framework for monitoring, including parameters such as population size, distribution, reproductive success, and population ecology.

Pacific salmon are keystone species with immense ecological, cultural, and economic value. Long-term monitoring of juvenile salmon in Pender Harbour creeks will help us evaluate the impacts of anthropogenic stressors such as upland development, stream channelization, sport fishing, and climate change on our local salmon populations. Once there is more information about numbers in local spawning streams, work can be done to try and restore and maintain these vital populations.

Surveys are conducted at two established sites, one at the mouth of the harbour and one within the harbour. Survey methods include weekly salmon escapement counts between September and November, following protocols and data templates provided by Department of Fisheries and Oceans (DFO).

Pacific salmon have ecological, cultural, and economic value; however, little collective information exists about juvenile salmon population sizes and migration. Juvenile salmon and other fish are sampled using a beach seine net at two established survey locations as well as various locations throughout Pender Harbour to determine which species are utilizing the area, and at what times.

Surveys are completed weekly from March to September. Data collected includes fish lengths and general health data, such as the number of lice (if any), and water quality parameters such as salinity. All data collected is reported to DFO.

Crab populations are threatened by global changes like climate change, ocean acidification, and local pressures like fishing and coastal development.

Our goal is to document the numbers and timing of the arrival of larvae of different crab species in Pender Harbour, with particular focus on the Dungeness Crab. Monitoring will collect data as part of the Sentinels of Change Project, a collaborative network working to improve knowledge of the reproduction, dispersal, and recruitment of marine invertebrates in the Salish Sea.

Seabirds play many roles in marine ecosystems as predators, prey, scavengers, and dispersers of nutrients. Among the many threats that seabirds face are climate change, pollution, overfishing, introduced species, and human exploitation and disturbance. Changes in seabird populations are good indicators of long-term and large-scale change in marine ecosystems. Around the world, recent startling declines in seabird colonies have raised alarms.

Our monitoring program identifies which species are residing and migrating through the Pender Harbour region using monthly bird counts following protocols outlined at Bird Studies Canada. All data is reported and made public through the Birds Canada website and through eBird.

Common loons are found within the coastal oceans during the winter and utilize the freshwater lakes in the spring and summer. Loons on the East Coast have been experiencing decline due to pressures such as lead fishing tackle, climate change, shoreline development, predation, water fluctuations, and recreation.

Populations are monitored on the lakes to determine breeding success through nesting pairs and chick survival. We monitor lakes in Pender Harbour used by common loons following protocols outlined by Bird Studies Canada’s Loon Lake Monitoring Program.