Field Work Friday
It's #FieldWorkFriday
This week has been incredibly busy in the field. You may remember posts about European Green Crab (EGC) detections on Gambier Island on July 31 and another on September 11 in Gibsons. This week we collaborated with the Blue Act Marine Society, Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO) and Sea Dog Expeditions for a coordinated blanket trapping event in western Howe Sound.
We started the week with early morning surveys on Gambier Island. We set traps in West Bay, Center Bay and Long Bay (the original detection site). We added additional traps north of New Brighton later in the week.
On Tuesday, DFO, Loon Foundation staff and volunteers started foot trapping at Williamson's Landing (the original Gibsons detection site) as well as McNair creek estuary.
At this time we have had 2 EGC (both males) in West Bay and 6 EGC (5 males and 1 female) in Long Bay on Gambier Island. The Gibsons trapping has resulted in one EGC (male) at Mc Nair creek estuary.
An EGC is identified by the 5 marginal teeth along one side of its carapace (top shell). They are not always green!
If you think you have found an EGC please do the following:
Note the location
Take a photo
Report it to DFO's Aquatic Invasive Species line at AISPACIFIC@dfo-mpo.gc.ca
A huge thank you to Addison of Sea Dog Expeditions for his incredible boat maneuvering skills in getting us into the mudflats at Gambier Island and for ensuring any marine debris in our path was removed from the ocean.
An immense thank you to the volunteers that joined us on the boat and foot trapping sites. We cannot do this work without you.
A big thank you to DFO for providing additional support and gear to ensure an effective coordinated response.
Lastly, but definitely not least, thank you to Blue Act Marine for partnering with us to complete trapping as well as promoting the installation of educational materials on Gambier Island and in Gibsons. We look forward to future collaborations.
Want to get involved? Please visit our website at loonfoundation.org or email Jenn at jenn@loonfoundation.org.
