Scott Islands
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This dramatic cluster of five islands northwest of Vancouver Island is exposed to the full power of the open Pacific Ocean. Ocean currents in waters over two km deep are forced up over the shallow continental shelf around the Scott Islands creating a well-stirred,nutrient-rich, sunlit environment that has produced a rich and diverse marine ecosystem. Upwellings bring small shrimp-like animals closer to the surface where they form a feast for sea birds.
More than two million breeding seabirds use these islands, which represent about half of British Columbia’s breeding sea bird population. The seabed surrounding these islands is a mixture of sandy shelves and complex rocky reefs which provide habitat for rockfish, ling cod, halibut, and sand lance. One of the world’s largest sea lion rookeries is found here and the marvel of watching squid spawn can be observed along the island shores.
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Queen Charlotte Strait is an area studded with islands and gouged by glaciers; a place as beguiling on a calm summer day as it is fearsome in a winter storm. Beneath its surface lies a beautiful and complex world. Colourful mosaics of pink encrusting algae, hydro corals, orange sea stars, and large, white plumose anemones carpet the rocky reefs.The complicated bottom structure creates ideal conditions for species such as rockfish, while the gravel substrate in the strait’s northwest is prime halibut habitat.
The cold, nutrient-rich waters from the depths of Queen Charlotte Sound pour through deep trenches and are forced to the surface by the shallows at the entrance to Queen Charlotte Strait, stirring the ocean and providing the ingredients for a complex food web. The rapid currents bring more food to sedentary organisms, creating some of the best cold-water dive sites in the world.
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The Broughton Archipelago is a jewel-like cluster of islands and reefs at the mouth of Knight and Kingcome Inlets at the top of Johnston Strait. Salmon and whale migration routes intersect here in the varied ocean conditions. Swirling currents loaded with nutrients sustain the rich intertidal life clinging to rocky tide pools. Rockfish thrive in rock gardens, shrimp like the soft bottom areas, and clams are abundant on the sandy, muddy beaches.
The Broughton Archipelago is an important area for salmon on their journeys to and from sea. They acclimatize to ocean conditions in rich estuaries before going to sea. Runs of pink, coho and chinook salmon on their return voyage fill local streams before they spawn and die. Herring also spawn and congregate in this area. All manner of sea birds and shore birds come to feed here.
These islands offer a unique maze of protected bays and waterways for a wide range of species from orca, humpback and Minke whales, to seals, sea lions, salmon, shorebirds, waterfowl and enormous amounts of microscopic plankton. A marine protected area here would complement an existing provincial park. |
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Knight Inlet reaches 120 km inland making it the longest fjords on British Columbia's glacier-carved coast. Freshwater from coastal rain and snow melt flows into the inlet, reducing the salinity but increasing the ocean’s nutrient levels.
The Franklin and Klinaklini, two very different rivers, are important spawning grounds for eulachon and salmon. The currents at the rivers' mouths create vertical eddies, depositing nutrients and sediment in the estuaries.Estuaries and eelgrass beds are the main feeding, growing and shelter areas for many species of young fish. Broad mud flats provide sustenance for shellfish and shorebirds. These shallow, nutrient-rich boundaries between land and sea where fresh and salt water mix are some of the most-productive ecosystems on Earth. Lush salt marshes grow here and provide an important food source, resting and nesting areas for waterfowl. Many of the invertebrate species and subspecies found clinging to the walls of Knight Inlet are rare. There are likely many more yet to be discovered.
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The Narrows is a labyrinth of channels and bays winding around Sonora Island near Campbell River on the northeast coast of Vancouver Island.The strong tidal currents found here churn the water from top to bottom. This area is the transition point between the warmer Strait of Georgia and colder Johnstone Strait where the temperature difference can be as much as 5º C.
Each region features a unique ecosystem,creating areas of high diversity where they meet. The Narrow’s physical bottleneck is vital for migrating salmon and whales, providing an ideal and important connector for many species in their larval and juvenile stages. The rocky bottom makes great rockfish habitat. Herring spawning grounds, salmon streams and holding areas, kelp beds, clam beaches and prime waterfowl habitat make this a biological hot spot.
The area is also a favorite of boaters, kayakers, divers, and fishermen.Therefore, it is especially important to ensure that this rich and prized marine environment is conserved for future generations.
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