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By Patrick Walshe
A humpback whale breaches, throwing up a massive splash, jolting us out of our 6:00 a.m. reverie on the magnificence of the scenery northeast of Port Hardy. Cameras whip out, and an excited buzz fills the boat full of artists, scientists and fishermen. A rhinoceros auklet dives nearby. These are good omens as we have just entered one of five biological hotspots in the south-central coast identified by the conservation group Living Oceans Society.
The artists are part of “The Essence of the Sea” art show, one facet of Living Oceans Society’s efforts to provide groundbreaking protection for marine areas between Cape Caution and Butte Inlet. Since many people cannot go diving and hang out with rockfish or venture to the Scott Islands to see the birds, these artists are helping bring the ocean onto land.
Today’s expedition takes us through two of the biological hotspots, Queen Charlotte Strait and the Scott Islands. Over the past 4 years Living Oceans Society has worked with leading scientists to determine how to best design a network of Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) that could contribute to the development of sustainable fisheries and conserve biological diversity. But a scientific analysis only provides part of the information, and there is a need to get the people who work and live in this area engaged in a discussion about how to protect these important places. This is where the artists come in. Through their art we can illustrate why this ocean needs to be protected.
First we visit the entrance to Queen Charlotte Strait where cold, nutrient-rich water is forced up into shallower water by currents creating a well-stirred, sunlit soup just right for kickstarting a rich marine ecosystem. The current-swept passages and complex bottom create habitat for a diversity of life. For example, migrating humpback whales, rockfish, halibut, other ground fish and a multitude of seabirds use this area. Browning Wall drops 250 feet and is considered to be one of the best cold-water dives in the world. Along the way to the second hotspot, the Scott Islands, we were escorted by over 50 white-sided dolphins and later a Minke Whale. One of the most important sea lion rookeries on the coast was also an impressive sight. These five islands, located off the northwest tip of Vancouver Island have a breeding sea bird population over two million strong, or half of the province’s breeding seabirds.
Managing our ocean is a challenging job since in most cases we don’t know how many fish are out there. Too often we think of our marine resources as money in the bank and we continue to make withdrawals on a regular basis. However, since we don’t know how much is in the bank, each withdrawal could be bringing us closer to bankruptcy, but we won’t know till there is nothing there. Stopping all withdrawals, which would mean no fishing, is out of the question. Fishing is a cornerstone of community culture and provides protein for people around the world. Instead, we must build in an insurance system that prevents us from draining our resources and allows us to rebuild our fish stocks.
Early last year, over 150 internationally recognized scientists released a statement confirming that no-take MPAs have been scientifically proven to conserve marine biological diversity and promote sustainable fisheries. In other words, they are our insurance against the failure of fisheries management. For example, rockfish can take 20 years to mature and can live much longer than humans (record is 205 years). Protecting breeding populations of these old-growth fish would ensure that their offspring will disperse to surrounding areas, improving catch rates there.
With the decline of many of our fish stocks, we need to think seriously about protecting these special places on the coast. With the help of over 45 artists, Living Oceans Society is taking significant steps to make this happen. To learn more about Marine Protected Areas and to see the spectacular work artists have contributed to this show, attend the “Essence of the Sea” art show in a community near you. All art will be sold by on-line auction.
Vancouver Show: October 21-25, Opening Reception, October 21, 7-9pm, Alma Mater Society Art Gallery, 6138 SUB Boulevard, Student Union Building, University of British Columbia. Victoria Show: Jan 25 - Feb 13, 2003. Opening reception Jan 25, 7-9pm, Martin Bachelor Gallery, 712 Cormorant Street.
Patrick Walshe is Marine Protected Areas Campaigner for Living Oceans Society, a non-profit organization working to ensure our ocean and our coastal communities are healthy and vibrant. For more information call 250-973-6580 or visit www.livingocean.org <http://www.livingocean.org>.
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