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Blood Water

by Tavish Campbell

This is an international embarrassment to Canada!

Write to Premier John Horgan (premier@gov.bc.ca) and Prime Minister Justine Trudeau (justin.trudeau@parl.gc.ca) and tell them the B.C. salmon aquaculture industry MUST transition to land.

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P.O. Box 365
Duncan, BC V9L 3X5

Field Office:
P.O. Box 26
Denny Island, BC V0T 1B0

Email: info@pacificwild.org

Phone: 250-597-2480

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  • We missed #SharkAwarenessDay last week and felt a bit of FOMO (Fear Of Missing Out). Shark populations in Canadian Pacific waters are poorly understood - what do they eat? How many are there? Why do they come to the B.C. coast and for how long? This information is vital for conservation and ecosystem-based management of Pacific marine ecosystems.⁣ ⁣ A few years ago this very same month, marine biologist Dr. Rob Williams and his associates answered some of these questions when they made an accidental and remarkable discovery. Williams and his team found more than 20,000 blue and salmon sharks gathered in a small area of western Queen Charlotte Sound, also known as a “hot spot”. A highly migratory species found visiting B.C. waters in the summer months, blue sharks are a common bycatch in commercial fishing and are currently listed as ‘near threatened’ due to large numbers being caught in unmanaged global fisheries. Stay tuned for more images of blue sharks in honor of Shark Week (beginning July 28) 🦈⁣ ⁣ Photo by @iantmcallister ⁣ #sharksofinstagram #finfree #sharkconservation #sharkweek
  • Footage by @iantmcallister edit by @lindsaymariestewart | The recent deaths of two grizzly bear cubs who were struck by vehicles in the Great Bear Rainforest has highlighted ongoing tensions between humans and bears in Bella Coola Valley, British Columbia. Province-wide, conservation officers kill about 50 grizzly bears every year for “reasons of public safety.” ⁣ ⁣ Making their dens high in the mountains, this is the time of year grizzlies follow salmon-filled creeks down to the river. On their journey to these salmon runs, bears pass through communities of people where things like garbage and fruit trees make for enticing potential meals. As salmon populations continue to decrease, these other food sources increase in value for bears - making the problem worse.⁣ ⁣ Genetic population counts conducted by Nuxalk First Nation show preliminary numbers far less than B.C.’s provincial population estimates. To keep grizzly bears safe in the long run, private homeowners need to prepare for these animals walking up salmon-bearing creeks near their homes. Organizations like Nuxalk Bear Safety Group are helping protect bears through sustainable bear-viewing activities and helping community members secure potential bear attractants. Moving forward #wildsalmon restoration efforts will also be crucial. Work like this is important so that people and wildlife can sustainably coexist in the Great Bear Rainforest. ⁣ ⁣ #greatbearrainforest #bearsafety #grizzlybear #wildsalmon #saveBCbears #trophyfreeBC
  • Photo by @iantmcallister | Transparent and majestic hooded nudibranchs are able to swim with small paddle-like flippers. These predatory sea slugs are found throughout the North and Central Coast and Haida Gwaii. Learn more under “Marine Life” on our new marine protection education hub (link in our bio).⁣ ⁣ #nudibranch #underwaterphotography #seaslug #marineconservation
  • #Repost from @iantmcallister // The fairly recent and successful reintroduction of sea otters after the fur trade extirpated them from the BC coast is seeing profound ecosystem benefits. Kelp forests are flourishing now that the otters are keeping the kelp-eating urchins in check. In turn, these marine forests increasingly provide a nursery for countless species of fish.⁣ .⁣ .⁣ .⁣ #ExploreBC #ig_discover_wildlife #wildlife_seekers #seaotters #ottercoast
  • In British Columbia, hunters and trappers kill more than 1,200 wolves annually. So far, 700+ wolves have been killed province-wide under the government's cull program. Killing all the wolves in B.C. won’t bring the caribou back in the absence of habitat protection.⁣⁣⁣ ⁣ The B.C. government has approved hundreds of logging cut blocks in endangered caribou habitat and continues to entertain discussions about building open-pit coal mines in critical caribou habitat within several Central Mountain ranges, where every single herd is in decline.⁣⁣⁣ ⁣ Our goal is to stop government-supported wolf kill programs and ensure that wolves have adequate habitat to continue their critical role as a keystone species. Together we can stop this kill program and give wolves the protection and respect they deserve as top predators.⁣⁣⁣ ⁣⁣⁣ Take action to #SaveBCWolves by signing our petition (link in the bio) 🐺⁣⁣⁣ . ⁣⁣ 📸 @iantmcallister ⁣⁣⁣ #wolvesofinstagram #wolfconservation #wolf #bcpoli
  • As members of the dolphin family, killer whales are capable of echolocation, a sonar-like system that enables them to find food without actually seeing it. A single killer whale can consume up to an astonishing 180 kilograms (400 lbs) of fish in only 24 hours.⁣⁣ ⁣⁣ Learn more about these incredible marine mammals and celebrate #WorldOrcaDay by visiting our marine education hub (link in our bio). ⁣⁣ ⁣ Photo by @iantmcallister ⁣⁣ ⁣ #MarineConservation #KillerWhale #Orca
  • Photo by @nickhawkinsphotography // In just one month, six critically endangered North Atlantic right whales have died in Canadian waters, three of which were struck and killed by boats. This is entirely due to human activity and is a nightmare for the population. With less than 400 individual animals left on Earth, the North Atlantic right whale cannot afford any more deaths. If Canada and the US do not implement stronger regulatory changes to protect this species soon, we may lose them forever. ⁣ ⁣ Here on the Pacific coast, we must continue fighting to keep large oil tankers out of our marine environments. While the recent passing of Bill C-48 has prohibited tankers carrying more than 12,500 metric tonnes of crude and persistent oils from stopping at all ports between northern Vancouver Island and the B.C.-Alaska border, it does not apply to tankers carrying Liquified Natural Gas (LNG) or refined oil, or to articulated tug barges. Large vessels like these pollute the ocean with harmful noise, increase the likelihood of spill devastation, and create the potential for deadly ship strikes like those seen on the east coast. Let's do what we can to save our whales and other marine creatures from more incidents like this one.⁣ ⁣ @nickhawkinsphotography @sealegacy #TurningTheTide #NorthAtlanticRightWhale #EndangeredSpecies #MarineConservation
  • Help us get to 500,000 petition signatures to #SaveBCWolves (link in our bio)⁣ 🐺⁣ ⁣ In an attempt to save the endangered caribou, the B.C. government launched a multi-year wolf kill program in the South Peace and South Selkirk regions in January of 2015, against the recommendations of independent scientists. ⁣⁣ ⁣⁣ The government’s decision to scapegoat wolves for this precipitous southern mountain caribou decline is a failure to protect and restore the habitat required: old-growth forest that has been fragmented and destroyed by industrial logging, mineral development, oil and gas exploration and recreational activities such as snowmobiling and commercial heli-cat skiing. Beyond this failure, the government-sponsored wolf kill program is a disastrous management experiment that imposes an immense burden of suffering on wolves. ⁣ ⁣ Photo by @iantmcallister⁣ ⁣ #wolfconservation #wolvesofinstagram #bcpoli #caribou #wildlifemanagement
  • When hunting, humpback whales are often seen “bubble-net feeding”, strategically working together to cooperatively trap fish. The rhythmic feeding call, or "humpback song" used in these hunts can exceed 180 decibels, loud enough to burst a human eardrum. Visit our marine protection education hub (link in our bio) to learn about the many marine species that can benefit from Marine Protected Areas in B.C. While there, fill out our survey and you’ll be entered to win one of our marine prints. Contest closes Friday, July 12 at 12pm PST. Photo by @iantmcallister #humpback #whale #marineconservation #marineprotectedareas #greatbearrainforest #britishcolumbia #keepitwild #oceanoptimism
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