Community Science in Howe Sound |Átl’ka7tsem Biosphere Reserve
My Xtratufs squelch in the mud. Quickly picking up my feet before they sink any lower, I continue meticulously combing the silty sedge grass-lined banks, looking for signs of slhawt’ (th-lao-t) or herring spawn. The small glass-like eggs appear as bubbles permanently formed over the bladderwrack seaweed and sedge grasses.
I bend down to move my hand through a patch of seaweed, excitedly spotting some. I note the location and hurry to catch up with my volunteer partner. Together, we walk the shores of Átl’ka7tsem (At-KAT-sum) or Howe Sound on the lands of the Sḵwx̱wú7mesh (Squamish) People of coastal British Columbia, Canada.
Our work along the Squamish Estuary contributes to a growing body of baseline data on herring. The data helps us understand when, where, and how often herring spawn. This information can guide development decisions and fill gaps in knowledge about forage fish during remediation in the sound.
The herring survey is just one of many community-fuled projects supported by The Marine Stewardship Initiative (MSI) and other partners. MSI fosters ocean stewardship and healthy biodiversity through collaboration, knowledge-sharing, and restoration.
Much of this is done by facilitating community science opportunities, which, according to Ellika Cairns, the project director at MSI, is integral to their work.
“Folks involved in community science programs can learn about and connect more deeply with their local environment and fellow community members… while supporting marine research and conservation.”
As a settler and newcomer to British Columbia, looking out over the water, I spot seal heads and the occasional otter bobbing about as seabirds fly overhead. A squid paralarvae, long dead, is wedged among the blades of the spawn-covered seagrasses, soon to be a snack for a soaring bird. The excited chatter of a recent orca spotting spreads through the volunteer community.
The place appears to be teeming with life— and while it is in a better state than several decades ago, it is far from the historically bountiful waters it once was.
The Howe Sound (Átl’ka7tsem) has withstood many industrial ecological disasters decades in the making. One of my volunteer partners, who has lived in Squamish for decades, recalls a time when the water was so polluted that tin cans would dissolve within days.
To learn more, I visited the Britannia Mine Museum, located in the remnants of what was once North America’s largest copper mine and source of pollution. Opening before wastewater treatment became standard for large-scale mines, the mine’s acid rock drainage contaminated the delicate marine ecosystem for most of its seventy-year operation and long after its closure.
At the museum, I found a nuanced approach that showed the life and subcultures the mine supported in an isolated community. However, it also showed devastating images of a vivid orange sludge polluting the waterways. It depicted humans’ reliance on critical minerals and the reality of ecological devastation in sensitive areas without proper regulation.
What is Acid Rock Drainage?
When metal sulfides, such as pyrite, copper, and lead—typically found at mining sites—are exposed to water or air, they cause acid rock drainage. Exposure to the elements causes these dissolved metals to significantly lower the pH level of water, essentially turning it into very acidic and toxic water that kills marine and terrestrial life.
Acid rock drainage is a common byproduct in the mining industry, but today, mines have water treatment systems to manage this. However, Britannia opened in 1904, long before environmental implications and regulations regarding the mining sector were fully realized and implemented. At one point, Britannia was one of North America’s largest pollution sources.
Mining wasn’t the only industrial activity contributing to pollution in the sound. Some of the remains from the pulp and timber sector still stand rotting away along the river that feeds into it. Historic pulp mills suffocated the waters with logs and chemicals associated with logging, such as chlorine dioxide.
Bait fisheries and urbanization contributing to habitat loss and disturbances are just some of the modern threats to herring. While climate change and warming waters threaten nearly all marine animals in Átl’ka7tsem | Howe Sound.
Marine biologists can’t specifically link industrial implications with herring declines, but those who have lived here since time immemorial have lived through these changes.
The Sḵwx̱wú7mesh Úxwumixw and many of the Coast Salish People have witnessed the environmental impacts of what transpired here, seeing the rapid loss of species, such as the herring from their Xay Temixw (sacred lands).
I visited Victoria recently for an ethical wildlife tour with Eagle Wings. A standing member of the Songhees Nation joined us on the boat. She shared personal stories, including her connection to the herring, the notable decline of the species, and her optimism for their recovery in the waters around British Columbia.
It is comforting to know Indigneous Guardians are actively involved with my volunteer project back on the lower mainland, diving and exploring their traditional lands, looking for slhawt’, and filling in language gaps related to Átl’ka7tsem.
What’s So Important About Herring?
Pacific herring are a keystone species in the marine systems of Western North America. As forage fish, they are critical food sources for seals, sea lions, humpback whales, orcas, belugas, and seabirds. During colonization and industrial booms, the population of the Pacific herring substantially declined from Howe Sound, causing the species that rely on them also to decline.
The interconnected relationships between these species are complex and powerful. For example, more herring = more humpback whales. Humpback whale poop is iron-rich and stimulates plankton growth, another keystone species in marine systems.
Herring are culturally significant to the Coast Salish People of the modern-day United States Pacific Northwest and British Columbia. The Coast Salish have a long history of sustainably harvesting their roe using cedar branches. The Sḵwx̱wú7mesh have the phrase “Tem Lhawt,” which means “time of the herring,” as herring brings new life to the waters.
To learn more about herring, buy a book about herring that directly supports the revitalization of the Sḵwx̱wú7mesh language.
Due to the tunnels that remain at the old Britannia Mine site, pollution is an ongoing concern. After government intervention, a water treatment system actively removes 600-700 kg of toxic metal sludge daily.
Remediation and ecosystem recovery are in full swing. Átl’ka7tsem | Howe Sound is now a certified UNESCO Biosphere Reserve with a bright future balancing conservation, recreation, and socio-cultural needs.
Community scientists play a key role in the future of the sound, working up and down coast, contributing to various conservation efforts in establishing baseline data, filling knowledge gaps, and collecting information on the general state of the ocean to help guide management and policy.
The MSI offers several opportunities for community members to get involved in marine research and conservation beyond the herring survey. For example, they can count Dungeness crab megalopae, plant seaweed and grasses, report and clean up marine debris, and submit wildlife observations.
I eagerly took advantage of the variety of ways to give back. I transitioned from working with MSI on their early spring herring survey to the Dungeness crab volunteer project.
Over the summer, my new volunteer partner and I set out all our survey equipment on the dock and pulled the trap out of the water. Acting quickly, we collected Dungeness megalopae into a tub of fresh marine water. We then meticulously counted the wriggling megalopae and other fascinating critters, including pipe fish and segmented worms, before returning them to the water.
My partner and I bonded while collecting data and enjoying the marine life surrounding us, from sea lions building bait balls to great blue herons patiently waiting on the dock to strike an unsuspecting fish below.
Our volunteer site in Ch’ax̱áy̓ | Horseshoe Bay, West Vancouver, was just one of many collecting population and dispersal data on Dungeness crab magalopae.
The Sentinels of Change Dungeness Light Trap is a collaborative effort between The MSI, community members, and the Hakai Institute. The Hakai Institute conducts long-term scientific research at remote locations across coastal British Columbia, and such projects are nearly impossible without the help of community scientists.
Heather Earle, research technician and project lead of the Sentinels of Change project, says, “Community participation in the Sentinels light trap network has been critical to the project’s success over the previous 3 years. Volunteers and community scientists have allowed us to gather data from such a large area over relatively long and intensive seasons. Our traps are in the water for 4.5 months each year and are checked every two days, which is a huge effort and something we could not do alone!”
As someone who checked those traps throughout the summer, I can confirm that pulling them out of the water and counting hundreds and sometimes thousands of megalopae was exciting and empowering. I was living up to my childhood dream of being a marine biologist and developed a strong affinity for the arguably adorable megalopae. I mean, look at them!
Cairns agrees that MSI can’t go alone: “Involvement in community science strengthens our sense of place and knowledge about a region. The dedication, interest, and efforts of volunteers in our community have led to amazing progress in awareness, data collection, restoration, and designation of priority areas for conservation.”
She also notes that as a small team, MSI relies on partnerships with Hakai, community members, and grants like the West Vancouver Foundation Community Grant.
The Dungeness crab project supports broader global initiatives, like the UN’s Decade of Ocean Science.
“The Light Trap network aims to increase our understanding of one of the most critical and highest-valued fisheries in the US and Canada, the Dungeness crab fishery… [helping] to build more predictable and sustainable fisheries in the face of climate change,” says Earle.
The project maintains public data, which increases the accessibility of this knowledge to help drive more evidence-based marine policies, practices, and initiatives in line with the broader goals of the Decade on Ocean Science.
Dungesness Megalopae—Small, But Mighty
Dungeness crabs are another key marine species in the Pacific coastal waters of North America. They are a critical subsistence and food source for many people across this region, and the Dungeness crabbing industry is an essential livelihood for many families. The megalopae are also a key part of marine food webs, making this species ecologically, culturally, and economically significant.
They are sensitive to ocean acidification, warming temperatures, and coastal development, which can impact our fishery economy, food security for coastal communities, and marine biodiversity.
A key gap in our understanding of Dungeness crabs is in the larval and juvenile stages. The light trap project will help improve our understanding of larval Dungeness dispersal patterns, population dynamics, and responses of Dungeness to the impacts of climate change and warming waters.
The trap, built using old water jugs, sits just below the water. It looks like something my dad could have created in his garage. The trap uses light to attract light-loving planktonic creatures, including Dungeness megalopae.
Volunteers collect data on the population size caught in the trap every two days before carefully releasing the critters back into the water. They will eventually settle on the seafloor as juveniles.
The research can help determine the Dungeness adult population size from megalopae counts. Adult population predictions from megalopae are essential for fishery management. This has been done successfully in the United States but not quite yet in Canada.
Earle notes, “The Salish Sea is a unique body of water with complex oceanographic processes that make investigating these questions challenging but fascinating!”
In 2024, Cairns notes that the Light Trap project brought together 19 volunteers that counted 28,000 crabs at our single site in Ch’ax̱áy̓ | Horseshoe Bay.
“With this program, we hope to allow people to learn more about their local marine environment, gain hands-on experience with a research program, and meet other like-minded people. “
If you want to get involved, there are many ways you can support community science efforts across Coastal British Columbia and right here in our very own Átl’ka7tsem (At-KAT-sum) or Howe Sound.
FAQ About Community Science
How can I get involved?
Volunteer Your Time: The MSI website offers volunteer opportunities for herring spawn events, Dungeness megalopae counting, marine debris reports, native plant restoration, and more!
Donate Your Money: Both the Hakai Institute and Marine Stewardship Initiative accept donations. If you have the financial means to do so, you can help fund projects like this.
Follow on Social: I learned about volunteer opportunities on the MSI Instagram! Follow along and subscribe to their newsletter for the latest. Hakai also has an Instagram account for updates on conservation and the Sentinels of Change.
Learn More! Take the whole family to Britannia Mine to learn about the ecological importance of mining regulation and have a fun, immersive, and educational experience!
Is everyone guaranteed a spot?
Some programs have more volunteers than spots, so they prioritize people with more flexible schedules or locations for easy access to the survey sites. However, other programs are short on volunteers and can always use an extra hand. The best way to help is to fill out the forms and see what is needed based on what you can offer.
Do I need experience or scientific knowledge?
Nope! All are welcome regardless of their background. Most community science experiences offer training and assistance to ensure you are ready to rock your data collection. You should be dedicated to following protocols to provide the most accurate information possible.
I’m not in the Sea to Sky region but want to volunteer!
There are loads of volunteer opportunities across the lower mainland and beyond. I’ve found lots of opportunities on Meetup. Local conversation groups and park managers are on Meetup. You’ll find invasive species management, trail development, and canoeing to survey salmon on the Fraser River on Meetup.
Are you outside BC or looking for something with a global reach? Check out our post dedicated to community science and opportunities worldwide, including computer-based studies for at-home, maker projects, and databases for citizen science initiatives!
Share this post with your friends and family who are interested in community science or the conservation of the Howe Sound in beautiful British Columbia.
Átl’ka7tsem is just one of several traditional place names for the Howe Sound Biosphere Reserve. This region is home of the Skwxwú7mesh (Squamish), Səl̓ílwətaʔ/Selilwitulh (Tsleil-Waututh), and xwməθkwəy̓əm (Musqueam) Nations. I am grateful to live and work on these lands, which include numerous volunteer opportunities.
