Not many sites on the planet are destination places for one of the largest fish and animal migrations on the planet, but Baynes Sound qualifies as such a site (most years) because it is a destination point for the spawning run of Pacific herring and all the fish, birds and animals that rely on this incredibly valuable life-force spawning event.
This event is also of prime importance to recreational and commercial fisheries. If there is a need for a rationale to keep the waters of Baynes Sound free from the possible devastating effects of acid mine drainage 鈥� as in the proposal of a coal mine on the slopes above the sound 鈥� this planetary migration of herring and all the life systems that depend on them should be reason enough for the application of the precautionary principle.
I urge you to take some time in the next couple of weeks to observe the mix of large animals, birds and fish that are taking part in this significant planetary migration. If you are fortunate you will discover beaches where the herring spawn is washed up in windrows that are sometimes a foot deep. You should be cautious in moving around such masses of eggs because many of the eggs in the mass of spawn will survive and be washed out to sea on the next tide.
Again last week I joined four friends in two boats as we set out to find some more herring. As a result we have enjoyed fried fresh herring, made herring roll-ups, baked them in the oven and completed our bait requirements for the coming season. Pictured with this column is most of our catch from last week. There were approximately 18 dozen herring in the ice chest.
To put things in perspective, listed here are some of the commercial catches as of this writing and the areas of successful spawn. As of March 9 the gillnet fishery had taken 3,600 tons of a 4,850 quota. The seine fleet has harvested about 3,400 tons of a possible 6,650 tons. The latest word on the seine fleet in Baynes Sound is that they are essentially finished. The total estimated tonnage of the herring in the Strait of Georgia is approximately 100,000 tons. Most of these fish are in Area 14 waters.
There are reports in excess of 45 miles of spawn. The high winds of this week will no doubt have some negative effects on spawn that has washed up on the shore, but most of the action takes place below the tide line. It is hard to get your head around miles of tiny eggs in one spawning event in Area 14 waters. It is truly a force of life for healthy marine ecosystems.
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On Monday, March 5 I joined 200 Valley residents at the Stan Hagen Theater to hear Nobel Prize winner Dr. Andrew Weaver speak about global warming. It was a sobering experience. His message was clear 鈥� we have a developing problem of global warming and climate change.
The science is on a level with the theory of gravity which he illustrated by dropping a penny 鈥� it fell to the floor based on scientific theory. The theory of global warming is as solidly based as the above theory. It is as if our culture has built a huge mansion and we are passing the mortgage on to our children to pay off.
The message in his book Generation Us - The Challenge of Global Warming is simple 鈥� the youth of today must get involved in the decisions that will effect the survival of their society as we know it. And time is running out.
Our federal government in Ottawa seems to be taking on the traits of a theocracy, suppressing climate change science with policies threatening the future well-being of the planet. Weaver's plea to young people was to get out and vote and above all get involved with finding solutions. Generation Us -The Challenge of Global Warming published by Raven Books - Orca Book Publishers is available from local stores for $10.
Fly Fishers take Note: Watch for details on the coming fly fishing movie night at the North Island College on Friday, March 23.
Ralph Shaw is a master fly fisherman who was awarded the Order of Canada in 1984 for his conservation efforts. In 20 years of writing a column in the Comox Valley Record it has won several awards.
