The ocean bioluminescence that we see in the waters around Mayne Island are created by dinoflagellates: tiny, single-celled plankton. There are thousands of species of dinoflagellates throughout the oceans of the world, and most of them reproduce asexually. It is assumed that dinoflagellates light up when disturbed to intimidate or escape predators.
The intertidal zone is the area of shore between the lowest and highest tides. From sea stars to tidepool sculpin, an amazing array of different creatures call this harsh environment home.
In celebration of Oceans Day, the Mayne Island Conservancy hosted a three-part event on whale conservation efforts in the Salish Sea on June 29, where we learned how connecting people to the ocean through art, innovation and citizen science can motivate protection of marine ecosystems. To open the evening, island Read more…
From the scuttle of shore crabs to the spray of clams, the intertidal zone is always teeming with new and exciting life! We visited Piggott Bay with the Mayne Island School at low tide to see what we could discover, and the beach did not disappoint. After navigating rocky crevices Read more…
New Addition to Miners Bay If you’ve been to the Miners Bay dock in the past couple of weeks, you might have noticed something new in the water. Our light trap has been deployed and will stay floating beside the dock until this September. Not to be confused with a Read more…
What has eight legs, two light-tipped claws, and huge cultural, commercial and ecological value on the west coast? Dungeness are a widely loved large crab, known for their sweet, mild taste. In the Hul’qumi’num dictionary, this culturally significant species is noted as the most commonly eaten type of crab for Read more…
Pacific herring are a small silver forage fish near the base of the food chain that eat plankton, and in turn are eaten by everything from Chinook and Coho salmon to larger fish, birds, whales, and bears. An essential link in the marine food web, they are a critically important Read more…
It’s the middle of winter holidays, and every family has their rituals. Whether you’re roasting chestnuts on an open fire or bundling up and heading out into the rain or snow, everyone has their own way of enjoying (or at least making the most of) the colder weather. With the Read more…
Mayne Islanders interested in watching, monitoring, and protecting whales are invited to participate in a citizen-science project. The Southern Gulf Islands Whale Sighting Network is a land-based, volunteer-led organization for monitoring and gathering field data on whale movements and boating infractions around Saturna, Pender and Mayne Islands. Whale sightings are Read more…
Mayne Island eelgrass declined 26% between 2009 and 2021 My most memorable marine experience this past year was snorkeling in the middle of a big ball of herring, a real National Geographic moment. I found if I avoided sudden movements, I could ease myself into the middle of the herring Read more…