Shell Fishing

One of our neighbors, Brian invited us to accompany him on a "clamming" trip and we gladly took him up on it. Our education on life by the sea continues. The timing revolves around the tide - it has to be out so that the clam beds are exposed. We traveled to a rocky beach in beautiful Deep Bay and walked out to the waters edge. Brian prefers digging clams in the rocks because the clams are hampered or limited in their escape routes by the very rocks they live in and around. On a sand flat they are too hard to catch. How does something with no arms and legs escape through dense wet sand anyway?



We picked a spot, carefully removing some of the rocks and started to dig blindly in the sand and water. It's all by touch. Sometimes you get rocks or shells full of sand, but you also get clams.



There were 3 varieties found that day; Shortneck, Manilla and Butter clams. You have to have a saltwater fishing license to dig clams and the number you can take is limited. On this particular day Brian was the licensed "clammer" and his limit was 75 Manilla clams and 12 Oysters.


Clams collected and rocks carefully replaced, we moved on in search of the oysters and Brian knew where to look. In no time we had collected 12 large shells. No digging blindly for these guys - they're totally exposed.



I can't help including a couple of scenic shots. The snow covered mountains inland and the starfish that were everywhere. Beach outings are always a feast for the senses.


And speaking of feasts, back at Brian's the oysters still in their shells went into a pot of boiling water and then partly cooked they're pried from their shells. A quick rinse and saute in butter and garlic - yum! Roy and I enjoy shellfish, but to go out and actually catch them fresh is double the treat. We now have our own fishing license and are loving life by the sea.

Releasing the Fry

Today I attended the release of 350,000 Pink Salmon fry from a net pen in Deep Bay. The fry had been raised for a period of time at the Nile Creek hatchery and then transported in buckets to the pen in Deep Bay. They seem to thrive in the pen, gaining size and weight and the release into a harbour gives them a better chance than being released into the creek. I asked if they would return to Deep Bay to spawn and was told that probably some would but that they had been imprinted with the water from the Nile Creek so most would return there.
How amazing is that?

Below, the fry in the pen and the lowering of one side of the pen so they could swim away into the bay and then out to sea. See y'all in 2 years...maybe on my plate! Yum!

Eelgrass Mapping

So here it is Saturday again and where are we?....back in the classroom, at a workshop put on by the Nile Creek Enhancement Society (NCES). This time learning about Eelgrass which is a bright green ribbon-like grass ( it is not a seaweed) which produces roots, flowers and seeds and grows near the low tide line. It is important because it helps produce oxygen, filters pollutants and protects the coastline from erosion by slowing waves and currents. Eelgrass meadows are feeding and nursery areas for many species of invertebrates and they attract more than 70 species of fish including salmon and herring. World-wide, seagrasses including Eelgrass are among the most threatened of coastal habitats so it is important to map the areas where it grows, as a benchmark for changes that occur, and to plant it in areas where none currently exists.
Biologist Nicky led the classroom overview and theory and then we reconvened at low tide on the beaches off of Deep Bay to practice mapping the beds.


The class gathers at an Eelgrass bed and the plants are identified by Biologist Nicky.


There are a number of criteria required for mapping: measuring off a 60 meter baseline and using GPS to position it, doing random samplings and counts of density of plants within a perimeter, taking photo's and making notes of date, time, place (meta data) all for future reference and comparison.


Plants are counted within a measured area at random points to establish density. While on the beach we watched a number of Eagles and Herons feeding off the small fish in the Eelgrass exposed at low tide. And a Needlefish, one of the inhabitants of an Eelgrass Meadow.

It was a very interesting and informative day. If I'm going to volunteer, I think I can manage a day at the beach, walking among the tidal pools, listening to the calls of the shorebirds and counting plants. Poor me!

Stream Keeper - Day 2

Sunday morning finds us back in the classroom. Today is all about fish, frogs, trees, plants and bugs as relates to a healthy ecosystem and a healthy stream. Everyone has a story about "things gone wrong", oil spills, erosion of banks, poor engineering of bridges, antiquated farming practices and of the havoc wrought to the ecosystem; all very depressing, but biologist Dave is quick to point out that these things can be corrected and that nature has a way of healing itself. I hope that he is right.


In the afternoon we again visit a nearby stream and break into groups to search out the "wild life" in the stream. Those with chest waders take the deeper pools in search of small fish and those of us in gumboots take the shallower riffles in search of bugs. We turn rocks, scooping with nets and scraping the residue into our bins. I am reminded of my childhood and days spend exploring Thomson Park and playing in the creek. Later we categorize, compare and identify our catches.




We again perform water quality tests and those results along with the insects found confirm a healthy stream and fish habitat. It has been an eye-opening couple of days and although we receive Stream Keeper certificates I know that we haven't even scraped the surface.
We have signed on for a lesson in Eel grass mapping out in the straits next week - stay tuned!