Banner Photo: Howe Sound sunset (Credit: Richard Duncan)
The Ocean Wise Research Institute
Novel Research. Meaningful outcomes. Actionable solutions.
The Ocean Wise Research Institute (formerly the Coastal Ocean Research Institute) is home to a dynamic team of conservation scientists, delivering a blend of cutting-edge research and novel conservation tools.
Our researchers ply the waters of Canada’s three oceans, tracking the impacts of plastics, chemicals, habitat destruction, noise and climate change.
Financial Support
This project was undertaken with generous financial support from:
Partners
Thank you to the Sḵwx̱wú7mesh Úxwumixw/Squamish Nation for continuing to support this report. We are very grateful to the Squamish Líl’wat Cultural Centre, who permitted us to reproduce content from the book “Where Rivers, Mountains, and People Meet.” 
The David Suzuki Foundation is a science-based environmental organization headquartered in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. A special thank you to Willem Van Riet at the David Suzuki Foundation who created the majority of maps used throughout the report.
Contributors to the Howe Sound Edition
Editor-in-Chief
Aroha Miller, PhD, Manager, Ocean Watch, Ocean Wise Research Institute.
Editorial Team
Jennifer Chapman, PhD, Ocean Watch, Ocean Wise Research Institute
Amber Dearden, MSc, Ocean Watch, Ocean Wise Research Institute
Peter S. Ross, PhD, Vice-President of Research, Executive Director
of the Ocean Wise Research Institute
Authors and Affiliations
Fiona Beaty, Atl’ḵa7tsem/Howe Sound Marine Reference Guide
Laura Borden, Ocean Wise Research Institute
Luisa Burhenne, Carbon Accounting
Peter Chandler, Fisheries and Oceans Canada
Jennifer Chapman, Ocean Wise Research Institute
Lauren Dares, Ocean Wise Research Institute
Amber Dearden, Ocean Wise Research Institute
Kelsey Delisle, Ocean Wise Research Institute
Donna Gibbs, Ocean Wise Research Institute
Bridget John, Atl’ḵa7tsem/Howe Sound Marine Reference Guide
Francesca Knight, Squamish River Watershed Society
Stephanie Lingard, Instream Fisheries Research
Sheena Majewski, Fisheries and Oceans Canada
Jeff Marliave, Ocean Wise Research Institute
Conor McMullan, Cheakamus Centre
Aroha Miller, Ocean Wise Research Institute
Chad Nordstrom, Fisheries and Oceans Canada
Doug Pemberton, Artificial Reef Society of B.C.
Ian Picketts, Quest University
David Roulston, District of Squamish
Peter S. Ross, Ocean Wise Research Institute
Tracey Saxby, Visual Science
Jessica Schultz, Ocean Wise Research Institute
Jessica Scott, Ocean Wise Research Institute
Ruth Simons, Future of Howe Sound Society; Howe Sound Biosphere Initiative
Edith Tobe, Squamish River Watershed Society
Jordan Uittenbogaard, Fisheries and Oceans Canada
Nikki Wright, SeaChange Marine Conservation Society
Reviewers and Affiliations
Juan Jose Alava, University of British Columbia
Eric Anderson, British Columbia Institute of Technology
Fiona Beaty, Atl’ḵa7tsem/Howe Sound Marine Reference Guide
DG Blair, Stewardship Centre for B.C.
Jennifer Boldt, Fisheries and Oceans Canada
David Bradley, British Columbia Bird Studies Canada
Dave Brown, Squamish-Lillooet Sportfish Advisory Committee
Jennifer Boldt, Fisheries and Oceans Canada
Robert Butler, Pacific Wildlife Foundation
Jaime Dubyna, Islands Trust Committee
Anja Dunham, Fisheries and Oceans Canada
Cynthia Durance, Precision Identification
Graeme Ellis, Fisheries and Oceans Canada
Dana Haggarty, Fisheries and Oceans Canada
Christopher Harley, University of British Columbia
Leslie James, British Columbia Ferry Services
Jeff Marliave, Ocean Wise Research Institute
Neil McDaniel, McDaniel Marine Surveys
Sarah McJannet, District of Squamish
Lucie McKiernan, Constituency Assistant to MP Pamela Goldsmith-Jones
Rhiannon Moore, Ocean Wise Research Institute
Tanya Otero, Great Canadian Shoreline Cleanup
Thomas Pederson, University of Victoria; Canadian Climate Forum
Anna Posacka, Ocean Wise Research Institute
David Roche, Kerr Wood Leidal Engineering Consultants
Dennis Rutherford, Pacific Prawn Fishermen’s Association
Ted Sheldon, University of Victoria, Centre for Global Studies
Siew Sim, Howe Sound Pulp and Paper
Scott Slater, Bowen Island Community School
Kate-Louise Stamford, Islands Trust
Lora Tryon, Lake Trail Environmental Consulting
Bob Turner, Citizen Scientist
Jane Watson, Vancouver Island University
Cecilia Wong, Environment and Climate Change Canada
Graphic and Web Design and Production
DESIGN & LAYOUT: Laurel Miller
ILLUSTRATIONS, CHARTS, AND ICONS: Tracey Saxby, Visual Science
CARTOGRAPHY: Willem Van Riet, David Suzuki Foundation;
Lauren Dares, Ocean Wise Research Institute
COVER PHOTO: Adam Taylor (Description: Lingcod on a sponge reef in Halkett Bay)
Photos used within this report may not be reproduced, printed, shared, or copied without the express permission of the photographer.
WEBSITE DEVELOPMENT: Meighan Makarchuk, Ocean Wise
Acknowledgements
This report was made possible through the generous support of many people who contributed their knowledge, time, data, photographs, and made connections for us. Thank you to our ratings committee who read the articles and provided feedback and health ratings (in alphabetical order):
Jeff Marliave, Doug Pemberton, Jessica Schultz, Ruth Simons, Kate-Louise Stamford, Edith Tobe, Bob Turner, and the Ocean Watch team.
Thank you to the many researchers, citizen scientists, and community members from the many affiliated organisations (listed below in alphabetical order) who provided information, data, and knowledge to ensure our content is accurate.
Artificial Reef Society of BC
Atl’ka7tsem/Howe Sound Biosphere Region Initiative
Atl’ḵa7tsem/Howe Sound Marine Reference Guide
Bowen Island Community School
British Columbia Bird Studies Canada
British Columbia Ferry Services
British Columbia Institute of Technology
Carbon Accounting
Cheakamus Centre
Citizen Scientist
Constituency Assistant to MP Pamela Goldsmith-Jones
District of Squamish
Environment & Climate Change Canada
Fisheries and Oceans Canada
Future of Howe Sound Society
Howe Sound Biosphere Region Initiative
Howe Sound Pulp & Paper
Instream Fisheries Research
Islands Trust
Lake Trail Environmental Consulting
McDaniel Marine Surveys
Pacific Prawn Fishermen’s Association
Pacific Wildlife Foundation
Precision Identification
Quest University
Research Teams of the Ocean Wise Research Institute
SeaChange Marine Conservation Society
Squamish River Watershed Society
Squamish-Lillooet Sportfish Advisory Committee
Stewardship Centre for B.C.
University of British Columbia
University of Victoria
Vancouver Island University
Visual Science