scott islands Archives - CPAWS British Columbia

May 1 2020

Migratory Bird Day Virtual Celebration

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Migratory Bird Day – Live! | CPAWS-BC

Hear from our live panel of incredible experts to learn about birding by ear, some of the common — and uncommon — birds to look for this spring, and how you can become a citizen scientist.www.cpawsbc.org

Posted by CPAWS-BC on Saturday, May 9, 2020

This event has passed. Click here to watch the full recording [44min, English].

Saturday May 9 is Migratory Bird Day.

Birds play an important role in cultures and natural environments. We share a responsibility to protect their habitat that provides food, shelter and a safe place to raise their young.

Join us May 9 at 11 AM along with an incredible team of experts from Metro Vancouver Regional Parks, Birds Canada and CPAWS-BC to learn about birding by ear, birds to look for this spring, and how you can become a citizen scientist.

Migratory birds are incredibly important to the interconnected systems that keep nature healthy. Some species are here to stay and breed during the summer, and others are just passing through on their way to locations further north. They are pollinators who disperse seeds and control pests, and they’re also really pretty. Birdwatching, like other nature-based activities, can help lower stress and improve health.

But birds need our help. Bird populations are on the decline, and their homes are threatened by human activities and impacts like pollution, pesticides, and development.

Register for free www.cpawsbc.org/birds

Having trouble registering? Contact info@cpawsbc.org

October 15 2018

Scott Islands

cpawsadmin Ocean Campaigns british columbia, marine protected area, mnwa, national wildlife area, protected area, scott islands, triangle island, tufted puffin

Seabird Sanctuary on the Scott Islands

Photo: Sabine Jessen

Safeguarding millions of migrating seabirds from around the world

The Scott Islands marine National Wildlife Area (mNWA) off the northwestern tip of Vancouver Island is a global hub for migratory birds. Over one million seabirds nest in colonies on the marine protected area’s (MPA) five stormy, foggy, and rocky islands. Outside of the breeding season, millions of seabirds from across the Pacific Ocean feed in the surrounding rich waters. Internationally recognized as an important bird area, it provides important habitat for:

90% of Canada’s tufted puffins
95% of Pacific Canada’s common murres
50% of the world’s Cassin’s auklets
7% of the world’s rhinoceros auklets

But it’s not only a home for seabirds. These waters provide habitat for cod, sablefish, flatfishes, hake and herring. Seals, sea lions, whales and other marine mammals also call use the area throughout the year.

Photo of three unique seabirds and illustrated island

Over one million seabirds nest in colonies on the marine protected area’s islands

Safeguarding millions of migrating seabirds from around the world

90% of Canada’s tufted puffins
95% of Pacific Canada’s common murres
50% of the world’s Cassin’s auklets
7% of the world’s rhinoceros auklets

Over one million seabirds nest in colonies on the marine protected area’s islands

Stronger Protections for the Scott Islands

However, this MPA is not strongly protected. Bottom trawling, a fishing method involving heavy nets that destroys seafloor habitat, is allowed in much of the MPA. Decades-old offshore oil and gas exploration permits still overlap with the wildlife area. Shipping traffic heavily transits through the area, dumping hazardous waste into the ocean.

In 2019, Canada committed to implementing minimum standards for MPAs prohibiting oil and gas activities, mining, dumping and bottom trawling. Applying these standards to the Scott Islands mNWA would go a long way to adequately safeguarding marine life and the ocean they depend on for survival.

The Scott Islands marine National Wildlife Area will be part of a planned marine protected area network for Northern Shelf Bioregion on the North and Central Coasts of BC.

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Stronger Protections for the Scott Islands

The Scott Islands marine National Wildlife Area will be part of a planned marine protected area network for Northern Shelf Bioregion on the North and Central Coasts of BC.

iFrames are not supported on this page.

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