All life on earth, including our own depends on the ocean for its survival. 50% of all the oxygen we breathe comes from the ocean. Denman Island is surrounded by a unique marine ecosystem that has been declared an Ecologically and Biologically Significant Area (EBSA) because of features that are essential to sustaining essential life -cycle elements of the Pacific Food web; including essential spawning and nursery habitats, and critical migratory pathways for a broad range of birds, mammals, and fish . But this EBSA is under great threat from a variety of anthropogenic factors, including acidification and warming, plastic- intensive industrial aquaculture, high levels of microplastics marine debris, and sewage runoff.
Denman Island Marine Stewards (ADIMS) have advocated for the protection of this vital marine environment for 20 years. We address the anthropogenic factors that threaten this irreplaceable ecosystem through education, research, petitions, beach clean-up, and advocacy. We work closely with our community, First Nations, scientists, NGO’s, industry, and our MP to suggest and propose creative solutions to the degradation of the sea around us.
Some examples include:
- Our annual beach clean- up that extracts between 6 and 9 tons of aquaculture debris from our beaches.
- Our work with K’omok’s First Nations and Project Watershed to install a Pollution Tracker in Baynes Sound.
- A cooperative Research Project with UBC and K’omok’s FN to study the presence and impact of microplastics in herring.
- The establishment of a Baynes Sound/ Lambert Channel Ecosystem Forum of local stakeholders to work cooperatively toward Ecosystem Based Management of the marine region.
- Participating in an advisory committee with our MP Gord Johns to address ocean health and marine microplastics.
- Active research and feedback to the Harmonized Aquaculture tenuringprocess when potential applications pose a clear threat to the health of this EBSA.
- Active advocacy for restorative shellfish aquaculture practices.