The first herring spawn of the year on the Island’s east coast was spotted this month in Howe Sound.
The Marine Stewardship Initiative Team were actually able to witness the fish spawning near the Squamish terminals on February 7.
Spawners on the West Coast were spotted earlier this year, on January 9 in Clayoquot Sound and on February 10 in Barkley Sound. On that coast, commercial fisheries are open for spawn on kelp, and Fisheries and Oceans Canada is consulting with west coast First Nations on potential rights-based sales opportunities.
Meanwhile DFO has dive teams preparing to do stock assessments in all spawning zones around the Island, and is also preparing its first formal aerial survey on the West Coast to go ahead on March 3.
For more updates, follow the Island Marine Aquatic Working Group on social media.
