Forage Fish Field Sampling

Date and Time

Comox Valley – Thurs. May 4, Mon. June 5, Wed. July 5, Fri. August 4, Fri. September 1

Campbell River – Tues. May 2, Tues. June 6, Tues. July 4, Thurs. August 3, Wed. September 6

The time varies with tides – Virginia will email participants with time closer to date

Location

Campbell River (Oyster Bay Shoreline Park and Frank James Park) Comox Valley (Air Force Beach and Goose Spit)

Description

Volunteers will be partaking in citizen science by sampling beaches for summer beach spawning forage fish. We then process the sample down from a 4L container to an approximate 500mL container using a gold panning process referred to as sieving and vortexing.

These smaller samples are investigated under a microscope to look for the eggs of surf smelt (summer) and Pacific sand lance and surf smelt winter). Project Watershed is part of the BC Forage Fish Monitoring Network (BCFFMN). This network is engaged in citizen science, research and advocay across Vancouver Island, the Sunshine Coast, and along the beaches of Vancouver. Project Watershed has been involved with this project since the fall of 2019 and we have discovered some important beaches for beach spawning forage fish.

We made a map showing sampling locations from the previous season and where we found eggs. You can check it out here!

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