Start of CERCA Herring Habitat Improvement Project
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Jan. 1/2015 CERCA volunteers will kick-start the CERCA herring habitat enhancement project in the Cowichan Bay Estuary on January 3 by wrapping approximately 40 test piles at the Cowichan Bay Fisherman’s wharf. We have been anxiously waiting for this moment making use of the very low tide on Saturday night at 9:30 pm and the alleged peak spawning period by herring of the Salish sea between January and February. We will start monitoring the test piles as of the end of January hoping that herring will like their new spawning habitat. Spawning habitat in Cowichan Bay and the Salish Sea at large has become scarce due to the man-caused disappearance of seagrass and kelp beds constituting prime spawning habitat in the past. If successful we intend to search for additional suitable sites using the same technique, wrapping creosoted dock pilings with UV resistant landscaping material that prevents creosote from destroying the herring eggs. This method has been successfully employed by Squamish Streamkeepers Association since 1977 in the Howe Sound Region and Vancouver’s False Creek docks resulting in an astounding hatching success and recovery of sizable herring populations for the benefit of the entire marine food chain. We will report on the progress of the project. We would like to take this opportunity to express our sincere Thanks to Sidney Anglers Association for their financial contribution to the project.