Unearthing What Swims—or Slithers—Beneath

Many of us know what it feels like to peer into a body of water—a mud-bottom pond, one of the Great Lakes, the frothing ocean—and wonder what lurks way down beneath. What mysterious habitats exist in those murky places?

Two hours after untying from downtown Halifax’s dark harbour, the Pelagic Predator—a white, 15-metre fishing vessel captained by 38-year-old Camille Jacquard—rumbled atop a patch of Atlantic Ocean called the Darby Bank.

On a rainy day in May, 55 Saturna Island residents took to the intertidal zone in search of sea stars. With rulers and guidebooks in hand, they noted the size, colour, and species of stars, all in the hopes that their observations might help researchers protect these iconic marine creatures.

The Aqqiumavvik Society is a community alliance of public, mental, and community health groups in Arviat, Nunavut. Aqqiumavvik practises a community-identified approach, ensuring that any program or service we develop is based on needs that have been identified by the community itself. 

Alex Flynn grew up fishing for lake trout with his dad through a hole cut in the ice. Out on the lake, he was supposed to be jigging—bobbing his fishing line up and down to entice the trout to bite.

For thousands of years, the Haíɫzaqv have been harvesting salmon and other food from the waters of the Pacific Central Coast. They consider it their responsibility to manage their land and ocean resources so that the next 10,000 years, or 700 generations, can continue to do the same.

Most of us have heard of Global Positioning System (GPS) technology and have come to rely on it to get us from point A to point B. The use of GPS technology extends well beyond giving users basic directions.

Marine conservation efforts have been growing rapidly in North America over the past decade. In Canada, the commitment to protect the country’s land and oceans has risen from a goal of 10 per cent in 2020 to 30 per cent by 2030.

Patrick Wells spoke with Root & STEM about his perspective on how to implement ocean conservation in the classroom and why inclusivity is an inherent part of education.