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BCnature Winter 202210traditional knowledge to make recommendations for marine uses and activities within the plan area. Salish Sea Assessment - On September 8, BC Nature received a reply from Minister of Environment Steven Guilbeault to our letter of support for The Salish Sea Indigenous Guardians Association’s request for a Regional Assessment of the Salish Sea. The letter outlined the protocols for initiating such assessments, with no reason to suspect that such an assessment will be carried out.Anchoring in BC Marine Parks - by Ben van Drimmelen On August 25 - BC Nature wrote to Kevin Jardine, Deputy Minister, BC Ministry of Environment and Climate Change Strategy, concerning ongoing damage to the seabed of BC Marine Parks by recreational boaters in eight heavily-used marine parks in the West Coast/Vancouver Island region: D’Arcy Island, Princess Margaret, Pirate’s Cove, Wallace Island, Copeland Islands, Desolation Sound, Buccaneer Bay, and Harmony Islands. Anchors and anchor chains of anchors, directly contrary to rip up the subtidal vegetation, including eelgrass beds, which provides vital habitat for a host of creatures. This seabed disturbance comes from: • dragging while setting and raising anchors, and• scouring from the associated chain and anchor line as vessels the usage of anchorages, and is drift around their anchors with mapping sensitive areas—including changing currents and winds. Although seabed damage is unseen, protection of the seabed in marine parks is as essential as conservation of terrestrial features. Mooring buoys solve the problem, but charging a fee for their use encourages the use sound management; park policies should discourage anchoring and promote the use of mooring buoys. BC Nature wishes to collaborate with BC Parks staff to resolve the problem of anchoring in our marine parks.Deputy Minister Jardine responded on October 6. BC Parks is currently developing a Marine Recreation Action Plan. This plan, which will be released to the public later this year, will help protect these special places and ensure sustainable recreation for years to come. BC Parks has initiated preliminary research on the coverage of eelgrass within some of our parks, is exploring more efficient means of tracking Desolation Sound, Montague Harbour, Pirate’s Cove and Wakes Cove Marine Provincial Parks. They have already begun to post signage in Desolation Sound closing sensitive areas to anchoring, and the intent is to close other sensitive areas as they identify them. Climate Change by Matthew Syvenky - Our committee’s chair, Cheryl Lewis, had to step away from her role. The Climate Committee would like to acknowledge and thank Cheryl for her service. Matthew Syvenky has taken on the role of chair of the Climate Committee. Matthew is a student at Simon Fraser University, studying for a Bachelor of Environment with a major in Resource and Environmental Management.The Climate Committee is working with BC Nature’s fundraiser to secure funds for future Conservation Report continued from page 9Continued page 11Great Blue Heron hard at workPhoto: V. George