Since 2008, Isla Myers-Smith has been studying Arctic ecosystems and how they are responding to the rapidly warming Arctic on Qikiqtaruk – Herschel Island on the Yukon Arctic Coast. This island is at the forefront of Arctic change. Her team and collaborators are documenting vegetation change, earlier springs, a longer sea ice free season, permafrost thaw, increased storms and flooding, with all of these changes altering the habitat for wildlife including caribou, migratory birds and marine mammals on Qikiqtaruk and across the Yukon Arctic Coast. This talk will present the research findings to date stemming from collaborations with Indigenous communities, Northern partners and research teams working across the Arctic. Through telling the stories of Qikiqtaruk, Isla Myers-Smith will share the magnitude of change being experienced across the rapidly warming Arctic. Prof. Myers-Smith is a Canada Excellence Research Chair in the global change ecology of northern ecosystems. Over two decades of research in the Arctic, she has studied how tundra ecosystems are responding to climate change. Here on Saturna, Isla is the daughter of Dr. Judy Myers, a long time Saturna part-time resident.
Please join us for our annual Saturna Island sea star count. This is a community effort to measure the effects of the sea star wasting syndrome which started in 2013/14 and observe how sea stars are recovering along the Saturna shoreline. After the count, Dr. Isla Myers-Smith, a Canada Excellence
Research Chair in the global change ecology of northern
ecosystems, will give a field talk about the effects of global climate change on marine ecosystems. Count: 12:30 pm to 2:30 pm Outdoor talk and snack: 3:30 pm At East Point Cliffside CRD Park Food and beverages included for all counters. Those who would like to join for the talk only are welcome. Grass
seating or bring a chair. To join in, please sign up in advance.
Contact: Noele Bird, [email protected] Sponsored by:
Saturna Island Parks and Rec Commission | SIPRC
Saturna Island Marine Research & Education Society | SIMRES
This Earth Day, and every day, we’re listening to killer whales.
Southern Resident killer whales (SRKWs) live in one of the noisiest stretches of ocean on the Pacific coast. Boundary Pass and Haro Strait, core habitat for these endangered whales, serve as the primary maritime gateway to and from the Port of Vancouver, one of Canada’s largest and busiest ports.
Every cargo ship, tanker, ferry, and recreational boat that transits these waters contributes to an underwater soundscape that the whales must navigate to find food, communicate with family members, and survive.
We’ve known for years that underwater noise is a problem for SRKW. What we didn’t have, until now, was a detailed, decade-long picture of how much things have changed, or a rigorous assessment of whether current management measures are making a difference.
That picture became possible through a data-sharing collaboration with SIMRES, whose long-term hydrophone in SRKW critical habitat gave us the acoustic record needed to track change over time.
Today, we are sharing two resources developed through Raincoast’s NoiseTracker initiative: a technical report on acoustic conditions in Boundary Pass, and a publicly accessible Education Hub designed to help make sense of the science.
Whether you are a student, a curious member of the public, a policy-maker, or a researcher new to the field, the NoiseTracker Education Hub is a starting point for understanding the acoustic world that marine mammals depend on, and how to make sense of the noise.
🔗Visit the link in our bio for the interactive hub, or visit raincoast.org/voice/ to learn more about how sound is survival for these marine mammals.
#NewResearch #SouthernResidentKillerWhales #KillerWhales
Photo 1, 5, 6, and 7 by Janine McNeilly.
Photo 2, 3, and 4 by Alex Harris.
Watch our latest SeaTalk, Herring School with Briony Penn and Connie Crocker — now on YouTube.
This compelling and highly informative talk explores Pacific herring in the Southern Salish Sea — a species at the very heart of ecosystem health. Recorded live at the Saturna Community Hall, it weaves together science, lived experience, and local perspectives.
We’re also delighted to launch our 2026 SeaTalks series with this event.
A big thank you to our new video team, led by Jennifer Roworth, with Michael Pierce, Randy Mennie, and Andrew Bartos — bringing these conversations to life on screen. YouTube Channel: SIMRES SEATALKS /watch?v=9aTJI8RtxVU&t=817s
Saturna Island in the Centre of the Salish Sea —
A Convergence of Unique Geography, Biodiversity, and Human Activity
Maureen Welton will be speaking at the Wonders of the Salish Sea webinar on March 23 at 7:00 pm.
Saturna Island occupies a unique position at the geographic centre of the Salish Sea, where distinctive marine geography, rich biodiversity, and intense human activity converge.
A visit to East Point can feel like standing at the edge of the world. Grasslands meet forest, sandstone cliffs drop to the sea, and the surrounding waters are alive with seals, sea lions, marine birds, and—on good days—orcas, humpback whales, and porpoises foraging close to shore.
But look a little longer and another reality appears. Commercial shipping lanes cut through the water as tankers, container ships, and tug-and-barge traffic pass nearby. In the distance are the Cherry Point oil refinery, Delta Port, and the high-rise buildings of White Rock. Though Saturna feels remote, it sits at the heart of a region of more than eight million people.
This presentation explores what makes this location so productive—from underwater geography and ocean dynamics to the food webs that attract whales—and examines growing threats from vessel traffic, underwater noise, pollution, and climate change.
The talk also highlights the work of the Saturna Island Marine Research & Education Society (SIMRES), a volunteer-led organization supporting research, education, data collection, and informed decision-making in this vital marine region.
Maureen Welton is a Saturna Island resident, founding member, and President of SIMRES. Though not trained as a scientist, her long-standing connection to East Point sparked a deep commitment to marine conservation and community science. She holds an MBA in Sustainable Innovation after a career in international trade and design.
What happened to the herring in the Southern Salish Sea?
Join Briony Penn and Connie Crocker as they share the latest scientific findings on Pacific herring — how this new research aligns with Traditional Ecological Knowledge — and why the WSÁNEĆ Hereditary Chiefs (WHC) are taking these findings to court.
Learn how their vision for rebuilding herring populations could help restore ecological balance and cultural vitality across the Salish Sea.
This is an important conversation about science, stewardship, and the future of our coastal waters. Don’t miss it.
Saturday, March 14, 2026 1:00 pm
Saturna Island Community Hall
$15 at the door, 18 years old and under are free.
This talk will be recorded for a YouTube video.
#southerngulfislands #saturnaisland #saturnaislandtourism
We’re thrilled to share that Critical Distance — the powerful augmented-reality experience about Southern Resident killer whales Kiki and J-Pod — is now on display at the Royal BC Museum in Victoria 🐋
SIMRES and the Southern Gulf Island Whale Sighting Network have been proud to tour this immersive show throughout the Southern Gulf Islands, take it all the way to Parliament Hill in Ottawa, and present it during Oceans Week in Victoria last year. Now, it’s reached a new milestone and is open to all museum visitors until July 6, 2026.
If you care about whales, the Salish Sea, or powerful storytelling through art and science, don’t miss this one!
https://rbcm.ca/exhibition/critical-distance/
SIMRES is at Nature on the Hill in Ottawa.
This Nature Canada event brings together Canadians, representing over 1,200 nature groups, on Parliament Hill to be a voice for nature.
We are asking the government to:
1. Fund the 2030 Nature Strategy and end nature-harming subsidies
2. Protect nature by establishing new protected areas and funding Indigenous-led conservation programs
3. Invest in nature restoration, including restoring habitats for culturally significant and at-risk species.
Representing both SIMRES and the SGI Whale Sighting Network, we will specifically be talking about more effective protection for whales and their marine habitat in the Salish Sea.
#NatureOnTheHill #NatureBuildsOurNation #InvestInNature #salishsea
SeaTalk: Eagle Watch by Dave Manning and Eroca Dancer, Saturday, November 15 1:00 pm, Saturna Community Hall. $15 at the door. Please join us.
Dave Manning, long-time birder, writer and photographer, has been observing bald eagle behavior for over 20 years throughout the Salish Sea. Incorporating photographs, stories and live original music, he and his musician wife, Eroca Dancer, team up in giving us intimate views into the lives of this iconic West Coast bird. #southerngulfislands #saturnatourism #SaturnaIsland #salishsea
Golden double rainbow last night over the Fog Alarm Building (FAB) in East Point Park, Saturna Island. Amazing nature — so thankful for this moment of magical light.
photo: MWelton #southerngulfislands #EastPoint #salishsea #SouthernGulfIslands #SaturnaIsland #gulfislandsnationalparkreserve
Join us for a screening and discussion of OCEAN WITH DAVID ATTENBOROUGH.
SIMRES is hosting a free screening of Ocean with David Attenborough - a stunning documentary showing us the wonder and vitality of the ocean, its fragility, and most importantly, our ability to protect it.
Saturna Community Hall
Thursday, September 18, 2025, 7:00 PM
A discussion following the film will be moderated by Dr. VALERIA VERGARA, Senior Scientist, Cetacean Conservation Research Program, Raincoast Conservation Foundation.
Discover more about the future of our ocean, and explore the role each of us can play in keeping our ocean healthy and productive. #OceanFilm #OceanWithDavidAttenborough #reviveourocean #salishseas #salishseaorcas #southerngulfislands #saturnatourism
Orca wins!! The CBC Best Symbol of BC contest closed today and the orca won the competition out of 64 candidates. See more here: https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/orcas-british-columbia-best-symbol-1.7609551#:~:text=The%20orca%20has%20emerged%20victorious,this%20province%20best%20represents%20us.
