GREEN SCENE: What swims beneath Port Moody's inlet?
Almost everyone enjoys a view of water and we have some terrific ones here in the Tri-Cities: a sight of the swirling silty waters of the Fraser River; the proverbial babbling brooks of urban salmon streams; the ever-changing tidal waters of Burrard Inlet.
However much we enjoy these views, we are really looking at just the lid and not the contents. Beneath all these waters, there lie rich ecosystems where communities of species carry out their daily lives unseen and, for the most part, unappreciated by the people who live on the shores.
Most people know salmon live in these waters — but what else?
A project underway in the Port Moody portion of Burrard Inlet will help to give people a glimpse of what swims beneath the placid surface of this shallow extension of the Pacific Ocean. The project is funded in part by Environment Canada with contributing partners (city of Port Moody, Port Metro Vancouver, Fisheries and Oceans Canada, Burrard Inlet Environmental Action Program, Vancouver Aquarium) and participation from local volunteer groups (Pacific Wildlife Foundation, Burrard Inlet Marine Enhancement Society, Port Moody Ecological Society and Burke Mountain Naturalists).
The main component of the project is a fish inventory in the near-shore waters of Port Moody Arm, with nine sampling days spread over the spring and summer. Volunteers, working mostly from a boat, set nets in shallow water to trap fish. Once identified, the fish are released unharmed.
It’s possible some people have already observed these volunteers in chest waders and bright vests on the shore hauling in a huge net. Although connected to the ocean, the water in Port Moody Arm typically has salinity levels only about half that of the open ocean — which creates a unique environment for marine life.
To date, more than 15 species of fish have been found foraging in its shallow, brackish waters during daylight hours. During the night, different species will use the same habitat. And the deeper waters in Burrard Inlet will support yet another group of fascinating aquatic animals.
Approximately two thirds of the fish found so far have been the staghorn sculpin, commonly known as bullhead. These fish bury themselves in muddy bottoms or lurk under docks. Because of their very abundance, they are vitally important to the ecosystem as a source of food for the many species that feed upon them. These include seals, river otters, sea birds such as cormorants, plus the osprey that nest in Port Moody every year.
Some of the fish found on the survey are well adapted for hiding in seaweed and eelgrass. These include the elongated penpoint gunnel whose colour will vary depending on what type of seaweed it eats. Relying on its shape to blend in with its habitat, the needle-thin bay pipefish also hides in eelgrass. Similar to a seahorse, the female pipefish transfers fertilized eggs to the male, which has a brood pouch where it will carry the eggs for several weeks until they are ready to swim away. Finding these fish in Port Moody Arm highlights the importance of restoring eelgrass to this part of the Inlet — another project that is currently underway.
While we may not ever see these fish, the quality of their habitat is highly dependent on some of our activities. Pollutants, including soap suds from washing cars or fertilizers applied too generously to lawns, can quickly reach the Inlet through the stormwater drainage system. Litter in the inter-tidal zone such as pieces of plastic or cigarette butts can be mistaken by birds and fish as a food item; expecting a nutritious morsel, what they get instead is a tiny bundle of toxic chemicals.
Public outreach is also important component of the inventory project. The city of Port Moody’s website (www.cityofportmoody.com/whatswimsbeneath) will soon feature a link to a new website where all the results of the project will be displayed. A colouring contest for children (deadline: Aug. 13) asks kids to pledge to do one thing to protect the aquatic environment (details on the website and at the Port Moody library).
And on Saturday, July 24 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., a public event will be held on the pier at Rocky Point Park where some of the aquatic creatures in Burrard Inlet will be on display. Those who attend will have an opportunity to learn more about what swims beneath the surface and how to protect this special habitat found only a few metres away from the shore.
Elaine Golds is a Port Moody environmentalist who is vice-president of Burke Mountain Naturalists, chair of the Colony Farm Park Association and president of the PoMo Ecological Society.
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