SUBTIDAL BIODIVERSITY

Subtidal Biodiversity Program

During the winter of 2014/2015, twelve subtidal study sites were established by a team of two professional divers on and around Cortes Island: the Cortes mainland and offshore rocky reefs, islets and islands. Sites were chosen with moderate to high levels of current and dives were made during the winter months for optimum visibility.

Consistent physical landscape components were identified to describe distinct subtidal habitats, which in turn, were used to describe distinct biological communities.

Read our 2020 Report here: Subtidal Biodiversity 2020 (pdf).

View the report illustrations by Manuel Perdisa, Youth Working for Nature participant here: Illustrations by Manuel (pdf).

Study sites have been dived every winter since and the data collected forms a baseline of information which allows for comprehensive future monitoring of our local subtidal environment. This is a long-term environmental monitoring program.

Species identification was supported by Donna Gibbs & Andy Lamb at the Pacific Marine Life Survey; learn more about their impressive taxonomic inventory work here: 50 Years of SCUBA (pdf).

In the winter of 2016/2017 the Campbell River Community Foundation funded the purchase of a SEALIFE DC1400 underwater camera that facilitated our Subtidal Biodiversity community outreach work: a picture is worth a thousand words! – some of our favourite underwater photographs are shown below; scroll a bit more to view some of our favourite underwater video shorts.