We often see river otters (now called Lontra canadensis, but previously Lutra canadensis) along the seashore when we're out kayaking. Otters are in Beaver and Elk Lake, and Thetis Lake too, but it's easiest to find them in Cadboro Bay where the rocky side of the bay is a fine place for otters to get plenty of things to eat or climb ashore to find good places to sleep. Seeing otters in their quick nimble movements -- wow, that's one of the nicest things about paddling!
It can be hard to remind ourselves not to get too close to them. The Department of Fisheries and Oceans protocol for otters is the same as for other marine mammals like seals and whales: don't approach them any closer than 100 yards, and get out of their path when you see them on the move. When a human approaches a marine mammal, the animal can be upset and stop feeding, or it can spend a lot of energy getting away from the human and eventually back to its fellows. This is especially a problem for mother animals with babies. When you see on our blog John's photos of river otters or seals that look like we're close enough to pet them like a cat, our boats are nowhere near that close. John has a terrific lens on one of his cameras, and he's gotten really good at using it.
It would be nice to pet a river otter like a cat -- well, it looks like it would be nice! Smooth fur that's thick like mink, limber body, cunning paws... they look sleek and beautiful. But an otter is not a little housecat. For one thing, it's bigger, up to 14 kg. For another thing, it's a 14 kg weasel, not a sweet-tempered neutered tabby housecat! As cheerful as an otter looks sliding and playing, it's not a domesticated animal like a cat or dog -- biting is one of the proper things for an otter to do to survive among big smelly dangerous things, like humans. If you really want to pet an otter, go to the Nature Centre at Beaver Lake and get a good look at the otter that's been stuffed and mounted in a natural pose.
And if you need to know what an otter bite feels like, try reading this article on the CBC's website about a woman who was swimming near an otter in a lake this summer. Ow!
Showing posts with label DFO. Show all posts
Showing posts with label DFO. Show all posts
Thursday, August 15, 2013
Sunday, April 28, 2013
Vote For The Coastal Environment
Yes, there's an election called for May 14, here in British Columbia. No, that's not a kayaking topic, not at first glance. But I'm hoping we'll all go into this election ready to vote not only as citizens, but as small boat people.
I hope that we'll all make sure that whoever we vote for as a local candidate, whichever party they represent, all of the people we want to represent us will also represent our concerns for the natural world where we live. Sustainable use of our resources supports jobs and people as well as the environment! The Department of Fisheries and Oceans cannot do good work without good directions from provincial and federal authorities.
Check out Alexandra Morton's blog here to see her concerns for salmon preservation. There must be other websites and blogs that you can recommend to help us all be informed about our candidates and our parties, and our local concerns. I also like to go to Anne Hansen's blog, not only for her comments but for her artwork -- check it out and scroll down to see oystercatchers & other charming coastal creatures!
I hope that we'll all make sure that whoever we vote for as a local candidate, whichever party they represent, all of the people we want to represent us will also represent our concerns for the natural world where we live. Sustainable use of our resources supports jobs and people as well as the environment! The Department of Fisheries and Oceans cannot do good work without good directions from provincial and federal authorities.
Check out Alexandra Morton's blog here to see her concerns for salmon preservation. There must be other websites and blogs that you can recommend to help us all be informed about our candidates and our parties, and our local concerns. I also like to go to Anne Hansen's blog, not only for her comments but for her artwork -- check it out and scroll down to see oystercatchers & other charming coastal creatures!
Monday, July 23, 2012
Fishing boat hits whale in Broken Island Group
The big news on CBC radio this morning is about a couple out fishing in their new boat, who collided with a gray whale on Friday. This was not good news, but the humans are fine and they felt the whale was uninjured.
There are articles about the collision on the Vancouver Sun website, and the Victoria Times-Colonist site. The couple, Joe and Shirley Antonelli, have posted a video on YouTube, edited from the video the woman was making as the collision occurred.
Based on what Shirley Antonelli said on CBC Radio One this morning, and on her comments in the newspapers, the couple was fishing off Effingham Island near Ucluelet. They had set out Friday morning in a boat they've used six times since they bought it in June. By ten in the morning, they'd been fishing for three hours and caught three chinook salmon. "We were completely surrounded by whales," Shirley told reporter Heather Thompson. "We joked about hitting one."
And they did.
While their video is titled "Fishing adventure and whale attacks" -- it's pretty clear that this is NOT a whale attack. The articles mention that Shirley felt that their fishing gear had struck a whale. (They were using downriggers with weights called "cannon balls.") During the radio interview, Shirley said that they were surrounded by gray whales, very close to the boat.
Let's just pause here to review the Department of Fisheries and Oceans regulations for whale-watching, for the safety of marine mammals and turtles. Check out their website, but it boils down to:
-Don't come any closer than 100 metres to a whale
-Reduce speed if the whale comes within 400 metres and watch out!
-Don't follow the whale or get in its path
Bottom line: we in the boats are the humans. We must make room for the whales to feed and travel where they need to be. New boat users MUST be helped by their friends and associates to understand that these rules are for our safety as well as for the safety of the whales and other animals.
This collision was NOT a whale attack. It happened because the humans were fishing for hours in an area where the whales needed to be. The humans let their boat get far too close to whales for far too long.
As Shirley said on the radio, it felt like the whale came up to look at them and give them a shove. The Antonellis are just lucky that they were able to reel in all their gear without leaving any of it hooked in a whale. The whale in the video did not look well after the collision.
Even little kayaks and canoes can be annoying or distressing to whales and other large sea animals. Give them lots of room! We can buy food, and we can go boating in other places. Let the sea animals be where they need to be to eat and live.
And thank you, John, for buying big telephoto lenses for your camera, so you don't need to get too close to marine life to get those marvelous pictures you take for the blog.
There are articles about the collision on the Vancouver Sun website, and the Victoria Times-Colonist site. The couple, Joe and Shirley Antonelli, have posted a video on YouTube, edited from the video the woman was making as the collision occurred.
Based on what Shirley Antonelli said on CBC Radio One this morning, and on her comments in the newspapers, the couple was fishing off Effingham Island near Ucluelet. They had set out Friday morning in a boat they've used six times since they bought it in June. By ten in the morning, they'd been fishing for three hours and caught three chinook salmon. "We were completely surrounded by whales," Shirley told reporter Heather Thompson. "We joked about hitting one."
And they did.
While their video is titled "Fishing adventure and whale attacks" -- it's pretty clear that this is NOT a whale attack. The articles mention that Shirley felt that their fishing gear had struck a whale. (They were using downriggers with weights called "cannon balls.") During the radio interview, Shirley said that they were surrounded by gray whales, very close to the boat.
Let's just pause here to review the Department of Fisheries and Oceans regulations for whale-watching, for the safety of marine mammals and turtles. Check out their website, but it boils down to:
-Don't come any closer than 100 metres to a whale
-Reduce speed if the whale comes within 400 metres and watch out!
-Don't follow the whale or get in its path
Bottom line: we in the boats are the humans. We must make room for the whales to feed and travel where they need to be. New boat users MUST be helped by their friends and associates to understand that these rules are for our safety as well as for the safety of the whales and other animals.
This collision was NOT a whale attack. It happened because the humans were fishing for hours in an area where the whales needed to be. The humans let their boat get far too close to whales for far too long.
As Shirley said on the radio, it felt like the whale came up to look at them and give them a shove. The Antonellis are just lucky that they were able to reel in all their gear without leaving any of it hooked in a whale. The whale in the video did not look well after the collision.
Even little kayaks and canoes can be annoying or distressing to whales and other large sea animals. Give them lots of room! We can buy food, and we can go boating in other places. Let the sea animals be where they need to be to eat and live.
And thank you, John, for buying big telephoto lenses for your camera, so you don't need to get too close to marine life to get those marvelous pictures you take for the blog.
Tuesday, June 26, 2012
Fisheries and Oceans Website
All paddlers need to know how to learn about where we are taking our small boats. Where can you get an affordable chart, or a free one, of the waters where you'll be sea kayaking? What about getting an idea about the Great Lakes shoreline where you're considering paddling next year? What are the tides like in Porlier Pass? Plenty of questions come to mind.
For Canadian small boat users, we've got the website for Fisheries and Oceans. Here's a photo from their homepage -- your tax dollars at work! They have a page for Nautical Charts and Services from the Canadian Hydrographic Service. Look here for links to paper and digital charts and their prices, info on Tides, Currents, and Water Levels, and interactive maps.
Other countries have their government resources online, and a good search engine can take you to their websites, but this is a Canadian one. And while we're thinking about the Fisheries and Oceans website, this is a good time to contact your local Member of Parliament, to ask how the federal government's new legislation will affect the department of Fisheries and Oceans.
For Canadian small boat users, we've got the website for Fisheries and Oceans. Here's a photo from their homepage -- your tax dollars at work! They have a page for Nautical Charts and Services from the Canadian Hydrographic Service. Look here for links to paper and digital charts and their prices, info on Tides, Currents, and Water Levels, and interactive maps.
Other countries have their government resources online, and a good search engine can take you to their websites, but this is a Canadian one. And while we're thinking about the Fisheries and Oceans website, this is a good time to contact your local Member of Parliament, to ask how the federal government's new legislation will affect the department of Fisheries and Oceans.
Friday, July 15, 2011
About Fuel Spills
Well, so far there has been no response to any of my e-mails to BC Parks or Columbia Fuels about the fuel slick we found in Tod Inlet on Sunday, July 10. But I did discover that there is an official provincial emergency number to call to report hazardous materials and oil spills! And thank you to our reader Jo, who also put that information in our comments.
Here in British Columbia, call the 24-hour Spill Line toll-free at 1-800-663-3456 to report when you see a spill of gasoline, oil, or any other kind of hazardous material. The Spill Line is just one part of the Provincial Emergency Program. This particular office responds to reports of emergencies on land but will take calls about spills on water and forward the case to the appropriate federal agency. This same toll-free number can be called any time of day or night to report any kind of emergency including flooding, boaters in distress, or wildfire. Here's their Weekly Incident Report from last week. Busy people!
Anywhere in California, Oregon, Washington, and British Columbia, call the International Marine Oil Spill Reporting line toll-free at 1-800-OILS-911 to report when you see a spill of any kind of fuel on the water.
Those are good phone number for kayakers to know. I now keep them on the cell phone that I carry while on the water, as well as the number for the DFO’s Observe, Record and Report 24-hour hotline at 1-800-465-4336. That number is toll-free. Call to report any sightings of marine mammals in distress. Or if you happen to see any sea turtle, healthy or in distress, call the DFO!
There are other citizens concerned about fuel spills, who are working to promote public awareness and to encourage corporations to behave responsibly. Check out the report at the Dogwood Initiative about one local kid's group and their activities!
Here in British Columbia, call the 24-hour Spill Line toll-free at 1-800-663-3456 to report when you see a spill of gasoline, oil, or any other kind of hazardous material. The Spill Line is just one part of the Provincial Emergency Program. This particular office responds to reports of emergencies on land but will take calls about spills on water and forward the case to the appropriate federal agency. This same toll-free number can be called any time of day or night to report any kind of emergency including flooding, boaters in distress, or wildfire. Here's their Weekly Incident Report from last week. Busy people!
Anywhere in California, Oregon, Washington, and British Columbia, call the International Marine Oil Spill Reporting line toll-free at 1-800-OILS-911 to report when you see a spill of any kind of fuel on the water. Those are good phone number for kayakers to know. I now keep them on the cell phone that I carry while on the water, as well as the number for the DFO’s Observe, Record and Report 24-hour hotline at 1-800-465-4336. That number is toll-free. Call to report any sightings of marine mammals in distress. Or if you happen to see any sea turtle, healthy or in distress, call the DFO!
There are other citizens concerned about fuel spills, who are working to promote public awareness and to encourage corporations to behave responsibly. Check out the report at the Dogwood Initiative about one local kid's group and their activities!
Sunday, January 09, 2011
Change of Plans and Baby Seal Pamphlet
My planned kayak time got cancelled abruptly this morning, when Bernie came in after walking our landlady's dogs. One of them was not well, so it was time to take the dog to the vet. In a few moments we were out the door, after eating our oatmeal, leaving a voicemail for Louise to explain my non-arrival in paddling gear, and booking a car from the Victoria CarShare Co-op.
The waiting room at the pet hospital has some pamphlets for nervous or bored humans to read while waiting with their pets. I was pleased to see a pamphlet titled "What to do if you find a baby seal." In large, friendly letters, it says "DON'T TOUCH the babies" -- and it shows a photo of an adorable baby harbour seal.
The pamphlet was written by the BC SPCA's Wild Animal Rehabilitation Centre. It's a good reminder that when we kayakers or beach-walkers see baby seals "all alone" on the rocks, the young seals are usually fine. The mother seals are usually just out of sight nearby. The pamphlet says if a person truly thinks the baby seal needs help, to call the Wild ARC at 250-478-9453. That number is good for anywhere in the Greater Victoria area.
We wrote about how to report a marine animal in distress here on the Kayak Yak blog.
If you see a baby seal in distress (perhaps visibly injured, or dead parent nearby)
please call DFO’s Observe, Record and Report 24-hour hotline at 1-800-465-4336. That number is toll-free. Call to report any sightings of marine mammals in distress. If you happen to see a sea turtle, healthy or in distress, call the DFO!
Closer to home, no signs of distress. The landlady's dog is currently waiting at the pet hospital for the vet to finish with another animal, so I'm sitting by the phone waiting to hear the verdict. When not on the water, the next best thing is talking about kayaking, so today's blog post got written.
-later-
The dog is fine.
The waiting room at the pet hospital has some pamphlets for nervous or bored humans to read while waiting with their pets. I was pleased to see a pamphlet titled "What to do if you find a baby seal." In large, friendly letters, it says "DON'T TOUCH the babies" -- and it shows a photo of an adorable baby harbour seal.
The pamphlet was written by the BC SPCA's Wild Animal Rehabilitation Centre. It's a good reminder that when we kayakers or beach-walkers see baby seals "all alone" on the rocks, the young seals are usually fine. The mother seals are usually just out of sight nearby. The pamphlet says if a person truly thinks the baby seal needs help, to call the Wild ARC at 250-478-9453. That number is good for anywhere in the Greater Victoria area.
We wrote about how to report a marine animal in distress here on the Kayak Yak blog.
If you see a baby seal in distress (perhaps visibly injured, or dead parent nearby)
please call DFO’s Observe, Record and Report 24-hour hotline at 1-800-465-4336. That number is toll-free. Call to report any sightings of marine mammals in distress. If you happen to see a sea turtle, healthy or in distress, call the DFO!
Closer to home, no signs of distress. The landlady's dog is currently waiting at the pet hospital for the vet to finish with another animal, so I'm sitting by the phone waiting to hear the verdict. When not on the water, the next best thing is talking about kayaking, so today's blog post got written.
-later-
The dog is fine.
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