A span of aqua blue water off Fort Rodd Hill marked one small herring spawn in Victoria, but local naturalists hold out hope there could be more.

B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 exciting for us, pacific herring hasnB次元官网网址檛 been spawning much in Greater Victoria for many years and itB次元官网网址檚 a sign of recovery,B次元官网网址� said Jacques Sirois, an Oak Bay resident, who also serves as co-warden of Trial Islands Ecological Reserve.

B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 not a huge spectacular spawning event, itB次元官网网址檚 of interest to us because itB次元官网网址檚 in Greater Victoria. This is important to us and it happened, believe it or not at the same location on the same date, March 18 two years ago.B次元官网网址�

The Pacific herring spawn is easily spotted as the small silver forage fish turn the waters turquoise with their milt. Once prolific in Greater Victoria waters, the spring spawn has been sporadic for decades.

Photographer Donna Gatzke got a heads up from her daughter, who with a degree in marine biology knew exactly what was happening. Gatzke made the trek over from Sooke the next day to document the event near Fisgard Lighthouse.

B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 unique to the Fort Rodd area, who knows when itB次元官网网址檒l be back again. Hopefully soon, but from historyB次元官网网址檚 record it could be years again before itB次元官网网址檚 back,B次元官网网址� she said. B次元官网网址淚t was quite a beautiful experience really and I feel fortunate to be a part of it.B次元官网网址�

She was also in awe of the impact on the eagles, otters, sea lions and seals B次元官网网址� all gathered for a feast.

B次元官网网址淚t is really beautiful to see all the creatures that it does support,B次元官网网址� she said. B次元官网网址淭heyB次元官网网址檙e all benefiting from the herring spawn. ItB次元官网网址檚 pretty fascinating to see.B次元官网网址�

Though small, the Esquimalt Harbour spawn is important in an area that has a history of huge returns, as are those returning to other areas of the Island, Sirois said. Waters off Ucluelet, Denman Island, Qualicum Beach and most recently Port McNeill all saw spawns so far this spring. There werenB次元官网网址檛 any locally last year, but a handful of events in 2022 also inspired hope in returning stocks. He hopes to see them in Royal Bay, as happened in 2022.

B次元官网网址淲e have a long way to go to feed our whales, to feed our salmon, to feed our birds, we need a lot of herring,B次元官网网址� he said. B次元官网网址淭his is not over until itB次元官网网址檚 over. This is a spring event.B次元官网网址�

HeB次元官网网址檚 also buoyed by an army of herring spotted in the waters not far from his home on Thursday (March 21).

B次元官网网址淲e didnB次元官网网址檛 see any evidence of spawning, there was no turquoise water, but here in Oak Bay just a few hours ago we had herring feeding on krill on the surface,B次元官网网址� Sirois said.

He was on the water with a group doing a four-hour bird survey of the area to potentially reassess and expand the existing important bird area in the Oak Bay archipelago. What drew the group to the area with the herring as a flock of about 500 short-billed gulls. Spectators also included roughly 45 bald eagles.

B次元官网网址淚 think they had their fill of herring, thatB次元官网网址檚 what it looked like.B次元官网网址�

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