Pacific Sand Lance and Surf Smelt Survey Data for Pender Harbour & Thormanby Island: 2017 - present

As part of the Coastal Waters Monitoring Program, surveyors from the Loon Foundation (formerly the Ruby Lake Lagoon Society and aka Pender Harbour Ocean Discovery Station - PODS) perform consistent sampling every 2-3 weeks at local beaches within the Pender Harbour and Thormanby Island regions. In a collaborate effort with many groups along the Salish Sea, surveyors sample beaches for Pacific sand lance and Surf smelt eggs using protocols and training provided by Sea Watch Society and Washington State Fish and Wildlife Department. Methodologies have been standardized with support from the World Wildlife Fund Canada and Mount Arrowsmith Biosphere Region Research Institute. Through their efforts, PODS has identified Pacific sand lance spawning beaches at Baker Beach, Martin Cove, Smelly Goat Beach within the Pender Harbour area and Pacific sand lance spawning beaches at Vaucroft, Oaks Point and Southeast Thormanby Island. To date, no Surf smelt spawning beaches have been identified within our study area.