Killer whales and salmon are icons of the West Coast. These animals represent nature’s raw beauty and embody the Sea to Sky country by connecting mountains with ocean. It’s hard to imagine a world without them, but their survival in the Salish Sea is uncertain.

There are 78 remaining southern resident killer whales and these creatures have one of the highest levels of toxic contamination of any species on the planet. This is a result of human impacts along the coastal frontiers of their territory, including the release of pollutants into the marine food web.

Pollutants like heavy metals, PCBs and agricultural chemicals enter the food web through marine plants and are steadily concentrated up the food chain. The high concentrations of chemicals in salmon can reduce their survival and has a serious impact on their main predator–killer whales.

This project will measure the levels of toxins in estuaries around the mouths of three rivers; the Serpentine, Nicomekl and Little Campbell. This will assist with efforts to create a healthy marine environment by supporting habitat restoration work and by helping trace the sources of new pollutants entering the ocean. We will test a new technique for predicting the concentration of chemicals by combining soil test results with drone mapping data, and produce a short video to share the results of our work.

Our team is working with NGOs, First Nations, municipal and federal agencies to ensure that the results of this study support ongoing initiatives to create a healthierSalish Sea ecosystem.