Conservation

Whale Channel, Great Bear Rainforest

Tourism that Contributes to Conservation

Contributing to conservation is an important goal for all of us here at Outer Shores Expeditions. We are privileged to frequently explore and share some of the most remote and pristine corners of the BC Coast. At the same time, we also recognize our unique opportunity, and responsibility, to help conserve the ecosystems we visit and the wildlife, cultures, and economies they support. 

With our backgrounds in science, education, management, and conservation, we are excited to find creative, practical, and valuable ways for Outer Shores (the company), the Outer Shores crew (our people), and you (our guests) to contribute to conservation on the BC coast. Here’s what we’re currently doing.

We Participate in Citizen-Science Projects

Citizen science is an increasingly popular and valuable way for non-specialists to collect and share important data that contributes to ongoing monitoring and research programs. This approach is becoming especially effective with advances in the technologies that enable the rapid collection and exchange of data. iPhone, iPad, and Android apps are one example.

Because understanding changes to the abundance and distribution of wildlife is crucial to the long-term well-being of our planet, one of the best things that we can do as citizens is to “observe and report” the wildlife we encounter during our expeditions. In 2015, we began using the SpotterPro app (“New age data capture for today’s conservation efforts”). SpotterPro allows our crew and guests to efficiently record the wildlife we encounter, particularly marine mammals, and enter these sightings into a database that will be readily available to conservation and management organizations.

In 2016, Outer Shores became involved in another citizen-science project called the Global Microplastics Initiative, a joint initiative between The College of the Atlantic and Adventurers and Scientists for Conservation. As part of this project, our guests may notice Passing Cloud’s crew collecting seawater samples during our expeditions. It’s all in aid of a new citizen-science project aimed at establishing baseline data on a relatively newly realized environmental threat: microplastics.

Microplastics are any plastic particle 5 mm in size and smaller. Some might be visible to the naked eye, but many are not. Some enter the environment in our trash, but others – particularly those found on clothing, and in cosmetics and other household products – can be casually and invisibly washed down the drain. When they enter the environment, microplastics can leach deadly toxins. They can also enter the food chain when ingested by birds, fish, and marine mammals. And we humans may also be inadvertently consuming them. This data set will eventually help researchers find ways to tackle this emerging environmental threat.

We Deliver Ship-Based Field Courses for Educational Institutions

Each year we collaborate with various educational institutions to develop and deliver field courses aboard the schooner Passing Cloud. Thanks to the qualifications and diverse backgrounds of the Outer Shores crew, we are well equipped to help develop and deliver field courses that cover a wide range of topics. An overarching goal of all our field courses is to connect students with nature, wildlife, and ecosystems through direct personal experience and hands-on learning.

One of the field courses we help provide annually is ES470, “Community and Regional Coastal-Marine Conservation,” with Dr. Natalie Ban at the University of Victoria School of Environmental Studies.

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Photo: Golden Hour on Passing Cloud, Owen Perry

Food Philosophy

Photo: Zuccini salad with wild salmon roe