By Ian Holmes

Impacts linger despite a return to normal ocean temperatures

Dec 5, 2017 | 3:42 PM

NANAIMO — The lasting impact of a marine heat wave on West Coast waters and the iconic Pacific Salmon have surprised scientists.

A mysterious warm water blob gripped the Pacific Northwest between 2014 and 2016, which Department of Fisheries and Oceans senior research scientist Dr. Ian Perry said continues to harm Pacific Salmon this year and likely next as well.

“We’re only now beginning to potentially see the impact of these poor conditions two years ago on the fish that are starting to become catchable now.”

Perry said salmon are stressed by a warmer than normal ocean, which also restricts their food sources. He said DFO staff are now trying to get a handle on how the marine heat wave impacted ground water fish.

However, Perry said changing Pacific Ocean temperatures isn’t entirely a doom and gloom scenario since it enticed California-based anchovies to the Strait of Georgia.

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“They’ve been coming in the Strait of Georgia in fairly noticeable numbers and in fact they may even be spawning in the Strait, which is of interest to us.”

Perry said while the California anchovies are an invasive species, they don’t appear to be throwing the ecosystem out of wack, but rather providing additional food sources for salmon and humpback whales.

“We may actually find that the anchovies and herring coexisting as we move through cycles of colder and warmer water.”

Perry said a La Nina weather pattern this year should prolong cooler ocean temperatures, which are prime conditions for salmon.

ian@nanamonewsnow.com

On Twitter: @reporterholmes