The Salish Sea in a warming world: What might the future hold?

The summer of 2021 brought unprecedented temperatures to BC, indicative of a warming trend that is undeniable. As we all adapted our routines in an attempt to find relief from the heat, the sea life living along BC’s coastal margins did not have that luxury. The combination of shoreline temperatures above 50 degrees Celsius and low tides led to a massive die-off amongst seashore animals along the Salish Sea coastline. And this is just one symptom of ongoing changes to BC’s marine waters and their ecosystems. As summers become warmer, and climate change ever-present, shocking events like this may become a regular occurrence.

Hear from leading UBC experts as they take a deep dive into the impact of this summer’s heat dome, the current state of sea life in the waters surrounding Vancouver Island, and what we might expect for the health of the Salish Sea in future years. How will an ever-warming world impact our local waterways, and how can we all support a better future in our own backyard?

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moderator

Kathryn Marlow – Reporter, CBC Victoria

speakers

Dr. Christopher Harley (he/him/his) – Professor, Zoology and Institute for Oceans and Fisheries, UBC
Dr. Debby Ianson, MSc’94, PhD’01 (she/her/hers) – Federal Research Scientist, Institute of Ocean Sciences; Adjunct Professor, University of British Columbia, Simon Fraser University, and University of Victoria

Recorded November 30, 2021.