Raincoast Education Speaker Series: Kaptivating Krill

Wednesday February 19, 7:00 pm
George Fraser Room @ Ucluelet Community Center (500 Matterson Rd)
$5 at the door

Whether you are into bugs that break down decaying forest debris and turn over soil or sea butterflies that help us monitor ocean acidification, there is something to capture your heart in this year’s Raincoast Speaker Series. Join us for 5 different topics from January to March, each an in-depth examination of one special tiny yet fascinating creature. Expert speakers will share their tales of discovery, and the big roles these tiny animals play.

Raincoast Speaker Series punchcard – attend all five topics to be entered in a draw for an amazing prize!

New this year we will be offering the series in parallel in Ucluelet and Tofino. That means two opportunities to see each speaker.

Thank you to Pacific Sands Beach Resort for providing accommodation for our speakers again this year!

*****************
Kaptivating Krill

Euphausiids, or krill, as they are commonly called, are tiny crustaceans found throughout the world’s oceans. These zooplankton are a very important part of the food chain in the ocean as they serve as prey for countless species of fish and marine mammals. In fact, some whales eat krill almost exclusively! About 23 species of euphausiids occur in B.C. waters, with Euphausia pacifica dominating the biomass in the Strait of Georgia where the commercial fishery occurs.

Current euphausiid research on Vancouver Island focuses on the ecological issues surrounding these creatures. Research indicates that krill are the dominant prey species for pacific hake, spiny dogfish, and pacific herring and humpback whales, which rely heavily on krill, have shifted away from the south-west coast of Vancouver Island, coinciding with the decline in euphausiid biomass in that area (DFO website, 2018).