Northern Abalone once thrived on the west coast. It was traditionally harvested by First Nations for meat, and its shells were used for jewellery. The decline in abalone numbers resulted from nearly two decades of legalized commercial harvesting and from continued poaching after its ban in 1990. The Shaw Ocean Discovery Centre obtained its Northern abalone from the Bamfield Marine Science Centre, home of the Bamfield Community Huu ay aht Abalone Project, which aims to replenish the mollusk by breeding and reintroducing it into the wild.

Aquarists and Oceaneers at the Shaw Ocean Discovery Centre are excited to be participating in the mission to restore the abalone population by creating much needed public education. “We wanted to put this species on display to help our visitors identify abalone if they see it being taken from our shoreline”, says Mike Anderson, Head Aquarist at the Centre in Sidney. “If people can recognize it, then we have a much better chance of being able to replenish it and help remove abalone from the list of threatened species.”

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About the Shaw Ocean Discovery Centre

The Shaw Ocean Discovery Centre is an aquarium and marine education centre focused on the amazing ecosystem of the Salish Sea. The Centre operates as a not-for-profit community facility that is self supporting through admission fees, grants and donations. The Shaw Ocean Discovery Centre is governed, funded and owned by the New Marine Centre Society. Funds for the Shaw Ocean Discovery Centre were raised through generous community support, and a major donation from Shaw Communications. The Centre is located in a spectacular waterfront building in Sidney, BC.

For further information, please contact Robyn Waterman, Public Relations Manager, Shaw Ocean Discovery Centre, 250.665.7511 or pr@oceandiscovery.ca

Peninsula Co-op has a long history of contributing positively to the community by supporting various youth programs. Their partnership with the Shaw Ocean Discovery Centre was supported by a $5,000 contribution to the Salish Sea School program to ensure its success this summer. Cooper the Co-op Mascot presented the cheque to Linda Funk, Education Director, and Sarah Gibbins, Education Coordinator, on June 8^th.

Salish Sea School engages participants in a week full of fun and educational experiences inside and outside of the Centre. Each camp is limited to 10 participants, which ensures that each camper receives individual attention from Salish Sea School leaders. Participants will spend time with an Aquarist, create ocean-inspired art, and embark on exciting field and boat trips around the Gulf Islands.

Spots are still available in Peninsula Co-op’s Salish Sea School for the following weeks (Monday – Friday):

July 26 – 30
August 9 – 13
August 16 – 20
August 23 – 27

More information about Peninsula Co-op’s Salish Sea School is at www.oceandiscovery.ca/kids.

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About the Shaw Ocean Discovery Centre

The Shaw Ocean Discovery Centre is an aquarium and marine education centre focused on the amazing ecosystem of the Salish Sea. The Centre operates as a not-for-profit community facility that is self supporting through admission fees, grants and donations. The Shaw Ocean Discovery Centre is governed, funded and owned by the New Marine Centre Society. Funds for the Shaw Ocean Discovery Centre were raised through generous community support, and a major donation from Shaw Communications. The Centre is located in a spectacular waterfront building in Sidney, BC.

For further information, please contact Robyn Waterman, Public Relations Manager, Shaw Ocean Discovery Centre, 250.665.7511 or pr@oceandiscovery.ca

Watch Part Two

Watch Part Three

CBC All Points West host Jo-Ann Roberts discusses World Oceans Day, oil spills, and Marine Protected Areas with Angus Matthews, Executive Director at the Shaw Ocean Discovery Centre. Beings at 9:18. Aired Tuesday, June 8th, 2010.

The Capital Regional District and Pacific Salmon Foundation are encouraging visitors to explore these questions and discover the close connections between our ocean and our homes with an exciting new exhibit at the Shaw Ocean Discovery Centre. Open cupboards, look in drawers, lift the lid… see how the everyday decisions we make affect our local marine environment.

“Making the connection between our ocean ecosystems and our day to day living arrangements is an extremely important way to reinforce the impact we have on our environment,” said CRD Environmental Sustainability General Manager Larisa Hutcheson. “This new exhibit provides an excellent opportunity to have fun while learning about the myriad connections between residents and the ocean that surrounds them.”

‘The Ocean Is Our Home’ was built to replicate a typical single-family home. It has four rooms and a backyard patio. As visitors make their way through the exhibit, they will learn facts about water and energy conservation, waste reduction, pollution prevention and the ocean in their home. Together, all the little bits of information create a larger picture of how significantly we impact the environment and an understanding of what we can do to conserve it. A scavenger hunt helps visitors gather and organize the tips and information they discover.

Over the past few weeks, the Centre’s staff and volunteers have been busy searching their own homes for products to contribute to the exhibit. “It’s not just seafood; there are a lot of products from the ocean in our homes. Seaweed is processed into substances that end up in many of our food and personal hygiene products like ice cream and lotions, as well as health and medical products. Seaweed is everywhere,” says Linda Funk, Education Director at the Shaw Ocean Discovery Centre.

The exhibit was constructed by the Shaw Ocean Discovery Centre with generous donations from Westcoast Appliances, Marigold Nurseries, Slegg Lumber, Home Hardware Sidney and Twin Peaks Nursery & Landscaping Supplies.

Exhibit: The Ocean Is Our Home
Where: Shaw Ocean Discovery Centre, 9811 Seaport Place, Sidney
When: June to October; daily 10:00 am – 4:30 pm
Admission: Adults $12.00, Youth (Age 6 to 17) $6.00, 5 and under FREE

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About the Shaw Ocean Discovery Centre
The Shaw Ocean Discovery Centre is an aquarium and marine education centre focused on the amazing ecosystem of the Salish Sea. The Centre operates as a not-for-profit community facility that is self supporting through admission fees, grants and donations. The Shaw Ocean Discovery Centre is governed, funded and owned by the New Marine Centre Society. Funds for the Shaw Ocean Discovery Centre were raised through generous community support, and a major donation from Shaw Communications. The Centre is located in a spectacular waterfront building in Sidney, BC.

For further information, please contact Robyn Waterman, Public Relations Manager, Shaw Ocean Discovery Centre, 250.665.7511 or pr@oceandiscovery.ca