In this study the main purpose was to detect the effect of certain characteristics of the habitat (Halosaccion glandiforme) on the diversity and population of the species present inside Halosaccion glandiforme. The results of this study show that the diversity and population of the species present in Halosaccion glandiforme is sometimes affected by the factors studied. The factors that were studied include total surface area of the sample, the location of the species within Halosaccion glandiforme and the fact that some samples have their top part open and others closed.

Part A: March 1996 : The first draft of the management plan was developed by Garry Fletcher and submitted to B.C. Parks.
Part B : November 1996 : Feedback from B.C. Parks head office staff offering criticisms of the draft.
Part C: February 1997: Students of the Environmental Systems class review the suggestions of B.C. Parks and propose changes and a Race Rocks permit application for research and collection activities.
Part D : May 1997 : Kris Kennet of B.C. parks reworks the draft- July 14 - her final version.Part E : October 1997: invitations from Parks to Stakeholders for a meeting to discuss the draft.
Part F : Written feedback of several invited people.
Part G : April 1998: Draft Management Plan discussed at stakeholders meeting.
Part H : June 1998 Final draft version of Management Plan produced by Jim Morris of B.C. Parks Malahat office.

Throughout the time since Lester Pearson College first took on a stewardship role at Race Rocks in the late 1970's, we have been involved in doing a variety of Ecological studies. Tidepool monitoring, intertidal transects, invertebrate association studies , subtidal transects, and marine mammal studies. This paper will outline the Intertidal Transect-Quadrat Studies:
 

At least 50 Students of the Environmental Systems and Biology classes annually have done intertidal transect studies as a field lab exercise. These transect studies are usually done with a class of 10-16 in a 60 minute time slot when we can get out to Race Rocks. It is only possible to do them in the spring when the tidal levels are low enough. The objectives for these studies are indicated on the worksheet attached. For the most part , they are designed to show students basic methodology of studying intertidal zonation and recording ecological changes and relationships through an environmental gradient. They are also intended however to serve a practical purpose in documenting baseline information about the intertidal area as an indicator for checking on long term patterns of change or stability and serving as a baseline against which anthropogenic changes could be measured. It is important to recognize that students are learning organism identification as well as basic technique here so there is no attempt to treat this as a rigorous statistical investigation. 

Two other types of transect work have been done. One is a series of photographic transects , and these have been used once as a ground truthing exercise for comparison two years after the photos were taken . The other is a transect done frequently at station 13A) on the North East corner as part of an exam question on intertidal zonation on macroalgae.
 
 

CONTENTS:

PART A : Intertidal transects Station #15 . Student data and kite diagrams are attached as examples. 

Internet connection to pictures taken during this study can be found here. (http://www.racerocks.com/racerock/transect/trans98/tran15.htm) 
 
 

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PART B : Intertidal Transects Station #13A. 
.This North East corner of the island has a constant slope of 45 degrees, is exposed to the winter storms and swells from the East and is shaded from hot afternoon exposure to sunlight. The zonation of the different species of algae is striking. A set of student data is attached. http://www.racerocks.com/racerock/transect/trans98/tran5.htm
 
 

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PART C : Photographic transect in the peg #5 area. 
In the summer of 1995 an exercise was developed at the BioQuest workshop as an example of how photographic transects could be used in a computer simulation. These images are available at: the following location: http://www.racerocks.com/racerocks/transect/transect.htm

At least 30 Students are involved in the diving program at Lester Pearson College. One of the project we do when weather, tidal conditions and time permit is to record data on the distribution of organisms underwater at Race Rocks. Since our students are trained in diving here, they get to dive at Race Rocks after the fall training period in their first year. It is only in part of their second year that they have the necessary experience to be able to contribute to the underwater ecological recording at Race Rocks. Weather being what it is, the continuity of the work underwater is a problem and thus significant ontributions are made by a handful of students. Dives on the transect stations can only be done on a mild flood or slack tide, and since most use wetsuits, they are only able to stick with stationary activity underwater a short time until they get cold. It is important to recognize that students are learning organism identification as well as basic technique here so it cannot be treated as a rigorous statistical investigation. 

Various approaches have been made to standardize a workable procedure. Recently some
interest has been shown in an "adopt a quadrat approach". This is possible since we now have permanent peg locations underwater. So far it has not produced significant results, but it is hoped that The early investigations were done from fixed pegs in the intertidal zone and compass bearings to position the lines. Two files have been produced documenting the procedures. One in the early years by Bruce Walker, (a student of year 13), and the other by Dr. Jane Watson of Malaspina College. Both methods are difficult to employ but remain as the best available so far for this difficult to work in area. 

In 1982, one set of students did a comprehensive survey of the distribution of one species Metridium senile. This was an easy to identify organism and large areas could be covered with minor difficulties. This report is included as entry #165 in the Race Rocks Ecological Overview.

The data sheets for the subtidal studies are included here. It is to be hoped that someone may be able to devote the time to working them up into a series of reports on the different stations. After our experience with various methods of underwater ecological work, certainly the population studies by tagging are the ones that have been most successful. In addition, now that we have specific reference pegs in several areas along the North side of the island underwater, the monitoring of specific areas by underwater video is
possible. 

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The objective of Phase II (summer, 1998) was to identify technical connectivity needs and costs, and consider alternate education options.

Not infrequently, what appears to be a straight forward data gathering
project, quickly escalates into a major research effort. Defining,
pricing, and gaining a consensus on how to establish an interactive
electronic connection between Race Rocks, Lester B. Pearson College and
the Open Learning Agency was just such an undertaking.

However, significant progress was made. Detailed below is :

- a summary of the considered opinions of many experts on the
feasibility and educational value of connectivity
- detailed technical data on how to achieve connectivity

and,

- recommendations for a two-pronged approach to achieve the long-term
Grand scheme while designing and implementing a more modest
educational package for the short-term.

When the original species list was done for the Race Rocks Ecological Reserve Proposal, in 1979, only 2 hydroids had been included on our species list. Now over 60 species have been identified by Anita and she continues to assist students with research projects while she furthers her research on specimens from the island. Anita has established long term research plots in a tidepool at the reserve and documents the distribution of hydroids underwater with the assistance of students and faculty in the Diving program at Lester B. Pearson College.

Since the fall of 1973 the National Ocean Survey (NOS) has been carrying
out detailed circulatory surveys in the Strait of Juan de Fuca, the
Strait of Georgia, and connecting waterways. The object of these surveys (six of which have been completed at the writing of this report) has been the acquisition of tide, current, and salinity and temperature data at numerous locations and depths, along with weather data such as wind, sea level pressure, and air temperature. Analysis of these data is expected to provide an accurate and detailed description of water movement in this area, as well as further theoretical insight into the causes of this water movement. The need for increased understanding of
the Strait of Juan de Fuca Strait of Georgia system is due in part to the increased oil tanker traffic from the Trans-Alaskan pipeline to the several refineries in this area and in Puget Sound to the south (connected to the Strait of Juan de Fuca by Admiralty Inlet). Damage to the marine environment from oil spill could have serious detrimental effects on the large salmon and shellfish industries and on the even larger commercial fishing and recreation industries. A better understanding of the water movement in this area is expected to minimize the consequences of oil spillage and maximize the effectiveness of cleanup operations. It will also provide information relevant to
municipal pollution problems, coastal zone management, and navigation.

The data from these surveys (officially designated, OPR-509, Puget Sound Approaches) have come mainly from the eastern half of the Strait of Juan de Fuca, including Admiralty Inlet, the southern end of the Strait of Georgia, and the connecting waterways. This area is the most dynamically complicated portion of the system. These data have been supplemented
with historical NOS data from this same area and from the western half of the Strait of Juan de Fuca, along with Canadian data along Vancouver Island and in the northern Strait of Georgia.
This report presents the results of the harmonic analysis of 95 tide
stations and 90 current stations from the Strait of Georgia-Strait of
Juan de Fuca system. The results are presented in tables, cotidal and corange charts, and charts illustrating the relationships between various tidal constituents. The implications of these results relative to the tidal hydrodynamics of the system are discussed generally. Mathematical explanations and descriptions are included in a later report. Approximate transport values across key cross sections are also
provided.

The panel reports to the British Columbia/Washington Environmental
Cooperation Council, which was formed as part of the Environmental
Cooperation Agreement and which identified water quality on both sides
of the boundary as a high-priority issue requiring immediate and joint
attention. To guide its inquiries, the panel addressed several
questions about natural processes, resource population, contamination
and future trends in the area. In early 1994, the panel participated
(with a Work Group supporting the Environmental Cooperation Council) in
a scientific symposium featuring invited presentations by Canadian and
U.S. scientific experts on a broad range of topics. The scientific
review papers from this symposium have been published as a separate
technical volume and form an important basis for this report.

The panel based its recommendations about conditions in the shared
waters and proposed remedial actions on scientific evaluation of actual
harm done and on the risks that harm will be done, rather than on
popular perceptions or political considerations. Where insufficient
information is available to evaluate harm and risks, a precautionary
approach and additional research are recommended.

Sufficient evidence has been found to conclude that a human presence is
not absolutely necessary to keep lights and foghorns functioning at a
satisfactory level of reliability; automatic lightstations are already
common in Canada and elsewhere. The most significant impact of removal
of a lightkeeper is thus to be found on the level of safety-related
services provided at a given lightstation. Digests of keepers logs,
plans of government departments, availability of alternate resources and
users views have been consulted for each type of service (weather, SAR
and radio) for each station. Stations have been grouped in four classes
according to the assessed impact of unmanning

Stations with Medium impact index should be kept manned for now, but
their status should be revised in the light of improved technology,
especially regarding aviation weather reports and radio communications.
These stations are : Ballenas Is., Carmanah Pt., Dryad Pt., Entrance
Is., Ivory Is., Merry Is., Race Rocks, Sand Heads, Saturna Is., Scarlett
Pt., Sisters Is., Triple Is., and Chatham Pt. É

The Canadian Council on Ecological Areas (CCEA) established a task force
on marine protected areas in 1988 to : (1) review the Estate of the art
of marine and freshwater ecosystem conservation initiatives and possible
application of the concept of marine ecological areas to Canada, (2)
identify the steps Council could take in promoting the establishment of
such reserves and (3) suggest potential guidelines for selection and
management of these protected areas.

It was agreed at the outset that the efforts of this task force would
focus on marine systems and the Great Lakes, leaving the concept of
freshwater ecological areas to another study group. There is a growing
body of literature and experience in the Great Lakes Area with 'cross
walking' coastal and freshwater ecological classification systems. These
developments should be carefully monitored by Council.

The attached papers and contributions represent a review of the state of
the art of marine conservation initiatives. It was concluded by the Task
Force that marine ecological areas could be implemented in Canada.
However, park and protected area managers and planners will have to
adjust their models and methods of planning and management (e.g. natural
resource inventories) to work with the realities of the marine
environment (i.e. an open rather than closed or semi-closed system,
numerous patterns of energy exchange that are very large and alter
rapidly, a complicated regulatory environment, significant and
persistent downstream effects, and approaches to planning and management
that allow for controlled sustainable resource use, joint decision
making with customary and indigenous users and collaborative forms of
both planning and management).

Papers presented at a workshop held in Charlottetown, P.E.I., in August 1988.
Includes bibliographical references.

GC281.J8 H8 
GC 281 J8 H8 circ c.1 
 

-

1. MESA Puget Sound Project. 2. Tidal currents--Juan de Fuca Strait (B.C.
and Wash.) 3.<BR>
Winds--Observations. I.Pease, Carol H. II.Pacific Marine Environmental Laboratory
(U.S.)
III.United States. Environmental Protection Agency. Office of Environmental
Engineering and
Technology. IV.Mesa Puget Sound Project. V.A comparison of the M.E.S.A.-Puget
Sound oil
spill model with wind and current observations from August 1978. 
Holdings (See footnote for additional information)<BR>
<BR>
Vancouver Public Library:<BR>
628.16833 S85c <BR>

Vessel characteristics of world trade tankers likely to be calling at
Puget Sound ports are reviewed. Although there has never been a major
spill in the area the expected composite oil spill rate is .004% of oil
carried by the fleet, projected to occur on or within 50 miles of Puget
Sound. The Alaskan fleet characteristics are compared with the above
fleet and a somewhat lower composite spill rate is forecast.

The most significant growth potential, other than transshipment of crude
oil, is in the export of refined products to California, Alaska or
Hawaii.

The effect on tanker traffic patterns from proposed transshipment of
crude oil through oil ports at Cherry Point, Port Angeles and Kitimat is
projected. Under various assumptions projected traffic ranges from 308
to 360 arrivals per year at Kitimat with a throughput of 700,000 barrels
per day.

The data from these surveys (officially designated, OPR-509, Puget Sound
Approaches) have come mainly from the eastern half of the Strait of Juan
de Fuca, including Admiralty Inlet, the southern end of the Strait of
Georgia, and the connecting waterways. This area is the most dynamically
complicated portion of the system. These data have been supplemented
with historical NOS data from this same area and from the western half
of the Strait of Juan de Fuca, along with Canadian data along Vancouver
Island and in the northern Strait of Georgia.

This report presents the results of the harmonic analysis of 95 tide
stations and 90 current stations from the Strait of Georgia-Strait of
Juan de Fuca system. The results are presented in tables, cotidal and
corange charts, and charts illustrating the relationships between
various tidal constituents. The implications of these results relative
to the tidal hydrodynamics of the system are discussed generally.
Mathematical explanations and descriptions are included in a later
report. Approximate transport values across key cross sections are also
provided.

1. Tankers--Washington (State)--Puget Sound. 2. Tankers--Juan de Fuca Strait
(B.C. and
Wash.) 3. Petroleum--Transportation--Washington (State)--Puget Sound. 4.
Petroleum--Transportation--Juan de Fuca Strait (B.C. and Wash.)

Consequently, this study established two areas of priority. First to
assemble a detailed physical resource inventory of the numerous
recreational beaches in the area between Otter Point (west of Sooke) and
Port San Juan at the western most entrance of Jean de Fuca Strait. This
physical inventory was to establish the principal characteristics of
each beach, i.e. ; exposed width at high and low tides, beach type and
composition, detailed land and air photography, moorage possibilities,
land and water access, shore-line features, marine and wildlife features
and the 'use' patterns of each beach. Secondly, to assemble a detailed
human and countermeasures resource inventory. This inventory would
establish the availability and extent of manpower and equipment within
each area. In the event that an oil spill should occur, the Department
of Transport would then have specific information regarding the
equipment locally available as well as the manpower to operate it. As
time is often the essential factor in the fight against oil spills, the
value of such information is obvious.

The inventory was produced under the guidance of the Environmental
Advisory Commission of the Metchosin Council. Stuart Guy acted as the
primary supervisor for the production of the inventory.

Garry Fletcher, from the Metchosin Environmental Advisory Commission,
had collected a large number of sites with ecological features. This
foundation was supplemented by interviews with knowledgeable people and
by finding sources of information already produced for the Metchosin
area. A list of the people who were contacted for this inventory is
given in Appendix A. The interviews were conducted with 1:5000 maps to
ensure that sites were located accurately. All sources that had
information that contributed to the data base are listed in the
annotated bibliography. Limited time prevented complete synthesis of
less pertinent sources and these are listed under the title of Other
Sources in Appendix B. Almost 400 sites were identified in the
inventory.

Information obtained during community interviews reveals a wide variety of fish, shellfish and other invertebrates, waterfowl and marine mammals were utilized throughout the seasons. Those collected from the Saanich Inlet are identified in Table 8. Aside from their obvious use as food, marine resources also served as medicines and as ritual foods associated with ceremonial activities. The cultural significance of these resources is reflected in the places names associated with the procurement of marine resources throughout the Saanich Inlet (see discussion in Section 3).

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