Jessi Harewicz swims Howe Sound to build awareness of the rare and fragile glass sponge reefs.
Jessi has a deep and abiding love of nature and the marine world. This is her special way to help protect what she loves.
Category: MLSS in the News
Sharks in Vancouver Harbour
Sharks in Vancouver Harbour By Glen Dennison Infrequently, divers in Howe Sound were reporting encounters with the Bluntnose Sixgill Shark (Hexanchus griseus). Several of our dive team members had seen one. So, the question kept coming up, were these transient sharks transiting from Puget Sound? We understood that studies from the Seattle Aquarium had found…
MLSS Statement of Achievements
MLSS Howe Sound Statement of Achievements Dec 7, 2020 Recent narratives in the media whether directly, by omission or association, have failed to portray the significant role that MLSS has played in leading Citizen Science efforts to protect the glass sponge reefs in Howe Sound. Over the past several decades, MLSS discovered, mapped and protected…
Oceans Day – June 8, 2019
Oceans Day June 8, 2019 The MLSS set up a display for the DFO researchers at PSEC (Pacific Science Enterprise Centre, West Vancouver), Honourable Jonathan Wilkinson, Minister of Fisheries, Oceans, and the Canadian Coast Guard, Pamela Goldsmith-Jones, MP for West Vancouver—Sunshine Coast—Sea to Sky Country, other scientists and guests. Directors Glen Dennison, Adam Taylor and student Mikalyn Trinca Colonel attended the…
8 More Glass Sponge Reef Refuges Created in Howe Sound
WE DID IT – THE GLASS SPONGE REEFS IN HOWE SOUND ARE PROTECTED!! March 6, 2019: Marine Life Sanctuaries Society and the Underwater Council of British Columbia are incredibly pleased and proud to learn that our hard work, dedication and commitment to protect the delicate glass sponge reefs in Howe Sound has come to fruition…
Letter: Citizen scientists’ behind reef preservation effort
An article that was published in the North Shore News on April 15, 2016, was entitled Prehistoric glass sponge reefs preserved, Scientists hail province’s move to protect ‘Jurassic Park submerged’. Stephen Foster of The David Suzuki Foundation provided a rebuttal opinion to the article on May 4, 2016. In David’s opinion, MLSS Director Glen Dennison…
Nature Wild Magazine and Cloud Sponges
MLSS offered a Beach Interpretation Program at Porteau Cove BC for the Eastern Fraser Valley Young Naturalists Club, one of about 60 clubs throughout BC. The umbrella society for these clubs NatureKids of BC (previously The YNC, Young Naturalists’ Club of BC) puts out an awesome magazine called NatureWILD. The issue this month features a great article…
HMCS Annapolis temperature monitor
Glen Dennison has installed a temperature logger on the Annapolis artificial reef. The unit is located on the port side hand rail at about 75 feet down. Please see the video below for an idea of placement. The temperature samples are taken at intervals of 240 minutes, delayed starting to 12:01 hours on Dec 13, 2015. This gave…
BioBlitz at Fort Rodd Hill a Blast!
Parks Canada hosted the first-ever Parks Canada BioBlitz at Fort Rodd Hill and Fisgard Lighthouse National Historic Site on May 23, 2015 and MLSS was invited as one of the collaborating organizations! There were 113 people who volunteered for the BioBlitz, 45 of which were experts, including those from MLSS. The Beach Interpretation Program (BIP)…
BC divers contribute to north coast marine planning
A recent report by Gary Marcuse and Paul Sim of the Underwater Council of British Columbia (UCBC), summarizes contributions from the BC diving community towards marine planning for the North coast. Nearly two hundred dive sites are now part of the BC and commission’s databases and can be seen on an interactive website at Living…
Conservation groups welcome protection for Strait of Georgia’s unique glass sponge reefs
JOINT MEDIA RELEASE Conservation groups welcome protection for Strait of Georgia’s unique glass sponge reefs Vancouver, BC – 5 June 2015 – Local and national conservation groups are welcoming today’s announcement by the federal government of fishing closures for the Strait of Georgia’s glass sponge reefs – a global treasure found nowhere else in the…
MLSS Requests Protection of Howe Sound Sponge Reefs
Check out this article by Larry Pynn in the Vancouver Sun, featuring our efforts to protect the sponge reefs in Howe Sound.
Marine Life Sanctuaries Society 