In this unit:
Pacific herring are small schooling fish that play a big role in marine food webs by supporting salmon, which in turn feed the Southern Resident orcas. These little but mighty fish have a long history of significance- culturally, economically, and intrinsically.
As a food source, herring provide energy to lower trophic levels of the Salish Sea (egg predators) as well as to upper trophic levels (predators that eat larvae, juveniles, and adults). They are also a culturally important species for tribes and First Nations in the region, and are economically valuable to commercial fisheries in the Salish Sea (The SeaDoc Society). The shorelines of the Salish Sea come to life when schools of herring are present. It is quite the site to see, especially underwater, but even from the surface you can witness diving marine birds, hunting harbor seals and sea lions- and the reefs below start teaming with life during these feeding frenzies.
Click on the videos below to follow our Community Science and Education Director, Jess Newley, into the field in 360! Swim with spawning herring underwater on Orcas Island and follow scientists in a research boat as they collect data on herring spawn.
