Dear Editor:
This year has allowed me to get more familiar with the special places close to home and just how uniquely special natural places in B.C. like Howe Sound are. The new documentary Moonless Oasis on CBC Gem introduced me to the rare wonders of our glass sponge reefs. Once thought extinct, B.C.’s coast is one of the only places in the world where these incredible ancient reefs still exist.
In 2019, nine glass sponge reefs in Howe Sound were protected with marine refuges. Last year, five more living glass sponge reefs were verified by Fisheries and Oceans Canada. Now that we know there are more vulnerable reefs, we need to give them the same protection and ensure these world treasures can survive.
Not only are these ecosystems unique to the West Coast, they provide habitat for rockfish and shrimp, filter bacteria out of the water, and store carbon on the ocean floor. We need more local Howe Sounders to raise awareness of these natural jewels and call on our government to protect the few glass sponge reefs we have left.
Nathan Lewis
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