About

The Salish Sea

The Salish Sea is home to a remarkable assemblage of species and habitats, providing countless benefits to communities across its islands and shores. Named after its original human inhabitants, the Coast and Straits Salish people, this bioregion has sustained thriving cultures and livelihoods for thousands of years. Today, with nearly 9 million residents, it is undergoing significant change in the face of an ever expanding suite of threats.

The Project

As part of the United Nations Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development, Hakai Institute has launched Sentinels of Change - a decade-long community-centered initiative investigating patterns of invertebrate biodiversity, change, and resilience across the Salish Sea. The project establishes a network of community partners to work together to observe and investigate patterns of invertebrate reproduction and recruitment within this complex and dynamic natural and social seascape.

Community-Based Research

By facilitating collaboration among skilled local partners, this project draws strength from place-based knowledge across the diverse communities of the Salish Sea. We work with our partners to select sites and collect samples, providing materials and support as needed. Participation offers training, education, and capacity-building within communities that can be transferable to other local projects and monitoring initiatives. Taking part reinforces existing partnerships and forges new ones across a diversity of communities. Participants are encouraged to inform and steer data collection efforts based on community needs and interests.