Shared Waters of the Salish Sea
The films and panel at the Vic Theatre in mid October were inspiring and insightful.
Southern Resident killer whales and Chinook salmon are two of British Columbia’s most iconic and beloved species, and both are in decline. Along the Salish Sea, First Nations, NGOs, and communities on both sides of the border are working tirelessly to conserve these cherished transboundary species.
Earlier this month, ocean and conservation enthusiasts gathered at the Vic Theatre for a special screening of a trilogy of films highlighting the interconnected stories of killer whales, Chinook salmon, and the Shared Waters of the Salish Sea, hosted by Pacific Salmon Foundation.
Through these films, we heard powerful voices from along the Salish Sea and up the Fraser River, sharing stories about the cultural, ecological, and economic importance of Chinook salmon and Southern Resident killer whales, and the efforts underway to protect them.
After the screenings, filmmaker Jessica Plumb, Murray Ned, Executive Director of the Lower Fraser Fisheries Alliance and Jeffery Young with Raincoast Conservation Foundation discussed themes and answered audience questions in a lovely and informative post film panel, moderated by Krysten Maier (Pacific Salmon Foundation).
Pacific Salmon Foundation will be hosting another screening of these films on October 30th at the Abbotsford Arts Centre. Raincoast’s Wild Salmon Program Director Misty MacDuffee, who is featured in one of the films, will be on that evening’s panel to discuss all things Chinook and Southern Residents.
About Amanda Ketch
Amanda is an MSc student in the Raincoast applied Conservation Science Lab at the University of Victoria. My thesis project partners with the Kwiakah First Nation to empirically model winter habitat for Roosevelt Elk in their territory. In the summer of 2025 we deployed a network of 40 remote cameras across a variety of forests, which will be retrieved next spring. This project aims to use non-invasive technologies, such as remote cameras and remote sensing, for habitat suitability modelling.
