Peter Ross

Dr. Peter S. Ross is an internationally recognized ocean pollution expert, having published over 160 scientific articles and book chapters on pollutants of concern in the oceans, and impacts on fish, seals and whales. Peter is a Raincoast Senior Scientist and the Healthy Waters Program Director.

https://www.raincoast.org/team/peter-ross/

Conservation updates

Bright extinction: Scientists have coined this term to describe the situation facing Southern Resident killer whales
2024 April 232024 July 8

Worrying signs of an accelerated decline in Southern Resident killer whales.

Read More Bright extinction: Scientists have coined this term to describe the situation facing Southern Resident killer whales
Notes from the field

Sampling water during the wet season: A new partnership with the Lower Nicola Indian Band reflects a shared interest in protecting water
2024 March 262024 December 13

Land use impacts and floods in focus by Nicola River communities.

Read More Sampling water during the wet season: A new partnership with the Lower Nicola Indian Band reflects a shared interest in protecting water
Conservation updates

Sharing our plans for our future mobile lab
2024 February 122024 July 15

We are thrilled to share the design plan for Tracker – our future mobile lab.

Read More Sharing our plans for our future mobile lab
Conservation updates

Help us build our new mobile lab, Tracker
2023 December 192025 December 15

Tracker will serve as the new mobile water pollution monitoring lab for our Healthy Waters Program.

Read More Help us build our new mobile lab, Tracker
Investigate and inform

What happened to Canada’s plastic ban?
2023 December 152026 July 16

Canadians – and our oceans – need robust protection from plastic pollution.

Read More What happened to Canada’s plastic ban?
Conservation updates

Launching our 10-year, place-based conservation science initiative on the Sunshine Coast
2023 December 142024 July 8

We are set to begin tracking water pollution and underwater noise on the Sunshine Coast.

Read More Launching our 10-year, place-based conservation science initiative on the Sunshine Coast
Investigate and inform

Preliminary study of water quality in streams discharging into Fulford Harbour raise questions about land-based pollution
2023 December 72024 July 8

The key to restoring and protecting aquatic environments for people and wildlife is a high quality monitoring program upon which communities and managers may act.

Read More Preliminary study of water quality in streams discharging into Fulford Harbour raise questions about land-based pollution
Investigate and inform

Biosolids pose a threat to healthy waters
2023 October 42024 October 23

Biosolids are nutrient rich, organic solid or semi-solid materials recovered from wastewater processing and their management is a growing challenge.

Read More Biosolids pose a threat to healthy waters
Raincoast updates

Job Posting: Water Quality Coordinator
2023 March 72025 February 4

Applications close March 24, 2023.

Read More Job Posting: Water Quality Coordinator
Investigate and inform

What does Canada’s ban on the manufacture and import of six types of single-use plastics mean?
2023 February 102026 May 12

Dr. Peter Ross was on CBC’s Podcast, About That.

Read More What does Canada’s ban on the manufacture and import of six types of single-use plastics mean?
Investigate and inform

From laundry to the ocean: fixing the microplastics problem in clothes
2023 February 22026 May 12

Peter Ross was on Wall Street Journal’s, The Future of Everything podcast.

Read More From laundry to the ocean: fixing the microplastics problem in clothes
In the media

We need to understand the extent to which floods further degrade fish habitat
2022 December 212024 July 8

Our findings painted a bleak picture of the health of the waterways meandering through the remnants of Sumas Lake, drained nearly 100 years ago by the Barrowtown Pump Station.

Read More We need to understand the extent to which floods further degrade fish habitat