Corals There are 61 species of coral that have been identified in B.C.’s ocean waters. These cold water corals colour a vibrant palate of purple, orange, yellow and pink where they line shallow current-swept passages to the deep sea. These coral “gardens” nurture underwater communities where many marine animals seek protection, reproduce, feed and grow. The corals in Pncima are extremely vulnerable to damage from bottom trawling and so too are the many species that depend on them.
The Fish
More than 400 species of fish live in the waters of Pncima, each with its own niche in the incredible and complex food chain of the sea.
Salmon An average of 25 to 30 million adult salmon return to Pncima watersheds every year. Millions of salmon from five different species migrate through the area, traveling up to 3,200 km at sea before returning to spawn in the rivers and streams where they were born.. This cycle is essential for the bears and eagles that depend on the salmon for food and the coastal forests that rely on the nutrient contribution of spawned salmon. For thousands of years salmon have been part of the health, culture and art of First Nations people and today many communities depend on healthy salmon stocks for work and recreation. Many salmon stocks are in decline in Pncima, and we cannot realistically expect their recovery without proper management based on integrated planning.
Eulachon Like the salmon, the eulachon link the forest and the sea. These anadromous fish spend most of their adult lives in the ocean but return to freshwater streams and rivers to spawn and die. First Nations of Pncima made eulachon an important part of their diet, as well as a valuable trade item with inland Nations whose territories did not include spawning rivers. Eulachon were also processed for their rich oil which was a valuable trade commodity for First Nations peoples. Eulachon are also known as candle fish because they are so fatty that if dried and strung on a wick they can be burned like a candle.
Herring Three of BC’s five major herring stocks are found in Pncima. Essential components in the food chain, herring and their spawn are an important part of the diet for cod, lingcod, halibut, coho and chinook salmon, harbour seals, invertebrates, seabirds, sea lions, porpoises, baleen whales and eagles.
Rockfish These are the elders of Pncima as they are some of the longest living animals in the world. Some individuals are more than 200 years old. That means some rockfish now swimming in Pncima were alive when the first European explorers arrived on B.C.’s coast. Rockfish grow slowly and are slow to mature meaning these staples of BC’s ground fish industry are quite vulnerable to over fishing.
Ancient Marine Life Hexactinellid, also known as glass sponge reefs were plentiful during the age of dinosaurs, but today the only known specimens are in B.C. waters, including those of Pncima. These living reefs can be 9,000 years old and take the shape of large mounds, some of which have grown to the height of a five-storey building (18 metres) and cover about 1,000 square kilometers. Since their discovery in 1987, half of these ancient life forms have been destroyed by bottom trawling.
Kelp Forests Often referred to as “rainforests of the sea”, dense, towering underwater kelp forests provide food, shelter, oxygen, and nursery environments for a variety of sea creatures. Kelp is one of the fastest-growing plants in the world. Giant kelp on the B.C. coast can grow more than 30 centimeters in a day.
Coastal Temperate Rainforests
These highly productive coastal ecosystems are inextricably linked to the ocean. The massive transfer of nutrients from post-spawn salmon has been shown to support more than 100 forest and stream species, from tiny invertebrates that feed the new salmon fry to bears, eagles and trees. In return the salmon are renewed and sent back to the sea.
Charismatic Wildlife
The profound linkage of sea and land has caused certain species, like the grey wolf (Canis lupus L.) to effectively become like marine mammals; it depends on the ocean for salmon and even seals which it hunts on their haul-out rocks. They swim in the ocean for distances of up to 10 km as they visit the islands and distant coastlines of their territory.
Play Coastal Fling. See how many friends you can get back home to
Pncima.
There are 61 species of coral that have been identified in B.C.’s ocean waters. These cold water corals colour a vibrant palate of purple, orange, yellow and pink where they line shallow current-swept passages to the deep sea. These coral “gardens” nurture underwater communities where many marine animals seek protection, reproduce, feed and grow. The corals in Pncima are extremely vulnerable to damage from bottom trawling and so too are the many species that depend on them. 
An average of 25 to 30 million adult salmon return to Pncima watersheds every year. Millions of salmon from five different species migrate through the area, traveling up to 3,200 km at sea before returning to spawn in the rivers and streams where they were born.. This cycle is essential for the bears and eagles that depend on the salmon for food and the coastal forests that rely on the nutrient contribution of spawned salmon. For thousands of years salmon have been part of the health, culture and art of First Nations people and today many communities depend on healthy salmon stocks for work and recreation. Many salmon stocks are in decline in Pncima, and we cannot realistically expect their recovery without proper management based on integrated planning.
Like the salmon, the eulachon link the forest and the sea. These anadromous fish spend most of their adult lives in the ocean but return to freshwater streams and rivers to spawn and die. First Nations of Pncima made eulachon an important part of their diet, as well as a valuable trade item with inland Nations whose territories did not include spawning rivers. Eulachon were also processed for their rich oil which was a valuable trade commodity for First Nations peoples. Eulachon are also known as candle fish because they are so fatty that if dried and strung on a wick they can be burned like a candle. 
Three of BC’s five major herring stocks are found in Pncima. Essential components in the food chain, herring and their spawn are an important part of the diet for cod, lingcod, halibut, coho and chinook salmon, harbour seals, invertebrates, seabirds, sea lions, porpoises, baleen whales and eagles. 
These are the elders of Pncima as they are some of the longest living animals in the world. Some individuals are more than 200 years old. That means some rockfish now swimming in Pncima were alive when the first European explorers arrived on B.C.’s coast. Rockfish grow slowly and are slow to mature meaning these staples of BC’s ground fish industry are quite vulnerable to over fishing. 
Hexactinellid, also known as glass sponge reefs were plentiful during the age of dinosaurs, but today the only known specimens are in B.C. waters, including those of Pncima. These living reefs can be 9,000 years old and take the shape of large mounds, some of which have grown to the height of a five-storey building (18 metres) and cover about 1,000 square kilometers. Since their discovery in 1987, half of these ancient life forms have been destroyed by bottom trawling. 
Often referred to as “rainforests of the sea”, dense, towering underwater kelp forests provide food, shelter, oxygen, and nursery environments for a variety of sea creatures. Kelp is one of the fastest-growing plants in the world. Giant kelp on the B.C. coast can grow more than 30 centimeters in a day. 
