Kirsten Oakes

Imagine you’re on a sailboat in Southern British Columbia, and the next thing you know, you’re surrounded by turquoise water that makes you feel like you’re in a tropical paradise.

This is the herring spawn, a natural phenomenon that occurs every spring as millions of herring migrate to shallow coastal waters to release eggs and milt (sperm). The water turns a milky turquoise colour and it attracts massive amounts of wildlife looking for a feast.

It’s an event that connects everything — wildlife, local communities and photographers alike. I joined a photography tour hoping to see the spawn. We were lucky enough to experience amazing conditions and unforgettable wildlife encounters.

Herring are crucial to the ecosystem, and overfishing has caused their populations to crash. This is one of the few areas that still allows commercial fishing and the population is still at risk. Seeing how much depends on one small fish makes you realize how important it is to protect what’s left, so the species can recover.

Thanks for an incredible experience, hours on the water, delicious food and a tour that was so much more than just photography.
@tmbphototours
@taylormichaelburk
@johnkelseyphoto
@meesh.coles

Looks like I’ll be chasing the herring spawn in springs to come!