← More The Herring Spawn

The Herring Spawn

Every March the herring come back to Baynes Sound in numbers so vast they turn the ocean the colour of Caribbean postcards, except this is British Columbia in March and nobody told the herring they were supposed to be somewhere warmer.

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The Water

Turns milky turquoise-white. Unmistakable — visible from space.

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The Birds

Thousands of gulls, hundreds of bald eagles, cormorants diving.

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Sea Lions

Stellers and Californias porpoising through herring schools right next to your boat.

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Whales

Humpbacks sometimes follow herring into Baynes Sound. Greys may appear too.

Monitoring the Spawn

Peak activity at a given spot may last only a few days. Look for milky-turquoise water and massive bird congregations — when you see a sky full of eagles, you've found the right place.

🐟 DFO Spawn Observations 📋 DFO Herring Management
Jura sailing through turquoise herring spawn waters