Cortes Currents

Roy L Hales / Cortes Currents - Cortes Island had its annual community Christmas Dinner on December 25th.

As a result of the COVID shutdown, close to a third of the island’s population turned out.

It was truly a gourmet delight.

Cortes Currents sent Noah Davidson and Izabelle Perry a list of questions, which they chose to answer by email.

Imagine this is Noah’s voice, rather than mine, reading this out.

“After the cancellation of all community events, dances, Easter, and Christmas craft fairs, we really wanted to find a way to not have to cancel Christmas Dinner!”

“Community Christmas Dinners at the Gorge Hall have been an annual tradition for as long as anyone can remember. We recently took over the planning and cooking responsibilities from Jim Kearney, who believed that everyone should have the opportunity to gather and enjoy a warm meal together on Christmas Day. We hope that people found the take-out meals were a reasonable alternative to gathering.”

“On average, the free Christmas dinner in Whaletown serves around 125 people at the Gorge Hall for a sit-down meal on Christmas Day. Usually, 3 or 4 turkeys are prepared along with the fixings, stuffing, mashed potatoes, gravy, and veggies. The attending community brings a plethora of potluck dishes that really add something special to the dinner.”

“This year was different, we served over 300, free take-out style meals from the Floathouse restaurant with no potluck items. We cooked 21 turkeys, stuffing, mashed potatoes and veggies, gravy, and cranberry sauce. We also offered a vegetarian option, with a lentil nut loaf, wild rice stuffing, vegan mashed potatoes, and miso gravy.”

The story continues in the podcast

Photo courtesy Noah Davidson and Izabelle Perry

Roy L Hales / Cortes Currents - When the Chum salmon returned to Cortes Island four years ago, they entered every creek. Approximately 1,050 swam up Basil Creek this year, but the numbers were far lower everywhere else. Some Whaletown residents saw Chum in their creek, these did not make it to the official tally - which is zero. Despite the disappointing returns, Streamkeeper Cec Robinson describes 2020 as a year in which steps were taken to ensure future Chum runs.

Some experts within the Department of Fisheries say this is a phenomenon happening throughout the West Coast. They believe that the poor runs are made up of survivors from a new marine heatwave similar to ‘the Blob’ that “disrupted the West Coast marine ecosystem and depressed salmon returns” five years ago.

Cec talked about the streamkeeper’s new incubation boxes and plans to restock Whaletown, James and Basil creeks next year.

The interview ended on another positive note, next year the first 30,000 Chum raised in a hatchery will be returning to Basil Creek.

Photo credit: The new marine heatwave off the West Coast stands out in this map of sea surface temperature anomalies, with darker red denoting temperatures farther above average. The highest temperatures shown are more than 5 degrees Fahrenheit above average. Image from NOAA Coral Reef Watch, which corrects effectively for cloud cover.

Roy L Hales / Cortes Currents - When the Chum salmon returned to Cortes Island four years ago, they entered every creek. Approximately 1,050 swam up Basil Creek this year, but the numbers were far lower everywhere else. Some Whaletown residents saw Chum in their creek, these did not make it to the official tally - which is zero. Despite the disappointing returns, Streamkeeper Cec Robinson describes 2020 as a year in which steps were taken to ensure future Chum runs.

Some experts within the Department of Fisheries say this is a phenomenon happening throughout the West Coast. They believe that the poor runs are made up of survivors from a new marine heatwave similar to ‘the Blob’ that “disrupted the West Coast marine ecosystem and depressed salmon returns” five years ago.

Cec talked about the streamkeeper’s new incubation boxes and plans to restock Whaletown, James and Basil creeks next year.

The interview ended on another positive note, next year the first 30,000 Chum raised in a hatchery will be returning to Basil Creek.

Photo credit: The new marine heatwave off the West Coast stands out in this map of sea surface temperature anomalies, with darker red denoting temperatures farther above average. The highest temperatures shown are more than 5 degrees Fahrenheit above average. Image from NOAA Coral Reef Watch, which corrects effectively for cloud cover.

Roy L Hales / Cortes Currents - When the Chum salmon returned to Cortes Island four years ago, they entered every creek. Approximately 1,050 swam up Basil Creek this year, but the numbers were far lower everywhere else. Some Whaletown residents saw Chum in their creek, these did not make it to the official tally - which is zero. Despite the disappointing returns, Streamkeeper Cec Robinson describes 2020 as a year in which steps were taken to ensure future Chum runs.

Some experts within the Department of Fisheries say this is a phenomenon happening throughout the West Coast. They believe that the poor runs are made up of survivors from a new marine heatwave similar to ‘the Blob’ that “disrupted the West Coast marine ecosystem and depressed salmon returns” five years ago.

Cec talked about the streamkeeper’s new incubation boxes and plans to restock Whaletown, James and Basil creeks next year.

The interview ended on another positive note, next year the first 30,000 Chum raised in a hatchery will be returning to Basil Creek.

Photo credit: The new marine heatwave off the West Coast stands out in this map of sea surface temperature anomalies, with darker red denoting temperatures farther above average. The highest temperatures shown are more than 5 degrees Fahrenheit above average. Image from NOAA Coral Reef Watch, which corrects effectively for cloud cover.

Roy L Hales / Cortes Currents - China wants more oysters than are grown in BC.

“No discussion about seafood markets can go anywhere without talking about China. It is just the number one driver of seafood consumption. It is their market,” said Erik Lyon, owner operator of Rising Tide Shellfish on Cortes Island.

He added, “I haven’t been there, but from what I hear China has a rising middle class with disposable income and culturally they really value seafood, especially shellfish. Fresh and live are probably the most important things to them, as far as food goes.”

According to the Chinese market research agency, Dauxe Consulting, “With polluted and overfished waters at home, China is importing a lot of premium seafood. Wealthier Chinese consumers who can afford to avoid scandal-plagued chicken and pork have in some cases switched to seafood.”

Many Shanghai and Beijing restaurants “sell imported oysters, and most often as a side dish. Only some places exclusively sell oysters as a key element of the restaurant. The price varies from 30 to 150 yuan per dish. The key feature of the restaurants selling oysters is that most of them are western-oriented.”

Dauxe added, “Chinese consumers are more and more demanding about the quality of oysters they buy. Therefore, they are willing to pay a high price for high-quality oysters.”

China wants more oysters than BC can produce

“There were Chinese brokers who came here and they wanted more oysters than are grown in BC, never mind Cortes Island. We simply do not have that volume. We are talking thousands of dozens and for us three hundred dozen is a large order. We don’t even count. We did try,” said Kristen Schofield-Sweet.

Photo credit: Pearl Of Asia Fried Oysters by snowpea&bokchoi via Flickr (CC BY SA, 2.0 License)

Roy L Hales / Cortes Currents - China wants more oysters than are grown in BC.

“No discussion about seafood markets can go anywhere without talking about China. It is just the number one driver of seafood consumption. It is their market,” said Erik Lyon, owner operator of Rising Tide Shellfish on Cortes Island.

He added, “I haven’t been there, but from what I hear China has a rising middle class with disposable income and culturally they really value seafood, especially shellfish. Fresh and live are probably the most important things to them, as far as food goes.”

According to the Chinese market research agency, Dauxe Consulting, “With polluted and overfished waters at home, China is importing a lot of premium seafood. Wealthier Chinese consumers who can afford to avoid scandal-plagued chicken and pork have in some cases switched to seafood.”

Many Shanghai and Beijing restaurants “sell imported oysters, and most often as a side dish. Only some places exclusively sell oysters as a key element of the restaurant. The price varies from 30 to 150 yuan per dish. The key feature of the restaurants selling oysters is that most of them are western-oriented.”

Dauxe added, “Chinese consumers are more and more demanding about the quality of oysters they buy. Therefore, they are willing to pay a high price for high-quality oysters.”

China wants more oysters than BC can produce

“There were Chinese brokers who came here and they wanted more oysters than are grown in BC, never mind Cortes Island. We simply do not have that volume. We are talking thousands of dozens and for us three hundred dozen is a large order. We don’t even count. We did try,” said Kristen Schofield-Sweet.

Photo credit: Pearl Of Asia Fried Oysters by snowpea&bokchoi via Flickr (CC BY SA, 2.0 License)

Roy L Hales / Cortes Currents - China wants more oysters than are grown in BC.

“No discussion about seafood markets can go anywhere without talking about China. It is just the number one driver of seafood consumption. It is their market,” said Erik Lyon, owner operator of Rising Tide Shellfish on Cortes Island.

He added, “I haven’t been there, but from what I hear China has a rising middle class with disposable income and culturally they really value seafood, especially shellfish. Fresh and live are probably the most important things to them, as far as food goes.”

According to the Chinese market research agency, Dauxe Consulting, “With polluted and overfished waters at home, China is importing a lot of premium seafood. Wealthier Chinese consumers who can afford to avoid scandal-plagued chicken and pork have in some cases switched to seafood.”

Many Shanghai and Beijing restaurants “sell imported oysters, and most often as a side dish. Only some places exclusively sell oysters as a key element of the restaurant. The price varies from 30 to 150 yuan per dish. The key feature of the restaurants selling oysters is that most of them are western-oriented.”

Dauxe added, “Chinese consumers are more and more demanding about the quality of oysters they buy. Therefore, they are willing to pay a high price for high-quality oysters.”

China wants more oysters than BC can produce

“There were Chinese brokers who came here and they wanted more oysters than are grown in BC, never mind Cortes Island. We simply do not have that volume. We are talking thousands of dozens and for us three hundred dozen is a large order. We don’t even count. We did try,” said Kristen Schofield-Sweet.

Photo credit: Pearl Of Asia Fried Oysters by snowpea&bokchoi via Flickr (CC BY SA, 2.0 License)

Roy L Hales / Cortes Currents - The new COVID 19 variant reached Vancouver Island.

According to a Ministry of Health statement released Sunday, “The individual, who resides in the Island Health region, returned to B.C. from the U.K. on flight AC855 on Dec. 15, 2020.”

CTV news suggests this may be the person that a flight exposure warning from the BCCDC suggests it may have landed at the Vancouver International Airport. An infected person was on a Dec. 15 Air Canada flight 855 from London to Vancouver.

Another exposure warning from the BCCDC indicates an infected person travelled from the Vancouver airport to the city of Nanaimo.

This individual developed symptoms while in quarantine and was tested immediately, according to the statement. The test came back positive on Dec.19, 2020.

In speaking with CTV News, Dr. Henry said the person’s infection “does not appear to have spread.”

“The person was maintaining their quarantine … (and has) very few close contacts so we're monitoring them very carefully,” she said.

In Sunday’s statement,"It is important to note there is no evidence that the new COVID-19 variant is more likely to cause severe illness, nor is there evidence to suggest the Health Canada-approved vaccines will be any less effective against the new variant.”

The numbers are going down again on Vancouver Island and, on December 24th, there were only 13 active cases in North Vancouver Island, and 65 throughout the whole of Island Health.

Photo Credit - Nanaimo by Brian Chow via Flickr (CC BY SA, 2.0 License)

Roy L Hales / Cortes Currents - The new COVID 19 variant reached Vancouver Island.

According to a Ministry of Health statement released Sunday, “The individual, who resides in the Island Health region, returned to B.C. from the U.K. on flight AC855 on Dec. 15, 2020.”

CTV news suggests this may be the person that a flight exposure warning from the BCCDC suggests it may have landed at the Vancouver International Airport. An infected person was on a Dec. 15 Air Canada flight 855 from London to Vancouver.

Another exposure warning from the BCCDC indicates an infected person travelled from the Vancouver airport to the city of Nanaimo.

This individual developed symptoms while in quarantine and was tested immediately, according to the statement. The test came back positive on Dec.19, 2020.

In speaking with CTV News, Dr. Henry said the person’s infection “does not appear to have spread.”

“The person was maintaining their quarantine … (and has) very few close contacts so we're monitoring them very carefully,” she said.

In Sunday’s statement,"It is important to note there is no evidence that the new COVID-19 variant is more likely to cause severe illness, nor is there evidence to suggest the Health Canada-approved vaccines will be any less effective against the new variant.”

The numbers are going down again on Vancouver Island and, on December 24th, there were only 13 active cases in North Vancouver Island, and 65 throughout the whole of Island Health.

Photo Credit - Nanaimo by Brian Chow via Flickr (CC BY SA, 2.0 License)

Roy L Hales / Cortes Currents - The new COVID 19 variant reached Vancouver Island.

According to a Ministry of Health statement released Sunday, “The individual, who resides in the Island Health region, returned to B.C. from the U.K. on flight AC855 on Dec. 15, 2020.”

CTV news suggests this may be the person that a flight exposure warning from the BCCDC suggests it may have landed at the Vancouver International Airport. An infected person was on a Dec. 15 Air Canada flight 855 from London to Vancouver.

Another exposure warning from the BCCDC indicates an infected person travelled from the Vancouver airport to the city of Nanaimo.

This individual developed symptoms while in quarantine and was tested immediately, according to the statement. The test came back positive on Dec.19, 2020.

In speaking with CTV News, Dr. Henry said the person’s infection “does not appear to have spread.”

“The person was maintaining their quarantine … (and has) very few close contacts so we're monitoring them very carefully,” she said.

In Sunday’s statement,"It is important to note there is no evidence that the new COVID-19 variant is more likely to cause severe illness, nor is there evidence to suggest the Health Canada-approved vaccines will be any less effective against the new variant.”

The numbers are going down again on Vancouver Island and, on December 24th, there were only 13 active cases in North Vancouver Island, and 65 throughout the whole of Island Health.

Photo Credit - Nanaimo by Brian Chow via Flickr (CC BY SA, 2.0 License)