While it is not officially a Marine Science project, the week that Kenta has planned and he and his team are carrying out is very applicable to topics we cover in the course (and there are two Marine Science students participating!).
Very soon after arriving in Tofino on Sunday afternoon, we (Kenta, Helen, Amalia, Cassandra, Shuli & Laura) went to Chesterman Beach in the rain and wind. Despite the weather, we did collect some marine debris.
Kenta’s focus is on Japanese debris – he has high hopes of finding debris from the tsunami of 11 March 2011. His intention is to collect marine debris and make artwork that he will exhibit both in Canada and Japan.
Monday morning we went to Ucluelet and met with Karla Robison, Manager of Environmental & Emergency Services for the District of Ucluelet. She presented a lot of what she knows about Japanese tsunami debris then took us to the Public Works Yard where marine debris from many beach clean-ups is being stored.
Karla gave the students permission to sort through the debris and take anything that they could use in their artwork.
Karla & Amalia
Cassandra & Helen
Kenta & Karla
Kenta sorted through all the plastic bottles and based on the writing was able to identify several Japanese bottles and many Chinese bottles.
Kenta was also interviewed by Andrew Bailey, a reporter from the ‘Westerly News’.
After loading the back of the van with debris we drove and hiked to Florencia Bay where we collected more debris, a lot more debris…
This is the result of an afternoon at the south end of Florencia Bay.
More to come…
Tags: beach clean-up, garbage, marine debris, plastic, plastic pollution, Tofino, year 38, year 39
Pearson College Marine Science 
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