By Ralph Shaw, Comox Valley Record, January 12, 2012

For purposes of this column the approximate length of Baynes Sound is about 30km from Goose Spit to the Chrome Island light at the south end of Denman Island. Throughout its length it is one huge marine garden that produces oysters, clams and scallops for local, national and international markets.

It is primarily the shoreline out to depths of about 100 feet that comprise the major development area of the various gardens. There is also space for recreational seafood gatherers to collect their own oysters and clams. The balance of the sound is open territory that is used in varying densities by many of the species we associate with the open waters of the Strait of Georgia.

For recreational fishers it is important as a long stretch of calm water to fish prawns and crabs. There are times when it has respectable salmon fishing opportunities depending on species and run size. It is also an important nursery area for small salmon and other species as they begin their life journeys. Some years it is host to billions of spawning Pacific herring during their erotic sexual orgies that turn the waters white with released sperm from ardent males bent on reproducing their kind.

Biologically, Baynes Sound is an incredibly diverse, rich piece of unpolluted water that is approximately 30km by 5km. It is in our front yard.

Over the years I have made hundreds of trips on its calm, clear waters. Of recent years we have taken special note of the large numbers of seafood gardeners that are always plying the waters of the sound in their large aluminum skiffs. Depending on the tide you will see gardeners as they harvest clams and oysters from the carefully tended beds and hanging gardens.

I made an inquiry and there are at least 700 full-time workers in this huge marine-friendly seafood complex. There are small independent farmers as well as large operations. As in most agricultural operations it is labour intensive, producing hundreds of jobs as long as we take care of its unpolluted waters.

There are currently two sources of pollution that can create serious challenges for the future of the industry. One is the outflow from untreated septic systems along its shores and another is the increased acidification of the oceans due to build-ups of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere. Certainly the septic tank problem is within our collective will to solve. We all hope and pray we can come to grips with the growing problems of climate change as they relate to ocean acidification in the not too distant future.

One thing is certain – we do not need the problem of acid mine drainage in this pristine garden – and we need look no farther than the Tsolum River to see the effects of this life-destroying curse. We are still trying to cure the effects of the mine drainage from the abandoned mine on the slopes of Mount Washington.

To learn more about this bountiful garden you may want to attend the Shellfish Gala Dinner on Saturday, Feb.11 at the Fanny Bay Hall. More details in a later column.

Ralph Shaw is a master fly fisherman who was awarded the Order of Canada in 1984 for his conservation efforts. In 20 years of writing a column in the Comox Valley Record it has won several awards.

This is an excerpt. Click here to read Ralph Shaw's full column.