Parksville is blessed with a number of special natural ecosystems including the western shoreline of Parksville Bay.
The shallow rocky and sandy shoreline is one of the most productive spawning habitats along the Pacific coast for the amazing midshipman fish which is also known as the humming fish.
During annual midshipman spawning season hundreds of bald eagles along with many Great Blue Herons, crows, and gulls congregate to feast on the bounty that is revealed at low tide. The spawn also coincides with the nesting season of many local bald eagles and provides the major source of food for the many eaglets being raised at that time.
The success of the spawning season is important not just for the survival of the midshipman species, but also as a food resource for the many predators it supports. The fish lays its eggs on the underside of rocks where they are fertilized, hatched, and incubated until ready to return to the ocean as baby fish.
Unfortunately, some reckless and ignorant individual has destroyed hundreds of potential fish by overturning some nesting rocks and exposing the eggs to the elements and predators.
At a time when nature is being assaulted by so many other forces like development, pollution, global warming, and natural disasters, the last thing we need is the purposeful destruction of nature by individuals. While such acts are punishable by fines under the wildlife protection act, there will never be a chance to recover the hundreds of eggs already destroyed.
Hopefully, the individual who was responsible for destroying the eggs will realize the far-reaching impacts of their actions and learn to respect and care for nature instead.
Mike Yip
Nanoose Bay
