Vancouver Hybrid Club Night – Georgia Strait Alliance

Clean Marine BC (CMBC), led by the Georgia Strait Alliance (GSA), is a green boating initiative aimed at reducing the environmental impact of recreational boating and boating facilities in and around the Salish Sea. With over 700,000 recreational boaters in BC, it’s a vital time to empower navigators to find their role in marine conservation, in and around the Salish Sea. As boaters traversing both remote and urban waters, we witness firsthand the adverse impacts of pollution, interactions with wildlife, habitat loss and disturbance, and other threats to the marine environment and coastal communities. Learn how to safely navigate eelgrass meadows and sensitive habitats, along with the many species that interact with the ecosystems. We will also cover pump-outs, other contaminants and more eco-friendly alternatives, some basic citizen science tools and the ways boaters can be the front lines of documenting changing ecosystems. GSA is committed to equipping boaters with the knowledge, tools, and resources they need to be stewards of the waterways.

Jacob Banting lives on the traditional territory of the ɬəʔamɛn (Tla’amin) Nation in qathet on the upper Sunshine Coast. He enjoys kayaking the many waterways and exploring the backcountry across the qathet area, with his partner, son and dog Tom. His passion for marine conservation is deeply anchored by a lifelong connection with the Salish Sea. As the Clean Marine BC Coordinator, Jacob steers GSA’s eco-certification program for boating facilities, and clean boating program where he distributes clean boating outreach, education, and materials, along with boating related advocacy work.