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June 9, 2026
November 27, 2025
Prince of Whales Donates $40,000 to Pacific Salmon Foundation for their Herring Research
At Prince of Whales, we advocate for the health of the broader ecosystem in our region. Without healthy, nutrition-rich oceans, we wouldn’t have the pleasure of seeing humpback whales, orcas and many other iconic marine mammals. That’s why we’re proud to announce a $40,000 contribution to the Pacific Salmon Foundation (PSF) to support its pioneering multi-year research into Pacific herring, a keystone species in the Salish Sea.
Herring’s role in the Salish Sea is critical, as this species is a key prey species for salmon, which in turn are food for orcas, sea lions, harbour seals, and many others. They spawn in near-shore eelgrass beds, offering a pulse of nutrients and energy that sustains marine life from the bottom up. The PSF’s recent research shows worsening trends: spawning durations have decreased, and once-productive southern areas are now largely abandoned.
PSF is leading collaborative, science-based projects to fill several knowledge gaps on the salmon food web and bottlenecks to survival in the marine environment, revealing insights into how to better support salmon populations in the face of climate change. Equally important is the new PSF project that will document herring–salmon interactions, collaborate with First Nations communities, and use cutting-edge tools like satellite imagery, drones and underwater ROVs to map habitat and population changes.
This initiative builds on key findings from our Salish Sea Marine Survival Project, which was also supported by Prince of Whales.
By supporting this work, Prince of Whales is investing in the health of the marine environment that our guests explore, the wildlife they come to see, and the next generation of marine conservation. Our donation will help accelerate findings, identify habitat restoration opportunities, and bridge science with Indigenous knowledge. We invite our guests and partners to join us in supporting this important work. Because when herring thrive, salmon thrive, you’ll continue to see orcas, humpbacks and an impressive variety of marine life here in the Salish Sea.
If you’d like to learn more about the herring research or support the project further, visit Pacific Salmon Foundation’s Website and consider making your own contribution to this crucial work!
1. Zooplankton and small marine invertebrates – the tiny organisms that form the foundation of the marine food chain and are eaten by juvenile fish.
2. Kelp/Eelgrass forest habitat – provides shelter, nursery areas, and food for many marine species.
3. Forage fish (such as herring) – small schooling fish that are an important food source for salmon and other predators.
4. Salmon – a keystone species of the Salish Sea.
5. Whale watching / tourism industry – represented by the passenger vessel, showing the economic benefits generated by healthy marine ecosystems and salmon populations.
6. Riparian and coastal forest ecosystem – the streamside forests and habitats that support salmon spawning streams and benefit from marine nutrients brought back by salmon.
