The introduction of fast ferries in the 1990s resulted in damage to shorelines and mortality of shellfish thrown up on beaches.
Council began monitoring of reef communities in 1995 and measuring erosion of shorelines in Tory Channel and Queen Charlotte Sound.
This long-term monitoring project has enabled Council to determine how intertidal and subtidal organisms have fared over time.
A by-law introduced in 2000 for navigational safety reasons to slow down the ferries, also assisted species to recover as ferry wash reduced in intensity.
In 2017 Council reviewed the monitoring of ship-wake effects on shoreline erosion and biological communities.
The review revealed that the by-law was successful and lead to a measure of recovery had occurred at a number of monitoring sites.
To find out more email Council's Coastal Scientist
