Acknowledgements
This report could not have been produced without the work and assistance of many people.
We would like to thank the following for their contribution to and support of this report, the
research and analysis behind it, and to the vision of an oil-free coast for British Columbia.
We would like to give special thanks to the Marisla Foundation, the McLean Foundation, the
late Peter Stratton, the Bullitt Foundation, Mountain Equipment Co-op, Patagonia, the
Conservation Alliance, Vancouver Foundation, and the Russell Family Foundation.
Wilburforce Foundation, the Animal Welfare Institute, the World Wildlife Fund –Canada,
and the National Science and Engineering Research Council (NSERC) have also supported
work we have undertaken that is critical to understanding the risks that oil proposals
present to species and habitats on the coast.
Gratitude also goes to Dr. Pat Halpin and Ben Best of Duke University’s Marine Geospatial
Ecology Lab and Raincoast Conservation Foundation Senior Scientist Dr. Paul Paquet for
their lead role in analyzing and modeling five years of data from our at-sea surveys on
Raincoast’s research vessel Achiever. Appreciation also goes to Dr. Len Thomas at the Sea
Mammal Research Unit at St. Andrews University for survey design. Most importantly, our
appreciation goes to Dr. Rob Williams for having the vision to pursue this research and
making us leave the dock in 2004.
Speaking of Achiever, we would like to especially recognize Captain Brian Falconer and his
stalwart team of mariners - Stephen Anstee, Heidi Krajewsky, Doug Jodrell, Ian Jansma, Erin
Nyhan, Ian Giles and Jen Brant - who kept Raincoast scientists and observer crew safe and
sound for the five years of surveys we conducted on the BC coast.
Special thanks must also go to the scientists and observer crew who put in long and often
grueling hours at-sea to gather data on marine mammals and marine birds. They are
Caroline Fox, Ian Jansma, Des Kawai, Michael Price and Misty MacDuffee of Raincoast. Mugs
of love go to Heidi Krajewsky, Olive Andrews, Sonja Heinrich, and Jody Weir who were
instrumental with their effort, expertise and experience over the years. And without Anneli
Englund, Hayley Shephard, Nick Duprey, Andrew Westoll, Chad Malloff, Stephanie
Fernandez, Matt Farley, Leo and Terri Vicari, Caro Höschle, Chad Henderson, Hershel
Frimer, Ian McLeod, Steve Williamson, Marie Fournier, Jeremie Marko, Jennifer Reimer,
Anna Marie Mallard, Heather Recker, Nicola Hewson and Ben Best, these surveys wouldn’t
have been completed!
Special thanks go Andy Jarvella, Adrianne Rosenberger, Lindsay Davidson and Des Kawai
for GIS mapping.
Thank you to our report authors and editors, Raincoast’s Chris Darimont, Caroline Fox,
Chris Genovali, Kathy Heise, Thora O’Grady, Paul Paquet and Misty MacDuffee.
And finally, we wish to sincerely thank Frances Hunter for her superb design work and
endless patience on this report and innumerable other Raincoast publications!