In 2024, Hakai collected fixed-wing imagery from the Hakai ACO for the North Vancouver Island MaPP subregion in partnership with MaPP RKMP to map the species-level distribution of kelp forests across areas identified as important by each subregion. Surveys conducted by the Hakai ACO are targeted to collect imagery during summer low tides when kelp biomass is at its highest. The high resolution of the aerial cameras permit the discrimination of different kelp species. Hakai Institute has also created a state-of-the-art AI tool which automates the detection of kelp canopy area by species, greatly reducing the time between imagery collection and data products.
Project Participants:
MaPP is a co-led process between 17 First Nations and the Province of British Columbia (BC) (“the MaPP partners”) that developed and are collaboratively implementing sub-regional marine plans for BC’s North Pacific Coast. The MaPP partners are implementing a marine plan for each sub-region (Haida Gwaii, North Coast, Central Coast and North Vancouver Island). A broader Regional Action Framework that establishes regional MaPP actions that the partners have identified as being most appropriately implemented at a regional scale and that are consistent with, and support, sub-regional plan recommendations.
10.21966/kdhe-hz07
