On Wednesday, March 11, 2026, the Huu-ay-aht First Nations Land and Natural Resource team collaborated with The Kelp Rescue Initiative and the Ka:’yu:’k’t’h’ / Che:k’tles7et’h’ (Kyuquot / Checleseht) First Nations to harvest a total of 1,449 t̓uc̓up (sea urchins). The harvesting had two main goals; first, to remove urchins from five sites around Barkley Sound to reduce grazing pressure and support the planting of young kelp, as part of ongoing kelp forest restoration efforts; and second to provide t̓uc̓up as food for Huu-ay-aht and Kyuquot / Checleseht First Nations.
On board the Huu-ay-aht vessel were Stephen Smith and Nolan Nookemus. The SCUBA diving team included Duncan Jackson, Matt Bakken, Jasmin Schuster, Hannah Schriber, and Ben Holland, whose efforts were essential to the harvest. Anacla citizens received their distribution the day of the harvest. Representatives from the Kyuquot / Checleseht First Nations Lands and Natural Resources department, Paul Vincent and Josh Orwin travelled to Bamfield to collect the t̓uc̓up to distribute to their citizens. Learn more about Kelp restoration efforts in Barkley Sound please visit The Kelp Rescue Initiative at www. kelprescue.org/
Photos: Stephen Smith