The herring spawn has just kicked off in British Columbia, Canada! Every spring around this time, millions of Pacific herring rise from the deep into shallow coastal waters to reproduce, turning the water a brilliant opaque turquoise. What turns it turquoise? Well, you know… And where there are a lot of fish, everyone else comes to claim their share of the buffet. For a brief moment, the entire coast comes alive. Herring are what we call forage fish, and they are incredibly important for coastal ecosystems. They eat plankton like algae and tiny crustaceans, and pass that energy up the food chain to whales, bears, wolves, and countless other species. Just about everything in the ecosystem relies on herring in some way. But they are at risk, and pacificwild has been working for years to protect them. Want to learn more about these little fish with a big impact? Sign up for Ripple Effect with katiecouricmedia to get mitty’s full essay straight to your inbox next week — link in bio!...