We Are the Keepers
Divers from Haida Gwaii work to monitor and protect Northern Abalone around their Nation.
The Story
Off the West Coast of North America, is a beautiful chain of islands called Haida Gwaii. A group of Indigenous divers, part of the Haida nations’ Guardian and Watchmen program, are conducting research here on the Northern Abalone, a species placed on the endangered species list here in the 1990s.

Jaasaljuus Yakgujanaas, a young Indigenous researcher from Haida Gwaii and the guardian dive team take us on a visual journey through the life of the Northern Abalone. Dan McNeil explains to us how they are monitoring the repopulation of the Northern Abalone. They use old crab traps that were repurposed in 2004 to provide homes for young abalone and controlled sites to monitor the Northern Abalone population.

This research project is located in the Gwaii Haanas National Marine Conservation Area Reserve and Haida Heritage Site. This is one of many sites off the south coast of Haida Gwaii that is dedicated to studying the Northern Abalone since their population collapse.
The Location
