New Buoy Installation Furthers Marine Protection
Story by Tchadas Leo, Chek News
July 27, 2025
After three years of hard work, SȾÁUTW̱ (Tsawout) First Nation installed their own water monitoring buoy to better protect and learn about their Indigenous protected conservation area (IPCA).
SȾÁUTW̱ fisheries are celebrating the installation a state of the art buoy, developed by AXYS Technologies.
It is a 1.7-metre floating ocean station, just off the James Island wharf, designed to collect real-time environmental data in coastal waters. SȾÁUTW̱ First Nation Elected Chief Abraham Pelkey says this will help the nation monitor and protect their marine environment.
“We at SȾÁUTW̱ take it very seriously, and it’s just another amazing way for us to always be able to be out on the water,” said Pelkey.
The buoy gives the nation extensive real time information about waves, ocean currents, wind, air conditions, air pressure, sunlight and water quality.
The unit will also run on its own, thanks to Mother Nature. The buoy is equipped with several solar panels and marine batteries which will allow it to run continuously, even in poor weather.
Pelkey says the reason for the buoy stems from greater threats to the marine environment.
“Generally it is marine shipping. This stems from the TMX pipeline and all the marine traffic that’s going through our areas and eroding our tidelines,” said Pelkey.
Pelkey also told CHEK News that when they were out installing the buoy, they also removed a derelict vessel that was left close to the James Island Wharf. The elected chief said if they didn’t do it, all levels of government would’ve left it there threatening marine life for much longer.
The nation feels certain that this buoy will help them move forward in managing their marine territory while asserting their Douglas treaty right in their jurisdiction.
