Crab  Crabs, including dungeness crabs, are common and widespread in sandy areas along the coast. They may also occur in mud and gravel and are often buried just below the surface of the sand or in vegetation. Young crabs remain in intertidal and shallow waters hiding among plants, rocks and shell debris until their second summer. Breeding occurs in inshore waters and females may move to deeper water to hatch their eggs. Crab eat bivalves, crustaceans, marine worms and fish. Their predators include octopus, halibut, dogfish, sculpins, rockfish, birds and larger crabs. Crab must molt to grow; females and males sexually mature at 100 and 150 millimetres respectively, or at the age of two to three years. Males reach legal size (165 millimetres) at three to four years and females seldom reach legal size.

Jellyfish 
Jellyfish are any planktonic marine members of a group of invertebrate animals composed of about 200 described species. The term jellyfish is often also used in referring to certain invertebrates that have a saucer or bell-shaped body form. 70 of the 200 species of jellyfish are known to sting, causing a range of reactions in humans from mild skin irritation to death. There are basically two types of jellyfish; those that are free-swimming and those that are stem animals that attach to seaweed and other objects by a stalk. Free-swimming jellyfish occur in all oceans and include the familiar disk-shaped animals that are often found floating along the shoreline. The bodies of most jellyfish range in diameter from about one to 16 inches (two to 40 centimetres), however some species are considerably larger, with diameters of up to 6.5 feet (two metres). Jellyfish consist of almost 99 per cent water, as a result of the composition of the jelly that forms their bulk in nearly all species. Most jellyfish feed on small animals that they catch in their tentacles' stinging cells. Others simply filter feed, extracting minute animals and plants from the ocean water as they drift. Most live for only a few weeks, although some are known to survive a year or longer.

Lingcod  The lingcod is recognized for its gaping mouth, projecting lower jaw and numerous sharp teeth. The largest Lingcod on record is 152 cm in length and  36.3 kilograms. Lingcod colouring is typically bold, in mottled shades of brown, grey or green. They can be found all along the western coast of North America, with the greatest abundance found in BC waters. They generally inhabit rocky areas or the edge of underwater reefs. Spawning occurs in January and February, when the female lays 150,000 to 500,000 eggs, then leaves immediately. The male then takes up the role of guardian. Adult lingcod prey on a variety of fish and have been known to be cannibalistic. As well as being taken by sport and commercial fishermen, scuba divers take a substantial number of Lingcod.

Octopus  The octopus occurs in rocky areas along the BC coast. It establishes dens in rocky areas or caves, or smaller individuals may dig dens in sand-shell substrates. Females brood eggs on the roof of the den. The octopus inhabits deep water from February to April and August to October. The octopus is a nocturnal predator; larvae feed on copepods and other zooplankton; juveniles and adults prey on crabs, cockles, littleneck clams, abalone, moon snails and small fish. Predators of the octopus include seals, sea lions, sea otters, dogfish, lingcod, flatfish and larger octopuses. The octopus is sexually mature at 2two to three years, males after 12 kilograms and females after 20 kilograms; at one year, octopus weigh one kilogram and, after a year and a half, weigh 12 kilograms. The largest octopus recorded weighed 272 kilograms and had an arm spread of 9.6 metres.

Sea Urchin  Red and green sea urchins occur in rocky areas throughout exposed and protected coastal waters. They live in ledges and crevices, in giant or bull kelp beds and in other brown algae in areas of moderate to swift currents. Larvae drift and feed on plankton. Juveniles settle near kelp beds and often associate with adults and remain under adult spines until they reach 40 millimetres. Sea urchins are herbivores and graze on attached marine plants and drifting kelp fragments; their primary food is kelp and they may limit kelp distribution. Predators of the sea urchin include sea stars, sea otters, octopuses, crabs and wolf eels. The red sea urchin is very dependent on its food supply and sexually matures at a diameter of 50 millimetres around two years. It reaches its commercial size of 100 millimetres at four to five years and may reach 190-200 millimetres. The green sea urchin reaches an average size of 50-60 millimetres, but may reach a maximum size of about 85 millimetres.

Six-gill Shark 
Little is known about these gentle giants. However, divers delight at the opportunity to swim with these ancient creatures of the sea; the prehistoric six-gill shark is a deep-water shark which has been filmed feeding at depths of over 900 feet. Six-gill sharks lack the telltale dorsal fin of their more contemporary counterparts, but they are generally larger around the middle and can be over 10 feet in length. The upper side of the body is grey or brown with a lighter underside. Obvious by their name, they have six gill slits rather than the normal five found in almost all other shark species. They also have a tail that is somewhat reminiscent of a Thrasher Shark. They are armed with six rows of teeth, which they use mainly to prey on other fish and smaller sharks. They are also able to tackle squid and crab, and there are reports of these sharks chasing and eating seals. Six-gill sharks can be found around Hornby Island off the central eastern coast of Vancouver Island.

Starfish  Starfish, or sea stars, are members of the same family as sea urchins. They are usually radically symmetrical ,with five sections, or arms. At the end of the arms of some stars are small, light-sensitive pigment spots. The bottom of their arms are covered with many suction cup-like tube feet that they use to move. These feet are operated by a water vascular system very similar to the sea urchin's. Water is sucked in or pushed out of a smooth spot on the star's back, which extends the feet or provides suction to attach the star to the rock. Starfish have no front or back and can move in any direction without turning. Starfish grip their prey with tube feet and pull open shells. Starfish insert their stomachs into their prey, where they digest the food. Sea stars have the amazing ability to shed arms to escape from predators and then regenerate them later. They have small claws that cover their surface and prevent the settlement of other organisms.

Wolf-eel  Wolf-eels are not actually true eels, but are classified in the in the family Anarhichadidae with other wolf-fishes. The wolf-eel lives in the Pacific Northwest and makes its home on rocky reefs or stony bottom shelves at shallow and moderate depths. It usually stakes out territory in a crevice, den or lair in the rocks. The wolf-eel is characterized by a fierce-looking face and long body. Its long, slender, tapering body allows it to squeeze into its rocky home. The longest recorded length of a wolf-eel is 2.4 metres (eight feet). Wolf-eels have extremely strong, crushing jaws with thick spike-like front teeth and flat, massive molars in the back; this impressive mouth is great for crushing its favourite food: hard-shelled animals such as snails, clams, crabs and sea urchins. The wolf-eel may look menacing, but it is really quite a friendly creature. Some lucky scuba divers can lure a wolf-eel out of its lair with food, usually sea urchins, and the tamable fish will gently feed from the divers’ hands.

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