Alert Bay
The Village of Alert Bay lies just off the northeast coast of Vancouver Island, on tiny Cormorant Island. Approximately 1,000 people live on the 5 km (3 mi) by 0.8 km (0.5 mi) island, a quiet and beautiful place known for whale watching and Aboriginal cultural attractions that include totem poles, artifacts, a world-class cultural centre, ancient burial grounds and more. Significant European settlement began after the establishment of a salmon saltery in 1870 and fishing has been a major local industry ever since.