coastal first nations

February 28 2023

CPAWS-BC welcomes BC Budget conservation vision, BC Parks and coastal boost

Skye CPAWS-BC News bc parks, coastal first nations, great bear sea, marine coastal strategy, mpa network, northern shelf bioregion

Tuesday, February 28, 2023

For interviews, please contact:
Skye Vallance – A/Communications Manager, CPAWS-BC
skye@cpawsbc.org
604-685-7445 x 22

CPAWS-BC welcomes BC Budget conservation vision, BC Parks and coastal boost

Xʷməθkʷəy̓əm (Musqueam), Sḵwx̱wú7mesh (Squamish) and səlilwətaɬ (Tsleil-Waututh) Territories / Vancouver, BC – The Canadian Parks and Wilderness Society – British Columbia (CPAWS-BC) welcomes today’s crucial budget increase for BC Parks alongside continued investment in the Marine Coastal Strategy and land use planning. The BC Budget emphasizes a positive vision for the collaborative conservation of lands, waters and coastal communities.

“BC has committed to important conservation goals – such as protecting 30% of lands by 2030 – and this budget comes as a signal of hope for the path ahead. Continued investment and resources will be needed to reach these commitments, and work towards effectively protecting lands and waters in partnership with Indigenous Peoples,” said Tori Ball, Terrestrial Conservation Manager with CPAWS-BC.

Today’s budget announcement includes further investments for BC marine conservation. This funding maintains BC’s commitment to co-develop a Coastal Marine Strategy with Indigenous Nations by 2025 and realize Canada’s first marine protected area network for the Great Bear Sea along the Central and North Coasts.

“We’re happy with the progress to co-develop the Coastal Marine Strategy, and the announcement today signals that the province remains committed to continuing this important work, ” said Kate MacMillan, Ocean Conservation Manager with CPAWS-BC. “We hope that once the strategy is completed, there will be a continued investment to ensure its delivery. We need to care for marine waters, to support thriving, healthy marine ecosystems and coastal communities for future generations.”

This budget outlines a continued commitment to safeguard vital ecosystems and prioritize meaningful engagement with Indigenous Peoples, but it falls short of the sizable increase that many conservation groups were hoping for to accelerate climate and biodiversity action. Additional funding to support the protection and stewardship of lands is expected from an upcoming Nature Agreement with the federal government.

“A significant increase to the BC Parks and recreation budget will support beloved trails and campsites, and increase accessibility for people to connect with the lands and waters that make BC unique,” continued Ball. “Safe access to nature is integral to our well-being, as highlighted throughout the pandemic, and it’s encouraging to see this investment prioritized.”

Investing in nature is a direct investment in the well-being of communities and wildlife across BC. The 2023 BC Budget builds on recent policy and funding commitments to prioritize ecosystem health across the province, advance Indigenous-led conservation, and safeguard biodiversity for generations to come.

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For interviews, please contact:
Skye Vallance – A/Communications Manager, CPAWS-BC
skye@cpawsbc.org
604-685-7445 x 22

About CPAWS-BC
The Canadian Parks and Wilderness Society – British Columbia (CPAWS-BC) is part of one of Canada’s oldest non-profit conservation groups. We protect wilderness in every corner of BC and deep into the ocean. We have been defending BC since 1978, and are dedicated to keeping BC’s natural environment thriving forever. Our work to safeguard large parks, protected areas and wildlife corridors has been instrumental in protecting precious places across the province.

ID underwater heat vents spew nutrient rich plumes in the deep sea

February 7 2023

CPAWS-BC Celebrates Tang.ɢwan — ḥačxʷiqak — Tsig̱is Marine Protected Area Announcement at IMPAC5

Skye CPAWS-BC Blog, News coastal first nations, great bear sea, mpa network, northern shelf bioregion

February 07, 2023

CPAWS-BC Celebrates Tang.ɢwan — ḥačxʷiqak — Tsig̱is Marine Protected Area Announcement at IMPAC5

Xʷməθkʷəy̓əm (Musqueam), Sḵwx̱wú7mesh (Squamish) and səlilwətaɬ (Tsleil-Waututh) Territories / Vancouver, BC – The Canadian Parks and Wilderness Society – British Columbia (CPAWS-BC) celebrates the memorandum of understanding (MOU) between the Haida Nation, Nuu-chah-nulth Tribal Council, Pacheedaht First Nation, Quatsino First Nation, and the Canadian government for the Tang.ɢwan — ḥačxʷiqak — Tsig̱is Marine Protected Area (MPA), announced today at the 5th International Marine Protected Area Congress.

“The signing of this MOU is an important step toward protecting this region, which is spiritually and culturally significant for the partner Indigenous Nations,“ said Kate MacMillan, Ocean Conservation Manager. “This agreement could be used as a template for future MOUs that partner First Nations and the federal government for conservation.”

The Tang.ɢwan — ḥačxʷiqak — Tsig̱is MPA will cover 133,000 square kilometres, an area four times the size of Vancouver Island. The Endeavour Hydrothermal Vents MPA, now contained within Tang.ɢwan — ḥačxʷiqak — Tsig̱is was originally protected in 2003. This marked the first time Canada used the Oceans Act for MPA designation purposes. Now, twenty years later, more of this deepsea oasis that includes more hydrothermal vents and towering seamounts will be protected.

“These underexplored ecosystems, three kilometres beneath the ocean surface, are likely home to marine life found nowhere else in the world,” says MacMillan.

Since 2017, a large portion of the Tang.ɢwan — ḥačxʷiqak — Tsig̱is MPA footprint was closed to fishing and contributed to Canada’s 30 percent ocean protection target as an Other Effective Conservation Measure (OECM).

Once this MPA is legislated, Canada’s strict minimum protection standards will be applied, meaning bottom-trawling, dumping, oil and gas activities, and deep-sea mining will be prohibited. This will lead to stronger protection for this unique, deep-sea ecosystem.

”When the assessment tool MPA Guide was applied to the five existing Ocean Act MPAs, more than 60 percent of BC’s marine protected area waters are not effective at protecting biodiversity. We need these minimum standards applied to all new and existing MPAs to safeguard biodiversity and fight climate change.” says MacMillan.

CPAWS-BC and other conservation organizations have supported this work over the past few years. We congratulate the four First Nations for their leadership throughout this process, as well as the federal government, all stakeholders, and communities. CPAWS-BC looks forward to continuing to support the establishment to protect this important part of the ocean with a collaborative management structure.

Public consultation on the draft regulations, published in Canada Gazette 1, will begin on February 18, 2023, and extend for 30 days.

Kate MacMillan
Ocean Conservation Manager, CPAWS-BC

Inquiries:
Skye Vallance – Communications Manager (Acting), CPAWS-BC
skye@cpawsbc.org
604-685-7445 x 22

Resources:

Government of Canada and coastal First Nations announce progress to protect a large ecologically unique ocean area off the Pacific West Coast. Nuu-chah-nulth Tribal Council, Council of the Haida Nation, Pacheedaht First Nations, Quatsino First Nation, with Fisheries and Oceans Canada. Feb 07. 2023. News release. https://nuuchahnulth.org/sites/default/files/news/NR__ThT_IMPAC5.pdf

Backgrounder: Tang.ɢwan – ḥačxʷiqak – Tsig̱is Marine Protected Area. Fisheries and Oceans Canada. Feb 07, 2023. Retrieved from: https://www.canada.ca/en/fisheries-oceans/news/2023/02/tangwan–hacxwiqak–tsigis-marine-protected-area.html

Learn more about the Deepsea Oasis at www.DeepseaOasis.com

tubeworms on black smoker — Photo: Tube worms on black smoker hydrothermal vent. Ocean-Networks-Canada (CC-BY-NC-SA-3.0)

February 5 2023

CPAWS-BC Celebrates the Endorsement of the Marine Protected Area Network Action Plan Announced at IMPAC5

Skye CPAWS-BC Blog, News coastal first nations, great bear sea, mpa network, northern shelf bioregion

February 05, 2023

CPAWS-BC Celebrates the Endorsement of the Marine Protected Area Network Action Plan Announced at IMPAC5

Xʷməθkʷəy̓əm (Musqueam), Sḵwx̱wú7mesh (Squamish) and səlilwətaɬ (Tsleil-Waututh) Territories / Vancouver, BC – The Canadian Parks and Wilderness Society – British Columbia (CPAWS-BC) congratulates First Nations, federal and provincial partners on announcing the endorsement of the Marine Protected Area (MPA) Network Action Plan for the Great Bear Sea at the 5th International Marine Protected Area Congress on February 5, 2023.

“After years of supporting this important initiative we’re thrilled to witness this announcement and critical milestone in the journey of the MPA network,” said Meaghen M^cCord, CPAWS-BC Executive Director, “endorsement of the Action Plan is the much-needed green light to now establish a network that includes new protected areas and stronger protection for some existing sites.”

The Great Bear Sea, also known as the Northern Shelf Bioregion, is a vast ocean area off the BC coast. The Great Bear Sea hugs the shores of the Great Bear Rainforest, starting at the northern tip of Vancouver Island, along the Central and North Coasts, and encompassing Haida Gwaii. This region is home to culturally and ecologically important wildlife, including humpback whales, sea otters, herring, salmon, and glass sponge reefs, and is central to the cultures and economies of communities who live there. The marine ecosystems along the coast have been protected and cared for by First Nations for millennia.

Previous delays in the establishment of the MPA Network have meant that overall ecological health and species population numbers have continued to decline. Federal and Indigenous governments were required to establish new fishing closures throughout the region to protect dwindling stocks, and climate change – resulting in devastating marine heatwaves – has exacerbated this.

Discussions and work to establish an MPA Network in this region have been underway for many years. Led by First Nations, in partnership with the Canadian and BC governments, this collaboration has created a conservation plan to protect the coastal ecosystems that communities depend on. Over the years, this plan has been shaped by frequent and detailed consultation with communities and stakeholders.

“Evidence clearly shows that Indigenous-led, strongly protected and effectively managed MPAs have many benefits for people, biodiversity and ecosystems,” says M^cCord.

Once completed, the MPA Network will cover around 30,000 km2. This Indigenous-led plan, which weaves Indigenous knowledge systems and western science, creates a pathway for future MPA network processes and is set to become a globally recognized initiative. CPAWS-BC congratulates First Nations for their leadership in the MPA Network process, as well as federal and provincial governments, and all stakeholders and communities involved to date. We look forward to continuing this work together, ensuring the health of these waters for generations to come.

Meaghen M^cCord
CPAWS-BC Executive Director

For direct inquires about the MPA Network, please contact:

Bessie Brown – Communications Manager, Coastal First Nations – Great Bear Sea Initiative
bbrown@coastalfirstnations.ca
604-696-9889

For all other inquiries:
Skye Vallance – Communications Manager (Acting), CPAWS-BC
skye@cpawsbc.org
604-685-7445 x 22

Resources:

Marine Protected Area Network Partners Endorse Plan to Protect BC’s North Coast. Coastal First Nations, Feb 05. 2023. Press release. https://coastalfirstnations.ca/marine-protected-area-network-partners-endorse-plan-to-protect-bcs-north-coast/

Marine Protected Area Network partners endorse plan to protect British Columbia’s North Coast. Government of British Columbia, 05 Feb. 2023. Press release. https://news.gov.bc.ca/stories/marine-protected-area-network-partners-endorse-plan-to-protect-british-columbias-north-coast

Learn more about the Great Bear Sea at www.GreatBearSea.org

ID: vast ocean inlet with kelp, boat and island — Photo: Mama Inlet by Markus Thompson, Thalassia Environmental

Copy-of-2021.05.31.-BP-ocean-day-EN-banner

September 21 2020

Blueprint for the Coast

cpawsadmin Campaigns, Ocean Campaigns bc coast, coastal first nations, coastal marine strategy, coastal strategy bc, marine debris, ocean bc, ocean pollution, wcel, west coast

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British Columbia’s coastline extends for over 30,000 km and is home to diverse eco-systems and communities. That’s why it’s so hard to believe BC is one of the only coastal jurisdictions in North America without a coastal strategy and law to protect it.

BC needs a blueprint for the coast to leverage and coordinate the work of provincial ministries, local communities, First Nations, and stakeholder groups to better manage and protect our coast.

BC needs a Blueprint for the Coast

We need to send the message to our provincial leaders that a comprehensive plan is vital to the future of the coast. A blueprint that will:

Advance reconciliation in BC
Coordinate engagement from other orders of government
Establish a home for coastal issues within the provincial government
Implement enforceable coastal and marine zone plans
Signal to the world the importance of BC’s ocean and coastlines

Learn More

Panel Discussions

Join us for a discussion on coastal habitat preservation, as we learn how these ecosystems support biodiversity, mitigate the impacts of climate change, and benefit coastal communities.

Plastic debris, contaminated shellfish, and immune-compromised killer whales – it’s no secret that BC is facing a marine pollution crisis.

About

British Columbia has one of the largest coastal jurisdictions in the world. Yet, BC does not have a comprehensive coast-wide strategy or law. That is why CPAWS-BC launched a campaign with our partners at the West Coast Environmental Law – Blueprint for the Coast.

Coastal-marine areas are vital to our identity, culture, and economy. The coast provides key habitat for vulnerable marine life, such as salmon and orcas. Additionally, ocean-based activities contribute $17 billion annually to the BC economy and employ over 170,000 people across coastal communities.

Coastal jurisdiction can be complicated to navigate. Under Canadian laws, all orders of government – Indigenous, federal, provincial, and local – have a role in coastal planning, management, and protection. Indigenous peoples have sovereign powers over their territories, therefore Indigenous laws are applicable as well. Without a blueprint, the gaps and overlap in coastal jurisdiction results in a fragmented approach to provincial coastal management.

BC has the opportunity to become a leader in coastal management and protection. We can build upon examples from other coastal provinces, states, and countries that have effective coastal management strategies and laws. In collaborating with communities, rights holders, and governments across BC, we can develop a meaningful blueprint for the coast.

Many threats face the coast, including biodiversity loss, intensifying impacts of climate change, and increasing conflicts over resources. To make matters worse, we’ve inherited a jumble of regulations and laws overseen by different provincial ministries and departments. Without a coastwide plan that includes coordination between Indigenous, municipal, provincial and federal governments, issues will continue to be dealt with in an ad-hoc fashion, without considering the interaction of solutions and their cumulative effects.

We’re calling on the BC government to establish a Coastal Marine Strategy and law, co-developed with Indigenous nations. This initiative should coordinate coastal planning, management, and protection in collaboration with Indigenous, federal, and local governments.

We met with coastal Indigenous nations, communities, and local experts to learn about issues of concern surrounding coastal management and about how a BC Coastal Marine Strategy can provide meaningful solutions.

With your help, we’re keeping pressure on the BC government to ensure coastal marine ecosystems are healthy, protected, and secure for generations to come. Your support in sending letters and messages to the provincial government during the Coastal Marine Strategy Policy Intentions Paper public consultation period and BC budget 2024 consultation is helping shape a stronger future for the coast. Thank you!

We’re looking forward to the next steps of this strategy’s implementation.

📁Read the CPAWS-BC submission in response to the Coastal Marine Strategy Policy Intentions Paper public consultation period

📁Joint Feedback Letter from Environmental Non-Governmental Organizations on the British Columbia Coastal Marine Strategy Policy Intentions Paper

📁Read the CPAWS-BC submission to the BC budget 2024 consultation

To learn more, visit: www.BlueprintForTheCoast.ca

West Coast Environmental Law: wcel.org/program/bc-coastal-strategy

July 9 2020

Canada joins Global Ocean Alliance: Advocates for protecting 30% of the world’s ocean by 2030

cpawsadmin News #30x30, bc ocean, canadian parks and wilderness society, canadian parks and wilderness society british columbia, coastal first nations, deep sea, deep sea mining, deepsea oasis, global ocean alliance, hypdrothermal vent, IUCN, marine protected area, mpa network, northern bioshelf, offshore pacific, orca, ross jameson, strait of georgia

For interview contact
Ross Jameson, Ocean Conservation Manager
Canadian Parks and Wilderness Society – British Columbia
778-953-2372
ross@cpawsbc.org

Canada joins Global Ocean Alliance: Advocates for protecting 30% of the world’s ocean by 2030

For Immediate Release

July 9, 2020

Unceded Coast Salish Territory/Vancouver, BC – Today, the Minister of Fisheries, Oceans and the Canadian Coast Guard, the Honourable Bernadette Jordan, announced that Canada has joined the United Kingdom and other countries in the Global Ocean Alliance. Canadian Parks and Wilderness Society – British Columbia (CPAWS-BC) applauds Canada’s active role in the protection of at least 30 percent of the global ocean through the establishment of marine protected areas (MPAs) and other effective area-based marine conservation measures by 2030.

In partnership with Indigenous Peoples, provinces and territories, and environmental and industry organizations, the Canadian government has made huge strides to protect almost 14 percent of our ocean. The bigger task remains to reach their goal of 25 percent ocean protection by 2025 and 30 percent by 2030.

“This is a pivotal moment for Canada as a global leader for ocean action” says Ross Jameson, Ocean Conservation Manager for CPAWS-BC. “We look forward to working with the Minister to help Canada reach 30 percent ocean protection by 2030 with effective marine protected areas in BC and beyond.”

Decades of harmful human practices including overfishing, oil and gas activities, pollution (including noise, chemicals, and plastics), and physical disturbance such as ship strikes and bottom trawling threaten ocean life and human well-being. MPA’s offer a natural solution to prevent further destruction and support a healthy ocean that will provide for us for generations to come.

By protecting entire ecosystems, MPAs can protect the full diversity of marine life and their habitats. MPAs can help depleted ocean life recover, and support sustainable fisheries. Kelp forests, eelgrass and other shoreline ecosystems can protect coastal communities and shorelines from erosion and sea-level rise.

BC has been at the forefront of establishing Canada’s MPAs. The Endeavour Hydrothermal Vents MPA west of Vancouver Island was the first MPA created under the Oceans Act in 2003. The Gwaii Haanas National Marine Conservation Area Reserve and Haida Heritage Site is a prominent example of Indigenous-led, cooperatively managed MPAs in Canada.

We also have a large part to play in getting Canada to our 30 percent ocean protection by 2030 target with several MPAs in the planning process. The Offshore Pacific Area of Interest or Deepsea Oasis off the west coast of Vancouver Island will protect unique deep sea ecosystems and cover almost 2.5% of Canada’s ocean. The proposed Southern Strait of Georgia National Marine Conservation Area Reserve will safeguard important feeding waters for the critically endangered Southern Resident killer whales. Led by Indigenous communities, Canada’s first MPA network along BC’s north and central coasts will protect whales and other migrating ocean animals while also ensuring healthy coastal communities for generations.

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For interview contact
Ross Jameson, Ocean Conservation Manager
Canadian Parks and Wilderness Society – British Columbia
778-953-2372
ross@cpawsbc.org

Download PDF Copy

Resources:

Canadian Parks and Wilderness Society. (July 9 2020). CPAWS Celebrates Canada Joining the Global Ocean Alliance [Press Release] Retrieved from: https://cpaws.org/cpaws-celebrates-canada-joining-global-ocean-alliance/
BC’s Marine Protected Areas. Map by Jacob Chila, GIS Analyst, Ocean Program, Canadian Parks and Wilderness Society – British Columbia. 2020.
Explore Canada’s Marine Protected Areas. Canadian Parks and Wilderness Society, 2020.
Duarte, C.M., Agusti, S., Barbier, E. et al. Rebuilding marine life. Nature 580, 39–51 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41586-020-2146-7

Map by Jacob Chila, GIS Analyst, Ocean Program, Canadian Parks and Wilderness Society – British Columbia

About CPAWS-BC

Canadian Parks and Wilderness Society – British Columbia Chapter (CPAWS-BC) protects wilderness in every corner of BC and deep into the ocean. CPAWS-BC supports the creation of large, well-managed, connected protected areas where native plants and animals thrive, now and forever; and where people and communities can live off the land and ocean without impacting the ability of future generations to do the same.

In the past 50+ years, CPAWS has played a lead role in protecting over half a million square kilometres – an area bigger than New Brunswick, Newfoundland and Labrador put together.