great bear sea

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

June 9 2022

Great Bear Sea

cpawsadmin Campaigns, Ocean Campaigns british columbia, central coast bc, cpaws, great bear sea, kate macmillan, northern bioshelf regions

Photo: Lichen, Troy Moth, Salmon Beyond Borders. Tahltan lands and waters.

DEFENDING THE GREAT BEAR SEA

The Great Bear Sea is next to the sacred Great Bear Rainforest. Located off the North and Central Coasts of BC, the area includes Haida Gwaii and the waters around Northern Vancouver Island. Also known as the Northern Shelf Bioregion, these abundant offshore islands, rocky shorelines and deep fjords are home to iconic wildlife. Every summer, migrating humpback whales come to feed in these rich waters. Both Bigg’s and Northern Resident killer whales cruise through the Great Bear Sea. Once hunted to extinction from BC, reintroduced sea otters are bouncing back and helping bring back balance to ecosystems. Healthy kelp forests, seagrass meadows, and glass sponge reefs provide shelter for marine life like rockfish and shrimp. This rich stretch of ocean helps fight climate change by storing blue carbon.

Indigenous Peoples have stewarded the Great Bear Sea since time before memory. These waters have supported vibrant societies and cultures for thousands of years. Indigenous Peoples continue to lead the stewardship of healthy coastal waters now and for generations to come. Care and respect for nature is woven through many cultural values. Responsible management of the coast ensures sustainable resources and local food security.

diver in cloudy turquoise waters hovers over qhite square outline on seafloor

Boat surrounded by kelp, calm water and coastal shores

Photos: © markus thompson – thalassia environmental

DEFENDING THE GREAT BEAR SEA

Orange sunset beams over crashing waves on rocky shore

Working Together to Create Canada’s First Marine Protected Area Network

Now the dual crises of climate change and biodiversity loss threaten these rich waters’ ability to provide for the future. Overharvesting, destructive fishing, and pollution are mounting pressure and adding excess stress. Marine protected areas can act as an insurance policy to keep marine life healthy in the face of a changing ocean. These designations grant refuge from harmful human activities. When we protect the oceans, we’re not only protecting nature. We’re also supporting healthy, sustainable, local economies along the coast.

For over a decade, 17 First Nations in partnership with the federal and provincial governments, have been working together to create Canada’s first network of marine protected areas to safeguard the Great Bear Sea. The MPA network aims to protect marine wildlife and First Nations’ cultural conservation priorities.

We know MPAs work. BC has already made great strides to establish individual MPA’s along the coast. The region already hosts three established marine protected areas: Gwaii Haanas National Marine Conservation Area Reserve and Haida Heritage Site, Hecate Strait/Queen Charlotte Sound Glass Sponge Reefs Marine Protected Area, and Scott Islands marine National Wildlife Area. The region is also home to the Kitasoo Xai’xais Nation’s Gitdisdzu Lugyeks (Kitasu Bay) marine protected area and the Mamalilikulla First Nation’s Gwaxdlala/Nalaxdlala1 (Lull Bay/Hoeya Sound) Indigenous Protected and Conserved Area (IPCA).

Northern Shelf Bioregion area

Working Together to Create Canada’s First Marine Protected Area Network

Map shoes red bold lines around north and central coast area

Northern Shelf Bioregion area

Map of north and central coast of BC dotted with existing marine protected areas.

Existing marine protected areas potential for a connected marine protected areas in the Great Bear Sea

Now it’s time for us all to connect the dots. We’ve seen MPA networks work in other parts of the world; now it’s BC’s turn to level up for our coast. By adding many smaller protected areas to neighbouring hotspots, the network can link important marine habitats. The benefits of a single MPA will spillover and amplify beyond the protected borders. MPA networks are more comprehensive and safeguard ocean biodiversity more effectively than individual sites.

Share your Support for Canada’s First MPA Network

Right now we need your help to share support for the completion of the network of marine protected areas. MPAs and networks provide refuge for ocean life to thrive and also benefit people by supporting sustainable industries, local economies, and coastal communities.

Tell the MPA Network partners that the network must have strong protections and meet minimum standards to support both the people and marine life who depend on these waters.

There will be public webinars, open houses and online surveys. Please visit MPAnetwork.ca to learn how you can share your support for the MPA network.

NEW! Learn more about the Great Bear Sea by visiting: greatbearsea.org

Learn More

Check out our Site by Site series on the Great Bear Sea Marine Protected Area Network

Visit site by site

May 27 2022

Ocean Week 2022: Defending the Great Bear Sea | Join CPAWS-BC Live on Zoom

Skye CPAWS-BC carlo acuna, cpaws, great bear sea, kate macmillan, marine protected area, mpa netowrk, ocean week

Join us for a global celebration of Ocean Week June 6-10 2022!

You’re invited to join CPAWS-BC’s Ocean Conservation Campaign experts for a special launch for our new Great Bear Sea campaign.

The Great Bear Sea, also referred to as the Northern Shelf Bioregion, is found off the north and central coasts of BC next to the famous Great Bear Rainforest.

Join us on Zoom on June 9 to learn about the incredible and unique marine life that lives here. Hear about how coastal First Nations are leading the process with the Canadian and BC governments to create a marine protected area (MPAs) network for the region. Thanks to people like you advocating for strong ocean protection, we have a plan to build on the existing three MPAs here to create a whole network of protected areas to further support important habitats. These connected MPAs increase the resilience to impacts and protect the health of the Great Bear Sea for present and future generations.

Carlo Acuña (he/him), Ocean Conservation Coordinator
Kate MacMillan (she/her), Ocean Conservation Manager