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

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