The Baynes Sound Coastal Plan for Shellfish Aquaculture
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The Baynes Sound Coastal Plan for Shellfish Aquaculture December, 2002 Ministry of Sustainable Resource Management Coast & Marine Planning Branch National Library of Canada Cataloguing in Publication Data Main entry under title: Baynes Sound Coastal Plan for Shellfish Aquaculture. -- Also available on the Internet. Includes bibliographical references: p. ISBN 0-7726-4848-4 1. Shellfish culture - British Columbia – Baynes Sound - Planning. 2. Shellfish culture – Government policy - British Columbia. 3. Aquaculture industry - British Columbia – Baynes Sound - Planning. 4. Baynes Sound (B.C.) 5. Baynes Sound Region (B.C.) – Environmental conditions. I. British Columbia. Ministry of Sustainable Resource Management. Resource Management Division. SH367.C3B39 2002 639’.4’097112 C2002-960208-4 LETTER FROM THE DEPUTY MINISTER OF SUSTAINABLE RESOURCE MANAGEMENT ........................................................................................................................IV DEFINITIONS AND ACRONYMS..........................................................................................VI EXECUTIVE SUMMARY .....................................................................................................VIII 1.0 INTRODUCTION............................................................................................................. 1 1.1 PURPOSE...........................................................................................................................................................1 1. 2 JURISDICTION ..................................................................................................................................................3 1.3 BACKGROUND TO THE BAYNES SOUND COASTAL PLAN ...........................................................................4 1.4 CURRENT SITUATION FOR SHELLFISH AQUACULTURE TENURES IN BAYNES SOUND...........................5 1. 5 ISSUES AND PERSPECTIVES ...........................................................................................................................7 1.6 PLANNING PROCESS AND CONSULTATION ..................................................................................................8 2.0 DESCRIPTION OF THE STUDY AREA.................................................................... 12 2.1 BIOPHYSICAL ENVIRONMENT ......................................................................................................................12 2.2 ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL ACTIVITIES...........................................................................................................13 3.0 ENVIRONMENTAL ANALYSIS & INDEPENDENT REVIEW............................. 16 3.1 APPROACH TO ASSESSING ENVIRONMENTAL EFFECTS ............................................................................16 3.2 RESULTS OF THE ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUES AND DECISION ANALYSIS ..................................................16 3.3 INDEPENDENT REVIEW .................................................................................................................................18 3.4 BIOLOGICAL CARRYING CAPACITY.............................................................................................................18 4.0 COMPLIANCE AND ENFORCEMENT..................................................................... 19 5.0 DISPUTE RESOLUTION.............................................................................................. 20 6.0 MANAGEMENT AREAS AND FUTURE OPPORTUNITIES................................. 21 6.1 ANALYSIS AND METHOD ..............................................................................................................................21 6.2 MANAGEMENT AREAS AND DESCRIPTIONS................................................................................................22 6.3 SUMMARY OF FUTURE OPPORTUNITIES AND CONSTRAINTS ....................................................................23 7.0 PLAN IMPLEMENTATION ........................................................................................ 25 7.1 RECOMMENDED ACTIONS.............................................................................................................................25 7.2 PLAN REVIEW AND MONITORING:...............................................................................................................26 7.3 TIMELINES FOR PLAN IMPLEMENTATION, REVIEW AND AMENDMENT...................................................27 APPENDICES............................................................................................................................. 29 APPENDIX A - ISSUES AND RESPONSES..............................................................................................................29 APPENDIX B – SUMMARY OF ENVIRONMENTAL EFFECTS AND DECISION ANALYSIS .................................48 APPENDIX C – COMPLIANCE AND ENFORCEMENT PROGRAMS......................................................................52 APPENDIX D - DISPUTE RESOLUTION................................................................................................................65 APPENDIX E - MANAGEMENT AREAS ANALYSIS AND RATIONALES..............................................................70 APPENDIX F: MANAGEMENT AREA MAPS ........................................................................................................77 Letter from the Deputy Minister of Sustainable Resource Management Reference: 31179 I am very pleased to approve the Baynes Sound Coastal Plan for Shellfish Aquaculture. This Plan has been developed in close collaboration with the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Fisheries and Land and Water BC Inc. (LWBC) and is supported by their respective Deputy Minister and Chief Executive Officer. This Plan has been developed pursuant to the Provincial mandate and jurisdiction over coastal and foreshore areas of British Columbia's coast. This document will be of great assistance to LWBC and other provincial agencies when considering tenure and licence applications for shellfish culture as well as regulating tenures and licenses. It will also greatly assist coastal communities, development proponents and participating First Nations, by identifying opportunities for, and constraints to, future shellfish aquaculture. This Plan and the process used to develop it satisfy the draft Sustainability Principles under development by the Ministry of Sustainable Resource Management on behalf of government. As a living document, the Plan will require regular monitoring and will likely be subject to amendments over time as circumstances change and new information is made available. In the meantime we look forward to seeing this Plan generate new opportunities to achieve sustainable shellfish aquaculture in Baynes Sound. Jon O'Riordan Deputy Minister Baynes Sound Coastal Plan for Shellfish Aquaculture iv Acknowledgements We appreciate and acknowledge the valuable input contributed by individuals, associations, Comox and Qualicum First Nations, and elected officials and Planners for the Denman Island Local Trust Committee, Regional District of Comox-Strathcona and Nanaimo Regional District in the development of this Provincial Plan. We also appreciate the information and advice provided by Fisheries and Oceans Canada and Environment Canada (Canadian Wildlife Service). Key participants in this project were: Joe Truscott, MSRM, Project Manager and Plan author Rick Deegan, MSRM Graham Winterbottom, MSRM Chris Askew, Ministry of Health (Formerly MSRM) Dave Cruickshank, MSRM Duncan Williams, LWBC Barron Carswell, MAFF Jim Russell, MAFF Chris Hamilton, WLAP Judy Davis, WLAP Bill Hubbard, WLAP Randy Webb, Fisheries and Oceans Canada Kerry Marcus, Fisheries and Oceans Canada Ken Brock, Canadian Wildlife Service An accompanying document, A Review of Activities and Potential Environmental Effects Associated with Shellfish Aquaculture in Baynes Sound, prepared by Brian Emmett of Archipelago Marine Research Ltd. with contributions from Dr. Anthony Hodge of Anthony Hodge Consultants Ltd., is posted on the MSRM Website http:\\srmrpdwww.env.gov.bc.ca\coastal\planning\index.htm . John Kafka of Cornerstone Planning Consultants assisted in design and conduct of the Public Consultation program and liaison with First Nations. G.S. Gislason & Associates Ltd. compiled the socio-economic information presented in this Plan. Brian Kingzett provided photographs used in this Plan. Baynes Sound Coastal Plan for Shellfish Aquaculture v Definitions and Acronyms Adaptive Management: Adaptive management involves specific management prescriptions in the face of uncertainty, monitoring the results of those prescriptions and then revising management approaches accordingly. Shellfish Aquaculture: The growing of shellfish under controlled conditions. Beach Culture: Culture of shellfish in or on the beach in the intertidal area between high and low tide. For example, oyster culture is on the beach and in the case of clam culture the animals live in the substrate under the beach surface. Benthic: Pertaining to the seabed or bottom. Biophysical Capability: The biological and physical ability of local waters to be utilized for aquaculture, based on an analysis of physical and biological characteristics and on the environmental requirements for successful aquaculture. Blue Listed Species: Any indigenous species or subspecies considered to be vulnerable in British Columbia. CWS: Canadian Wildlife Service, Environment Canada CMPB: Coast and Marine Planning Branch, MSRM DILTC: Denman Island Local Trust Committee.