North Vancouver Island Marine Plan
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NORTH VANCOUVER ISLAND MARINE PLAN 2015 Marine Planning Partnership for the North Pacific Coast Cite as: Marine Planning Partnership Initiative. 2015. North Vancouver Island Marine Plan. ISBN: 978-0-7726-6884-4 Copyright © 2015 Photo Credits: Scott Harris, Jillian Tamblyn, Matthew Justice Seaweed Motif: Simon Davies - Jones, Davies & Davies Layout and Design: Matthew Justice, Greg Johnson LETTER OF SUPPORT – BC /NANWAKOLAS NORTH VANCOUVER ISLAND MARINE PLAN i | P a g e ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS The North Vancouver Island Marine Plan (the Plan) has been prepared under the leadership of a joint Technical Team. The Technical Team was co-led led by the Ministry of Forests, Lands and Natural Resource Operations (MFLNRO) and the Nanwakolas Council. The Technical Team consisted of Matthew Justice (co-chair) and Bill Zinovich (MFLNRO); John Bones (co-chair), Scott Harris and Greg Johnson (Nanwakolas Council); and Jillian Tamblyn (Technical Planner) and Josie Byington (Administration). The Plan also reflects the advice and input of a Marine Planning Advisory Committee (MPAC), which consists of members who represent individual sectors of marine interest or specific areas of expertise. The Technical Team wishes to thank all MPAC members for their time and contributions to the Plan document. The Technical Team also acknowledges the valuable input provided by members of the general public, who submitted comments through public open houses and the MaPP website. The Plan is one of four sub-regional marine spatial plans and a regional action framework identified as products of the Marine Planning Partnership for the North Pacific Coast (MaPP). MaPP is a partnership between the Province of British Columbia, represented by the Ministry of Forests, Lands and Natural Resource Operations, and the Coastal First Nations, North Coast– Skeena First Nations Stewardship Society and Nanwakolas Council, which collectively represent 18 member First Nations. The advice of MaPP planning staff and contractors from other sub- regions, including Jo Smith (Science Coordinator), Fiona Kilburn (Administration), and Charles Short and Steve Diggon (Marine Coordination Team), is also appreciated. The Nanwakolas Council and the Province of British Columbia wish to acknowledge the financial support of the Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation through the MaPP Support Project at Tides Canada. NORTH VANCOUVER ISLAND MARINE PLAN ii | P a g e TABLE OF CONTENTS Letter of Support – BC/Nanwakolas......................................................................................................... i Acknowledgements ................................................................................................................................ ii List of Figures ......................................................................................................................................... vi List of Tables ......................................................................................................................................... vii Chapter 1: Background and Context ....................................................................................................... 1 1.1 Introduction and Purpose ......................................................................................................................... 1 1.2 Plan Area Overview .................................................................................................................................. 1 1.3 Marine Planning Partnership for the North Pacific Coast ........................................................................... 4 1.4 Related Planning Initiatives....................................................................................................................... 5 1.5 Plan Scope and Jurisdictional Context ....................................................................................................... 7 Chapter 2: The Plan Area ........................................................................................................................ 9 2.1 Physical and Oceanographic Features ....................................................................................................... 9 2.1.1 Climate, Landscape and Hydrology .................................................................................................... 9 2.1.2 Water Temperature, Oxygen and Salinity ........................................................................................ 10 2.1.3 Tides and Currents .......................................................................................................................... 10 2.2 Marine Habitat and Biological Features .................................................................................................. 11 2.2.1 Habitat ............................................................................................................................................ 11 2.2.2 Marine Biological Features .............................................................................................................. 11 2.2.3 Climate Change ............................................................................................................................... 16 2.2.4 Pollution ......................................................................................................................................... 17 2.3 Socioeconomic Conditions ...................................................................................................................... 19 2.3.1 Population and Communities........................................................................................................... 19 2.3.2 Education, Training and Research .................................................................................................... 20 2.3.3 Economy and Infrastructure ............................................................................................................ 20 2.3.4 First Nations Social and Economic Transition ................................................................................... 23 2.4 Governance and Enforcement ................................................................................................................ 24 2.5 Marine Use Patterns ............................................................................................................................... 26 2.5.1 Conservation, Protection, Cultural Resources and Heritage Resources ............................................. 26 2.5.2 Economic Uses and Activities ........................................................................................................... 29 Chapter 3: Plan Development Process .................................................................................................. 34 3.1 Planning Process .................................................................................................................................... 34 3.2 Marine Plan Advisory Committee ........................................................................................................... 35 3.3 Engagement with Public and Nonparticipating Groups ............................................................................ 36 3.4 Planning Information .............................................................................................................................. 37 3.5 Planning Tools ........................................................................................................................................ 38 3.6 Planning Steps for Marine Zones and Zone Recommendations................................................................ 38 Chapter 4: Plan Area Management Direction ....................................................................................... 41 NORTH VANCOUVER ISLAND MARINE PLAN iii | P a g e 4.1 Vision for the Plan Area .......................................................................................................................... 41 4.2 Ecosystem-Based Management .............................................................................................................. 42 4.2.1 Definition of Ecosystem-based Management ................................................................................... 42 4.2.2 Elements of Ecosystem-based Management .................................................................................... 42 4.2.3 Application of EBM in MaPP ............................................................................................................ 42 4.3 Use and Application of Plan Area Management Direction ....................................................................... 43 4.3.1 Community and Economy ................................................................................................................ 43 4.3.2 Infrastructure .................................................................................................................................. 45 4.3.3 Pollution ......................................................................................................................................... 47 4.3.4 Conservation and Protection ........................................................................................................... 52 4.3.5 Cultural and Heritage Resources ...................................................................................................... 57 4.3.6 Recreation and Tourism .................................................................................................................