SP.222 DRAFT REPORT A SOCIO-ECONOMIC OVERVIEW OF RACE ROCKS: A PILOT MARINE PROTECTED AREA OFF THE WEST COAST OF CANADA Prepared for: Marc Pakenham Community Advisor Oceans Directorate - South Coast 25 Huron Street Victoria, B.C., V8V 4V9 Tel: (250) 480-2794 by AXYS Environmental Consulting Ltd. P.O. Box 2219 - 2045 Mills Road Sidney, B.C., V8V 3S8 Contact: Marcy J. Sang ret Tel: (604) 264-7698 December 1999 " A Socio-Economic Overview of Race Rocks Pilot Marine Protected Area Table of Contents 1. INTRODUCTION AND OBJECTIVES .............................................................................. 1 1.1 INTRODUCTION ................................................................................................................ 1 1.2 STUDY PURPOSE AND RATIONALE ...................................................................................... 2 1.3 FORMAT OF THE SOClo-EcONOMIC OVERVIEW ................................................................... 3 2. STUDY AREA .................................................................................................................. 4 2.1 LOCATION AND GEOGRAPHIC SETTING ............................................................................... 4 2.2 RACE ROCKS ECOLOGICAL RESERVE ................................................................................. 4 2.3 SURROUNDING MARINE AREA ............................................................................................ 6 2.4 CURRENT ADMINISTRATIVE AND MANAGEMENT CONTEXT ..................................................... 6 3. STUDY METHODOLOGy .•...•...............•......•...................................................•............... 8 3.1 SCOPE OF THE SOCIe-EcONOMIC OVERViEW ..................................................................... 8 3.2 DATA COLLECTION ........................................................................................................... 8 4. HISTORICAL AND CULTURAL VALUES ...•.....•....•.......................•.............•.•...............10 4~1 FIRST NAIIQNS_.~n ..' .. "'~.. ,.~" •.. ,., .. , ............ , ................................................................................... 10 4.2 THE RACE ROCKS LIGHTHOUSE STATION .......................................................................... 11 5. COMMERCIAL AND INDUSTRIAL VALUES ..................................................................13 5.1 COMMERCIAL FISHERIES ..................................................................................................13 5.1.1 Finfish .................................................................................................................. 13 5.1.1.1 Herring ................................................................................................ 15 5.1 .1.2 Economic Value of Finfish Fishery ..................................................................... 15 5.1.2 Shellfish and Other Species .................................................................................. 17 5.1.2.1 Economic Value of Shellfish and Other Fisheries ...............................................18 5.2 MINING ..........................................................................................................................18 5.3 OIL AND GAS ACTiViTIES ..................................................................................................18 5.4 COMMERCIAL SHIPPING ...................................................................................................19 5.4.1 Oil Tankers ........................................................................................................... 19 5.4.2 Cargo Vessels ...................................................................................................... 20 5.4.3 Other Marine Traffic .............................................................................................. 21 5.5 COAST GUARD ACTiViTIES ...............................................................................................21 5.6 MILITARY ACTIVITIES .......................................................................................................21 6. TOURISM AND RECREATION VALUES ........................................................................24 6.1 ACCESS AND ACTIVITIES ..................................................................................................24 6.2 BOATING ........................................................................................................................25 6.2.1 Economic Significance of Boating ......................................................................... 25 6.3 DIVING ...........................................................................................................................26 6.3.1 Values and Dive Sites ........................................................................................... 26 6.3.2 Levels of Use by Divers ........................................................................................27 6.3.3 Economic Significance of Diving ........................................................................... 28 Prepared by AXYS Environmental Consulting A Socio-Economic Overview of Race Rocks Pilot Marine Protected Area 6.4 WHALE WATCHING AND MARINE WILDLIFE ViEWING ............................................................29 6.4.1 Marine Wildlife and Whale Watching Charters ....................................................... 29 6.4.2 Economic Significance of Marine Wildlife Viewing ................................................. 30 6.5 RECREATIONAL FiSHING ...................................................................................................31 6.5.1 Fishing Values ...................................................................................................... 31 6.5.2 Regulations and Enforcement ............................................................................... 32 6.5.3 Recreational Fishing Activities .............................................................................. 32 6.5.4 Charier and Guided Fishing .................................................................................. 33 6.5.5 Economic Significance of Spori Fishing ................................................................ 34 7. RESEARCH AND EDUCATION VALUES ......................................................................35 7.1 SCIENCE AND RESEARCH ACTIVITIES AT RACE ROCKS ........................................................35 7. 1. 1 Baseline Data .......................................................................................................35 7.1.2 Recent Research Efforts ....................................................................................... 36 7.1.2.1 Permits and Facilities ........................................................................................36 7.1.2.2 Pearson College36 7.1.2.3 Fisheries and Oceans Canada .......................................................................... 37 7.1.2.4 Canadian Hydrographic Service ........................................................................37 7.1.2.5 Simon Fraser University ....................................................................................38 -------H;-~ University-of-British--£-otumbia-.-;; ...... ; ;-................................................................ ;38 7.1.2.7 Royal Roads University .....................................................................................38 7.1.2.8 Diver Research 38 7.1.2.9 Royal BC Museum ............................................................................................38 7.1.2.10 Rocky Point Bird Observatory ........................................................................39 7.1.2.11 Rare Species Monitoring ................................................................................39 7.1.3 Future Research Opporiunities ............................................................................ .40 7.2 EDUCATION AND OUTREACH .............................................................................................40 7.2.1 School Curriculum ................................................................................................ 40 7.2.2 Outdoor Classroom ...............................................................................................41 7.2.3 Educational Tours ................................................................................................. 41 7.2.4 Media Exposure and Commercial Productions ..................................................... .42 7.2.5 The Intemet .......................................................................................................... 42 7.2.6 Potential Future Use .............................................................................................43 7.3 SOCIe-EcONOMIC SIGNIFICANCE OF SCIENCE ANDEDUCATION ............................................ 43 8. GOVERNMENT AND STAKEHOLDER PERSPECTIVES •••..••••••••••••..•••••••••.•••.•..••.•.••.••• 44 8.1 FEDERAL AND PROVINCIAL GOVERNMENTS ....................................................................... .44 8. 1. 1 Federal Govemment. ............................................................................................ 44 8. 1.2 Provincial Govemment. ......................................................................................... 44 8.2 FIRST NATIONS ...............................................................................................................45 8.3 LESTER B. PEARSON COLLEGE ........................................................................................45