Coasts and Oceans Update: Summer 2024
There’s been a huge amount of activity surrounding BC’s coastal regions and waters this Spring and Summer. Some is WTA-specific, but before that there’s government news.
Open-net Pen Salmon Farms Will be Banned in BC’s Coasts as of 2029
Prince of Whales
The WTA has been advocating for wild salmon since 2011 (just this year we’ve been meeting with the Minister of Fisheries and collaborating with Wild First) so we were happy to hear of this commitment, though we wish it could have come sooner. Five more years of ecological damage is far too long, and there’s some uncertainty in the future so we’ll keep advocating for wild salmon up to and beyond 2029. We’ll be looking out for the federal government’s draft transition plan in the coming weeks.
What This Means For Tourism
Wild salmon support communities and jobs on BC’s coasts, oceans, and waterways, and the marine and terrestrial habitats iconic to BC depend on them. All of BC tourism is impacted by open-net pen salmon farms, but we represent the eco-tourism businesses who are directly and immediately influenced by the health of wild salmon.
Pacific Yellowfin Charters
This is an ongoing theme with our work: protection of BC’s natural environment is the right thing do ecologically, and it provides opportunities for wilderness tourism, creating jobs while protecting BC’s remarkable ecosystems (more on those below).
Designation of the Tang.ɢ̱wan – ḥačxwiqak – Tsig̱is Marine Protected Area (TḥT MPA)
Campbell River Whale Watching
2.3% of Canada’s ocean territory was declared a Marine Protected Area (MPA) in June- an area of 133,017 km squared off the west coast of Vancouver Island, on the borders of the Exclusive Economic Zone and International Boundary.
Its intent is not only to protect ecosystems and habitats, but also preserve geological features, in this case a network of hydrothermal vents and volcanic seamounts. These don’t appear anywhere else in Canada, and support animals found nowhere else on earth.
The name ‘Tang.ɢ̱wan,’ is a Haida word for deep ocean; ‘ḥačxwiqak,’ is a Nuu-chah-nulth and Pacheedaht word for deepest part of the ocean; and ‘Tsig̱is’ is a Quatsino word for a monster of the deep.
MPAs contribute to a healthy marine environment, protect areas with cultural heritage value, and provide opportunities for research, among other things. Their main intent is to be an area managed for the long-term conservation of nature.
More information about the TḥT MPA can be found here.
WTA Oceans and Coasts Projects
Bluewater Adventures
The WTA itself is always advocating for BC’s coasts and oceans.
Climate Ready BC Seafood Program: A two-year, multi-stakeholder project designed to measure acidification and hypoxia in BC’s coastal waters. By equipping sensors to some of our member’s boats, useful data can be gained about the impacts of climate change on marine environments. This is also on our projects page. More updates on this coming soon!
Of course there’s lots more going with BC’s coasts and oceans (too much for one update). Follow us on Instagram, Facebook, and LinkedIn to hear more about tourism and our advocacy activity, and regular updates like this one!
