Southern Gulf Islands Marine Protected Area

Federal Level National Marine Conservation Area Proposed Sites in BC Southern Gulf Islands National Park

Bill C-10 National Marine Conservation Areas Provides for Marine Protected Areas

Bill C-10

Canadian Parks and Wilderness Society (CPAWS)- Proposal for Bill C-10 Canada National Marine Conservation Areas Act, October 2000.

Provide Canadians with special places to connect with the rich and diverse environments on our shores, and ensure lasting benefits to our coastal communities and the ecological integrity and healthy proliferation of the valuable marine environments.

Biodiversity Marine Protected Areas (MPA)

= No Take Zones (NTZ) Oceans Act Size Connections Representative Areas

references - (Mosquera et al. 2000, Polacheck 1990, Russ et al. 1989, Roberts 1997; 1998, Ballantine, 1997)

Oceans Act MPA Criteria: (1) High biodiversiy (2) Fish and habitat (3) Threatened (4) Unique habitat

S. Gulf Islands: (1) Nutrients upflow (2)Rockfish,lingcod (3) Killer whales (4) Sponges, sea

anenomes

Proposed MPA Sites1. Southern Gulf Islands

2. Gwaii Haanas

3. Scott Islands

4. Queen Charlotte Strait

5. Hakai

6. Gabriola

7. Race Rocks

8. Bowie Seamounts

9. Endeavour Hot Vents

Southern Gulf Islands

Map

Size of No Take Zones (MPA)

Small areas - few kilometers wide, for small animals (Roberts and Haukins 2000)

Large areas - tens of kilometers wide, for larger animals and bird colonies (Mosquera et al. 2000)

Borders - low surface area (Roberts et al. 2001)

Buffer zones - to protect core NTZ centers

MPA Connections Distance - No take zones should be 10 to

50 km apart to maximize biodiversity protection

Currents - link no take zones Upstream - need to be protected to

conserve downstream areas Arrange - to maximize links between No

Take Zones

SquareSquare = No Take Zone

(NTZ)

LineLine = links (connection

between zones)

MPA LINKS

As the number of no take zones increase, the

conections double and triple

between these protected areas

The overall protected areas increase in size because of the

increased number of links between

protected sites

Representational Areas - types of MPAs

Percentage 20-50% of each

ecosystem type should be protected for long-term viability

Ecosystem Identification

Topography / ocean features

Exposure High and low tidal

exposed areas consist of different species

Biodiversity Protection Summary

Small - few kilometers for nonmoving species

Large - 10-20 kilometers for mobile animals

20% - of each habitat type Research - a survey over time to

identify best design for maximum biodiversity

People Benefit

First Nations Culture

Public Participation and

Education

Economic benefits Fisheries Ecotourism

Stake-holders Study on local involvement in Mediterranean

(Badalamenti, 2000)

Success is proportional to the involvement of the local community

LSP

Kelp bed ecology

Fisheries

Adult Recruitment Species Recovery Life Stage Protection Genetic Reservoirs Insurance Against Uncertainty

AdjacentAdjacent FishingFishing AreasAreas

Florida Florida (Taylor et al. 2000)(Taylor et al. 2000) Tagged fish left MPA to enter fishing groundsTagged fish left MPA to enter fishing grounds Several world records set near MPASeveral world records set near MPA

Caribbean Caribbean (Taylor et al. 2000)(Taylor et al. 2000)

Greater abundance, size, and biomass near MPAGreater abundance, size, and biomass near MPA

California California (Thompson 1997)(Thompson 1997) Median catch close to MPA significantly greater than median catch far Median catch close to MPA significantly greater than median catch far

from MPAfrom MPA

Gulf of Mexico Gulf of Mexico (Jones 1998)(Jones 1998) No increase in yield, but compliance by fishers only 65%No increase in yield, but compliance by fishers only 65%

MPAs in BC Whytecliff Park:

Above average lingcod spawning in MPA Large coppers, quillbacks, and lingcod in MPA

Porteau Cove: Greater lingcod spawning than in controls

Southern Gulf Island Fisheries

Migration route for salmon Bottom fishery for halibut Shellfish Crabs and prawns Rockfish Ecotourism

Conclusions NMCA in Southern Gulf Islands will

benefit: Biodiversity Culture Ecotourism Fisheries