Marine Stewardship

In 2000, the Islands Trust Council agreed - along with San Juan County, other levels of government, First Nations representatives, and non-government partners, to work together towards the establishment of a trans-border network of marine stewardship areas within the Georgia Basin and Howe Sound region, also known as the Salish Sea.

Trust Council passed a resolution on September 14, 2001 requesting staff and the Trust Programs Committee to initiate three pilot Marine Stewardship Site Initiatives for Galiano, Hornby, and Saturna islands in cooperation with Fisheries and Oceans Canada.

Fisheries and Oceans Canada, under the Oceans Act, participates in many integrated management initiatives that promote stewardship and conservation to the benefit of the marine environment.

Purpose

To encourage stewardship of significant marine sites within three parts of the trust area.

Specific Objectives

1. To identify at least one significant marine site or marine stewardship topic within each of the Galiano, Hornby and Saturna local trust areas.
2. To develop and implement a stewardship strategy for each site or topic, in cooperation with community members, stakeholders and other levels of government.

Participants

1. Local Trust Committees
2. Local Advisory Committees (appointed by Local Trust Committees)
3. Fisheries and Oceans Canada
4. Local citizens and groups
5. Federal, First Nation, provincial and regional government agencies
6. Non-governmental organizations (i.e. conservancy and resource user groups)

Working with San Juan County

In 1998, the IslandsTrust and San Juan County signed an agreement to work together on matters of mutual interest.

Need More Information?

Director, Trust Area Services
(250) 405-5174

Mailing Address:
Islands Trust
200 - 1627 Fort St
Victoria, BC
V8R 1H8

Main: (250) 405-5151
Fax: (250) 405-5155

Staff from First Nations, other government agencies and organizations may also provide assistance, subject to future arrangements.

Products

Marine Stewardship Site Advisory Committees have been formed in each of the three local trust areas and are developing community stewardship strategies:

Committees are developing reports that include:

• collation of available information (scientific, local knowledge)
• identification of significant values of sites
• assessment of risks to sites

Committees are also developing stewardship strategies for their marine environment.

Strategies identify actions for all participants and include all or some of the following:

• awareness program (i.e. signage, mapping)
• educational program (i.e. brochures, educational programs)
• stewardship actions (i.e. volunteer wardens, community monitoring, voluntary limits on harvesting)
• non-regulatory designation (Local Trust Committee bylaws)
• regulation (by other levels of government)

Related Links

• Environment Canada - Ocean Dumping
• Canadian Parks and Wilderness Society
  Marine Spaces Campaign
• Fisheries and Oceans Canada - Pacific Region
• Georgia Strait Alliance
• Parks Canada
• People for Puget Sound- Habitat Program
• Race Rocks Marine Protected Area
• San Juan County - Marine Resources Committee
• Living Oceans Society
• Pacific Region Marine Protected Areas
• Environment Canada Georgia Basin
• National Marine Conservation Areas

Galiano Island

• Galiano Island Advisory Committee Terms of Reference
• Minutes - December 11, 2001
• Minutes - January 22, 2002
• Minutes - April 2, 2002
• Minutes - April 30, 2002
• Minutes - July 16, 2002

Hornby Island

• May 11, 2004 Meeting Notes
• March 23, 2004 Meeting Notes
• January 20, 2004 Meeting Notes
• October 1, 2002 Meeting Notes
• May 28, 2002 Meeting Notes
• April 30, 2002 Meeting Notes
• March 19, 2002 Meeting Notes
• Hornby Island Advisory Committee Terms of Reference

Saturna Island

• Saturna Island Advisory Committee Terms of Reference
• Marine Stewardship Site Initiative Biotic Features
• Marine Stewardship Site Initiative Cultural and Physical Features (PDF 1MB)
• Marine Stewardship Site Initiative Perspective View

Advocacy

The Islands Trust frequently advocates in favour of marine stewardship. We have written letters to other levels of government and taken other actions consistent with our policies for stewardship of the marine environment. For more information, please see our News Releases and Letters from our Chair, and the other links below:

• Bill 48 - Proposed UBCM Resolution, May 2003
• Bill 48 - Agriculture, Food and Fisheries Statutes Amendment Act , 2003