Marine plans without fish? The Haida Gwaii Marine Plan as a stepping stone to integrated management

What strategies can communities use when other governments are not willing to engage on critical issues related to conservation and livelihoods? This presentation will explore the range of interests identified by the Haida... [ view full abstract ]

What strategies can communities use when other governments are not willing to engage on critical issues related to conservation and livelihoods? This presentation will explore the range of interests identified by the Haida Nation, an indigenous people on the Pacific Coast of Canada, in the marine realm and the various mechanisms that are being used to make progress on critical issues such as oceans management, marine protected areas, shipping and fisheries.

The Haida Gwaii Marine Plan (2015) was developed over a period of four years by the Haida Nation and Province of British Columbia through a collaborative Marine Plan Partnership (MaPP) process with other First Nations and is now in the implementation stage. Because Canada’s federal government didn’t participate in the MaPP planning process, the Haida Gwaii Marine Plan doesn’t address issues such as fisheries management or marine transportation. The Haida Nation is also a partner in a broader scale Pacific North Coast Integrated Management Area plan with the federal government that commits to an ecosystem-based management framework but is limited in scope and vague on commitments to changes related to fisheries and shipping including marine spatial planning.

Despite these limitations, progress on Haida priorities continues to be made on a variety of fronts. A major factor contributing to the success of the Haida Nation has been a strong governance structure and direction identified through community-based planning. Other factors contributing to success have been partnerships with First Nations throughout northern British Columbia to work together on common issues. Unresolved issues regarding indigenous title and rights along with numerous federal, provincial and First Nation policy initiatives create a varied landscape to seek opportunities that support leadership by indigenous peoples in integrated oceans management.