CPAWS welcomes next step by Haida Nation and Canada towards Gwaii Haanas marine conservation
January 20, 2010
CPAWS National Marine Program Manager Sabine Jessen with Environment Minister Jim Prentice and Parks Canada CEO Alan Latourelle at January 16th signing of agreement between Canada and the Haida Nation to co-manage the proposed Gwaii Haanas National Marine Conservation Area.
Vancouver – CPAWS was pleased that the Council of the Haida Nation and the Government of Canada represented by Parks Canada and Fisheries and Oceans Canada signed a long-awaited agreement today to cooperatively manage the proposed Gwaii Haanas national marine conservation area.
Located at the southern part of Haida Gwaii, formerly also known as the Queen Charlotte Islands, Gwaii Haanas is widely considered an environmental jewel. It’s a place where towering rainforest meets a crashing sea. The federal government and the Haida protected the land through a national park reserve and Haida Heritage Site. But the surrounding ocean ecosystem remains largely unprotected, despite a commitment by both governments to also protect it over 20 years ago.
CPAWS has worked alongside the Haida people since the 1980s during the South Moresby campaign and has passionately advocated for the conservation of both the terrestrial and marine ecosystems of Gwaii Haanas.
“We honour the tenacity and commitment of the Haida people in finally achieving this agreement today,” says Sabine Jessen, CPAWS National Manager of Oceans and Great Freshwater Lakes. “We know the Haida people are committed to protection of the land and sea ecosystems which are so intertwined in Gwaii Haanas. CPAWS will continue to support future efforts needed to achieve meaningful ocean conservation in this environmental jewel.”
The partnership agreement announced today with the Haida is an important step forward for a future Gwaii Haanas National Marine Conservation Area (NMCA). A similar partnership for the management of the Gwaii Haanas national park reserve has been an international model for cooperative management. CPAWS expects that today’s announcement of an additional partnership for the ocean environment will have the same success and provide management continuity for integrated protection of the land and sea.
“We need to think blue in Canada and in British Columbia… and fast,” says Jessen. “We need to protect our deep blue oceans with a network of conservation areas. Gwaii Haanas is an opportunity to showcase the interdependent nature of our coastal land-sea ecosystems and our commitment to safeguard these wet worlds,” says Jessen. “CPAWS will work with the Haida and Canada’s representatives for meaningful protection of the rich and diverse marine ecosystem in Gwaii Haanas.”
“We hope that this announcement today harkens a renewed government commitment to speedier action on protecting B.C.’s marine ecosystems. This needs to include the vulnerable ocean in the busy Southern Strait of Georgia, for which there is also a longstanding commitment to a national marine conservation area,” says Jessen.
“With continued and worrisome ocean ecosystem degradation throughout Canada’s coastal and ocean environments, we need more efficient progress on marine conservation and a coast-wide network of marine protected areas.”
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For more information: Sabine Jessen 604-657-2813 (cell) or sabine@cpawsbc.org
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