Adaptive Co-management Case Study

Ecosystem Based Management (EBM) in Gwaii Haanas

The EBM Working Group is an on-going partnership of the Council of Haida Nations, Parks Canada, and Fisheries and Oceans Canada, along with other academic and non-academic collaborators.

Map of Gwaii Haanas
Map of Gwaii Haanas (Gwaii Haanas
Gina ’Waadluxan KilGuhlGa Land-Sea-People Management Plan, 2018)

The project objective is to co-develop an evaluation framework to assess fisheries and marine resources in Gwaii Haanas and support collaborative and adaptive ecosystem-based management

The Gwaii Haanas National Park Reserve, National Marine Conservation Area Reserve, and Haida Heritage Site Gwaii Haanas is a recognized leader in integrated and adaptive management, ensuring that protection, restoration and ecologically sustainable use opportunities are mutually achieved.

 

 

 

 

 

Overview of EBM in Gwaii Haanas

What circumstances led to the initiation of the initiative?

The Gwaii Haanas National Park Reserve, National Marine Conservation Area Reserve, and Haida Heritage Site Gwaii Haanas is a recognized leader in integrated and adaptive management, ensuring that protection, restoration and ecologically sustainable use opportunities are mutually achieved.

Who is involved?

The Gwaii Haanas Agreement, which was signed in 1993, describes how the terrestrial area of Gwaii Haanas will be managed cooperatively by the Haida Nation and the Government of Canada through the Archipelago Management Board (AMB). Although the two parties have differing views on ownership of Gwaii Haanas, they agree that:

 

The Gwaii Haanas Marine Agreement (2010) further established the Gwaii Haanas National Marine Conservation Area Reserve (NMCAR). This agreement expanded the AMB’s role to include planning, operation and management of the Gwaii Haanas marine area, and increased the board’s membership from four to six. The AMB is presently comprised of three representatives of the Council of the Haida Nation and three representatives of the Government of Canada (two Parks Canada, one Fisheries and Oceans Canada).

What are the outcomes?

The Land-Sea-People (Gina ’Waadluxan KilGuhlGa – ‘Talk About Everything’) Management Plan was ratified in 2018 and provides the planning context for the ecosystem-based management process. The Land-Sea-People (LSP) Management Plan (2018) includes: (1) a vision for the future; (2) guiding principles grounded in Haida law; (3) a zoning plan driven by key ecological and cultural targets; and (4) goals, objectives and measurable targets for management of fisheries and marine resources. 
Currently, the LSP is being operationalized:
  • With reference to LSP objectives and guidance from the AMB, a technical team has collaboratively developed a suite of governance, socio-economic, cultural and ecological indicators.
  • A process of testing and evaluating fisheries of cultural and economic importance is underway in collaboration with Haida rights holders, government, and industry.
  • Outcomes of evaluative process will determine status of key stocks in Gwaii Haanas and support AMB efforts to collaboratively and adaptively manage fisheries and other marine resources.

 

 

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Building Sustainable Communities: Collaboration Copyright © 2022 by Ryan Plummer; Amanda Smits; Samantha Witkowski; Bridget McGlynn; Derek Armitage; Ella-Kari Muhl; and Jodi Johnston is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License, except where otherwise noted.

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