Page 8— Ha-Shilth-Sa—August 12, 2021
Talks around subsea marine conservation area stalled Co-governance with First Nations has been a key issue on a massive DFO proposal in Nuu-chah-nulth territory By Mike Youds Ha-Shilth-Sa Contributor After months of negotiation, First Nations and DFO remain at loggerheads over co-governance of a proposed marine conservation area off the Island’s west coast. Talks between Haida, Quatsino, Nuuchah-nulth negotiators and their DFO counterparts have continued for the past two years over the proposed Tang.ɢwanḥačxʷiqak-Tsig̱is Marine Protected Area, or what the federal government refers to as the Offshore Pacific Area of Interest (AOI). The marine conservation area (MCA) — roughly 133,000 square kilometres or more than four times the size of Vancouver Island — would dwarf an existing one created in 2003 to protect the Endeavour hydrothermal vents. While no one disputes the value of conservation, the designation could have profound implications for the rights and interests of coastal First Nations. Over the past year alone, negotiators have met 19 times, focused on drafting a memorandum of understanding that would establish a board and co-governance in managing the conservation area, but that essential goal remains a key sticking point. DFO refuses to budge, said NTC President Judith Sayers. “What we want is a role in management and they just don’t want reconciliation, although they may be moving forward with that,” Sayers said. Sayers said the federal government has expressed a desire to move ahead with the MCA expansion during its current mandate, but she questions the seriousness considering DFO’s rigid negotiating stance. At a June meeting, ministerial staff wanted to publish the new designation in the Canada Gazette, giving it official status. “They agreed not to do that because we had four main points,” in negotiation, Sayers said Along with co-governance, First Nations want the management board’s scope of responsibilities to include decisionmaking authority in fishery matters as well as an agreeable dispute resolution mechanism. In July Fisheries Minister Bernadette Jordan said the government is allocating $977 million in its current budget to continue marine conservation efforts and protect 25 per cent of Canada’s oceans by 2025. “When we protect our oceans, we protect the coastal communities that rely on them,” Jordan said. “We know that healthy oceans have so much more to give. They feed more families, create more jobs. They help clean the air we
Photo supplied by DFO
An ROV camera is used for seamount exploration in the area of interest west of Vancouver Island. breathe.” MPAs Now, For the Future. The report, forward, but the designation has limitaThe move is consistent with Liberal intended to give five-year updates on tions as a conservation tool and no means government policy since 2015, when less MPA progress, points to a need to update of accounting for Indigenous knowledge than one percent of Canada’s oceans was policy and guidance to support First Nawithin the existing legal framework, he protected. Currently, the figure stands at tion participation, Angel noted. said. Plus, there is a greater issue at hand 14 percent. Jordan agreed during the online questhat MPAs do not consider. In an online discussion hosted by the tion-and-answer session that there is a “They’re not really addressing why the conservation group Nature Canada, need to update legislation. oceans are in crisis,” Angel said. Jordan was asked to clarify the gov“We need a new approach for conClimate change was raised during neernment’s commitment to the spirit of solidating agreements like the Offshore gotiations but dismissed by government reconciliation and shared management of Pacific Area,” the minister said, promisnegotiators who maintain it lies beyond marine conservation areas. ing to strengthen community involvethe scope of MPAs. “Is DFO mandated to engage Indigment and foster greater understanding of “It’s conceivable the you could set up an enous communities in this? How will MPAs. MPA that would be completely obliterit work with First Nations in oceans Toward the latter goal, NTC has been a ated by climate change,” Angel said. co-governance,” asked online host Gauri partner with DFO, Council of the Haida Seamounts are still the primary conserSreenivasan of Nature Canada, conveying Nation and Ocean Networks Canada in vation focus of DFO’s Offshore Pacific questions submitted in advance by Uu-ascientific exploration of seamounts off the Area of Interest, but they form only a thluk Fisheries Manager Eric Angel. west coast. Two years ago, Joshua Watts small part of a much greater ecosystem, “That is part of the go-forward manof Tseshaht First Nation and Aline Carhe added. date,” Jordan responded. “I look forward rier, Uu-a-thluk capacity building co-or“Hishuk ish tsawalk,” Angel said, citing to working with our First Nation partners dinator, accompanied the annual voyage. the Nuu-chah-nulth world view that evin the development of marine protected Participation since then has been delayed erything is connected, everything is one. areas. We all have a role to play and by pandemic safety considerations. “These ecosystems are worthy of study we’re going to make sure we do every“DFO science has been great to work right up to the surface,” especially with thing to uphold that … our First Nations with,” Angel said, attributing the negotithe unsolved mystery of ocean mortality are the stewards of the ocean space.” ating impasse on bureaucratic resistance among salmon, he noted. “We’re wonderFive of 14 existing MPAs are already to power sharing. ing what happens to these fish when they managed collaboratively with Indiggo into deeper water.” An expanded MCA would be a step enous governments, including the SGaan Kinghlas-Bowie Seamount MPA in Haida waters. However, they fall short of true co-governance since any management decision may be overridden by the minister. Sayers said they have not been advised by DFO if the new funding is intended for the Offshore Pacific AOI. There was no reference to it in Jordan’s July 22 funding announcement, but the government simultaneously released a report, The Current — Managing Oceans Act
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