Catherine Rigg . Jaad K’iinas

Haida Oceans Technical Team

Council of the Haida Nation (CHN)

Prepared for:

National Advisory Panel on MPA Standards

April 2018

Haida Nation leadership and experience in MPA planning and management

The Haida Nation is the rightful heir to Haida Gwaii. Our culture is born of respect; and intimacy with the land and sea and the air around us…. We owe our existence to Haida Gwaii. The living generation accepts the responsibility to ensure that our heritage is passed on to following generations…

Constitution of the Haida Nation, 2017

A living and leading culture

Protection of marine territory (including all species and habitats) has been a key mandate since the inception of the CHN in 1974

1985 – designation of Gwaii Haanas

1997 – designation of SGaan Kinghlas

2006/7 – designation of eleven Haida protected areas (with marine boundaries)

(additional restrictions on some marine activities in locations around Haida Gwaii)

Haida values, ethics and law

Yahguudang or Yakguudang—Respect

‘Laa guu ga kanhllns—Responsibility

Gina ‘waadluxan gud ad kwaagiida—Interconnectedness

Giid tll’juus—Balance

Gina k’aadang.nga gii uu tl’ k’anguudang—Seeking Wise Counsel

Isda ad diigii isda—Giving and Receiving

Guiding Principles Scientific principles of EBM

Yahguudang or Yakguudang—Respect Precautionary approach

‘Laa guu ga kanhllns—Responsibility Inclusive and participatory

Gina ‘waadluxan gud ad kwaagiida—

Interconnectedness

Integrated management

Giid tll’juus—Balance Sustainable use

Gina k’aadang.nga gii uu tl’

k’anguudang—Seeking Wise Counsel

Adaptive management

Isda ad diigii isda—Giving and Receiving Equitable sharing

“We came out of the Ocean … all over Haida Gwaii ... we can point to and say this is where our ancestors came out of the ocean.” – Gwaaganad (Gaaysiigang Ocean Forum 2009)

2006 Haida Marine Work Group established

2007 Haida Marine

Strategic Plan / Towards a MUP

2007-2011 Haida Gwaii Marine Planning

– A Haida Perspective

2008-2017 PNCIMA Plan

2011-2015 Haida Gwaii Marine Plan

2009-ongoing Draft SK-B MPA Management Plan

2010-ongoing Draft Gwaii Haanas Land-Sea-People

Management Plan

2009 Gaaysiigang Ocean

Forum

2009-2011 Haida Gwaii

Marine Market Sector Analysis

2007-2011 Haida Marine Traditional

Knowledge Study

2015 Lessons from the

Simushir Workshop

2016-ongoing MPA Network for the

Northern Shelf Bioregion

2012 Haida Gwaii Future

Scenarios Workshop

2010 Ocean and Way of Life

Map

Leadership in marine planning

2017-2018 Haida Gwaii EBM Monitoring Plan

2006 Haida Marine Work Group established

2017-ongoing Offshore AOI

Lessons Learned…

PNCIMA (2008-2017) Highlights

Enabled by partnership between 17 First Nations

Based on tripartite governance agreement between First Nations, BC and Canada

Identified MPA network planning as a priority for implementation

Challenges

High level strategic framework building on existing policy

No sub-regional spatial zoning (despite initial commitments)

Planning process delayed due to government conflict and divergent priorities

Haida Gwaii Marine Plan (2011-2015)

Highlights

Included sub-regional zoning that identified key ecological and cultural areas

Strengthened existing (and established new) CHN-BC cooperative structures

Established clear direction for tenure application review by CHN and BC

Integrated land and sea planning and management (built on land use plan)

Increased data, capacity and resources

Applied IUCN categories

Challenges

Assignment of IUCN categories difficult when key activities are outside scope of process

Lack of federal participation restricted scope of process and makes it difficult to address multi-jurisdictional issues

SGaan Kinghlas – Bowie Seamount (2009-ongoing)

Highlights

Established CHN-DFO cooperative management board

Recent agreement to close sablefish trap fishery to protect ecological and cultural values

Progress on completion of management plan

© Neil McDaniel

Challenges

Length of time to complete the management plan

Regulations did not address key management issues (eg, zoning, fishery management)

High turn-over in DFO staff and appointments

Division between DFO Fisheries Management and Ocean programs

Limited coordination between federal agencies on key issues (eg, DFO, NRCAN, ECCC, TC)

Limitations on data access and sharing

Gwaii Haanas (2010-ongoing) Highlights

Established CHN-Parks Canada-DFO cooperative management board (AMB)

Established technical (CHN-Parks Canada-DFO) planning team to support AMB

Extensive engagement and relationship building with key stakeholders

Integrated Land-Sea-People management plan

Challenges

Length of time to complete Gwaii Haanas Marine Agreement and management plan

Conflict over commercial herring fishery

Undefined role of the AMB in fisheries management

Lack of DFO capacity and turn-over in staff

Limitations on data access and sharing

MPA Network Planning (2016-ongoing) Highlights

Tripartite process (17 First Nations – Canada – BC) with strong technical engagement

Informed by Haida Gwaii Marine Plan zoning that reflects traditional and local knowledge and experience

High level of stakeholder engagement (sub-regional and regional)

Challenges

Governance structures not yet confirmed

Discrepancy in evaluation and consideration of existing vs new MPAs

Uncertainty around how IUCN categories will be applied to new MPAs

Ambitious timeline

Offshore Pacific AOI (2017-ongoing)

Highlights

Precautionary interim closure of bottom contact fisheries for a significant portion of the AOI

Challenges

Lacks best practice in First Nations engagement – AOI identification and announcement without agreements (eg, despite overlaps with traditional territories)

Governance structures with First Nations undefined

IUCN framework and MPA planning

Highlights

Helpful global framework that can provide consistency across planning processes and allows for comparison of progress across jurisdictions

Provides a spectrum of protection that enables flexibility (each MPA is unique)

Provides mechanism to recognize indigenous and community conserved areas

Challenges

Lack of clarity around acceptability of certain activities in IUCN categories

Variable application of IUCN categories – existing protected areas are designated based on management intent (vs actual restrictions)

Need for evaluation of the effectiveness of existing MPAs (eg, MPA network “Conservation Gap Analysis”)

MPA Standards – Governance and management Amend legislation and develop policy

framework to enable First Nations co-management of MPAs

Recognize and establish cooperative governance agreements with First Nations that establish structures to support cooperative decision-making

Engage First Nations in identification of Areas of Interest

Engage First Nations in drafting of regulations related to new and existing MPAs

Empower cooperative decision-making bodies to manage MPAs, including managing, restricting and closing fisheries

Require effective coordination between federal agencies (DFO, Parks Canada, Transport Canada, ECCC, INAC)

Require effective coordination within federal agencies (DFO Fisheries Management and Oceans programs)

Support staff continuity and relationship building in MPA planning and management

Require effective mechanisms for conflict resolution between governments (status quo should not be default)

Recognize Indigenous Protected and Conserved Areas

MPA Standards – Planning and design Apply traditional knowledge (place-based

cultural and ecological information over a long time frame)

Consider protection of ecological integrity a priority and use an EBM approach

Enable monitoring and enforcement authority of First Nation guardians

Incorporate First Nations principles and language into management plans

Manage MPAs to a higher standard with a lower threshold of risk (err on the side of caution)

Use interim protection mechanisms

Set realistic timelines and milestones to ensure continued planning progress

Prohibit harmful activities in MPAs (oil, gas and mineral exploration and development; open net-pen aquaculture; bottom trawling; alternative wind/tidal energy in high protection areas)

Require a significant portion of MPAs to be closed to extractive activities (eg, commercial and recreational fishing)

Require data sharing and access for all parties

Consider multiple scales and how different planning processes relate to each other

Develop robust stakeholder processes, including integrated advisory bodies that can support multiple processes

Haawa/Haaw’a

Catherine Rigg: catherine.rigg@haidanation.com

Russ Jones: russ.jones@haidanation.com

Chris McDougall: chris.mcdougall@haidanation.com