Other Planning Initiatives Relevant to PNCIMA

The PNCIMA Initiative will need to coordinate with other initiatives and tools that are relevant to the region. In many instances, there is no easy answer to how these linkages will happen. We are currently exploring ways to coordinate with other planning processes, initiatives and tools.

Land Use Planning

A variety of land use plans provide direction on the use and allocation of resources in coastal BC. Participants in the planning processes recognized that upland activities could potentially have a major bearing on the marine environment, and agreed that more comprehensive integrated marine use planning should be undertaken following completion of regional land use plans. Furthermore, a number of the resulting land use agreements included requirements for nearshore and foreshore marine planning adjacent to new terrestrial protected areas.

Strategic land use plans that are adjacent to the PNCIMA plan area include:

• Central Coast and North Coast Land and Resource Management Plans (Coast Land Use Decision)
  
  
• Haida Gwaii Strategic Land Use Agreement
  
  
• Vancouver Island Regional Land Use Plan

Marine Use Planning

There are existing marine use plans within the PNCIMA boundary, including the Johnston-Bute Coastal Plan and the Northern Island Straits Coastal Plan.

Gwaii Haanas National Marine Conservation Area Reserve (NMCAR)

The PNCIMA process has many natural linkages to the NMCAR. It will take into account the existing knowledge base and coordinate with work that has already been done on the NMCAR. link to site

Scott Islands National Marine Wildlife Area

Environment Canada's Canadian Wildlife Service is leading an initiative to establish a Marine Wildlife Area (MWA) in the marine waters surrounding the Scott Islands, off the northwestern tip of Vancouver Island. This protected marine area would serve to safeguard the critical foraging area used by the seabirds that occupy the five islands that make up the Scott Islands. link to site

Bowie Seamount Marine Protected Area / Sgaan Kinghlas Haida Protected Area

Bowie Seamount was officially designated as Canada's seventh marine protected area in April, 2008. Although the area is outside the PNCIMA boundary, its management has many natural linkages to PNCIMA planning. link to site

West Coast Vancouver Island Aquatic Management Board (WCVI AMB)

The AMB is also initiating a marine planning process for the West Coast of Vancouver Island. The northern extent of their management area is adjacent to the southern extent of PNCIMA. link to site

Environmental Assessments (EAs)

Regulatory processes that are currently underway, such as environmental assessments, will not be superceded by the PNCIMA Initiative. However, outcomes from PNCIMA will serve as a tool to inform future processes.

Fisheries Management

There are existing processes in place to discuss i ssues around quota, allocation and TAC. Although the PNCIMA process does not provide a mechanism to address these issues, the Initiative aims to develop socio-economic and ecological objectives that would inform fisheries management, as well as enable discussions about spatial use and conservation areas. To ensure that their interests are met, fisheries managers and stakeholders will need to be a part of the process.