Ocean Planning - What's the Issue

The waters that surround British Columbia’s North and Central Coasts and Haida Gwaii are home to a spectacular diversity of life.

In the spring, these rich waters team with tiny plankton that provide a buffet for small fish and gigantic whales alike. Millions of seabirds nest on the jagged rocky islands near the coast and in the ancient coastal forests. Hundred-year-old rockfish live in the depths, while five species of salmon navigate the cold currents to return to their natal streams.

To protect this natural abundance and the human communities that rely on it, this region has been identified by governments as an important area for ocean planning. Living Oceans is working with both the federal and the provincial/First Nations planning processes to create a vision for how to use the ocean without using it up.

By extending the Great Bear Rainforest’s high standard of conservation into the ocean environment, ocean planning is an opportunity for sectors to put aside their conflicts to work together to find solutions to create sustainable economies, vibrant communities and a healthy ocean.