British Columbia Marine Conservation Analysis (BCMCA)

Above: BCMCA Study area. Open jpg of BCMCA map Below: Areas of high conservation utility identified by the CUA.

Open jpg of map The yellow areas in the map identify the top 50 locations of high conservation value identified by Living Ocean Society’s Conservation Utility Analysis (CUA), completed in 2004. The lessons learned in the CUA are being incorporated into the new and improved BCMCA project.

B.C.’s marine waters are getting busier every year and conflicts often arise among people who use or value the ocean in different ways. As the coast’s population grows and marine resources become more important those conflicts will worsen unless we come up with plans and policies that balance our social and economic interests with conservation needs.

To find a way forward, in 2005 Living Oceans Society, together with other environmental organizations, initiated a mapping project called the British Columbia Marine Conservation Analysis (BCMCA).

First Nations, academics, and the federal and provincial governments are collaborating in the BCMCA to develop maps showing areas of high conservation value that will inform marine planning initiatives around the province. The project will also produce an atlas of ecological data and human uses of the coast which is planned for release in late 2008.

BCMCA will provide resource managers, scientists, decision-makers, and those with a vested interest in the marine environment with better information to have discussions and/or make decisions about Canada's Pacific ocean.

Why is the BCMCA important? Intact marine ecosystems are key in maintaining the health and well-being of First Nations, coastal communities, and all of us! Marine resources are an integral component of the B.C. economy.

Current management practices have difficulty integrating the many ways people use the ocean. It is time for a new approach in decision-making to manage human activities. New methods need to integrate biological, social, and economic knowledge. At the same time, we need to consider the rights and aspirations of First Nations, government policies and the interests of all citizens.