Broughton Archipelago
Encyclopedia
The Broughton Archipelago is a group of islands on the northeastern flank of the Queen Charlotte Strait
on the coast of British Columbia
, Canada
. The largest islands in the group, which includes numerous smaller islets, are Broughton Island, North Broughton Island, Eden Island, Bonwick Island and Baker Island. The islands are all located within the Mount Waddington Regional District which has little jurisdiction over them, as nearly all settlements in the area are either Indian Reserves of bands of the Musgamagw Tsawataineuk Tribal Council
or fish farms under the jurisdiction of the federal Department of Fisheries and Oceans.
The archipelago is the traditional territory of the Kwicksutaineuk-ah-kwa-mish and Tsawataineuk subgroups of the Kwakwaka'wakw
peoples and is the focus of controversy over commercial fish-farming by Norwegian aquaculture
companies. One of the most prominent studies carried out to assess the relationship between fish farms and sea lice infestations on wild species was carried out in this archipelago in the spring of 2002.
Broughton Archipelago was named in 1792 by George Vancouver
in honor of William Robert Broughton
, the captain of the expedition's second ship, HMS Chatham
.
Queen Charlotte Strait
Queen Charlotte Strait is a strait between Vancouver Island and the mainland of British Columbia, Canada. It connects Queen Charlotte Sound with Johnstone Strait, Discovery Passage and then to the Strait of Georgia and Puget Sound...
on the coast of British Columbia
British Columbia Coast
The British Columbia Coast or BC Coast is Canada's western continental coastline on the Pacific Ocean. The usage is synonymous with the term West Coast of Canada....
, Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
. The largest islands in the group, which includes numerous smaller islets, are Broughton Island, North Broughton Island, Eden Island, Bonwick Island and Baker Island. The islands are all located within the Mount Waddington Regional District which has little jurisdiction over them, as nearly all settlements in the area are either Indian Reserves of bands of the Musgamagw Tsawataineuk Tribal Council
Musgamagw Tsawataineuk Tribal Council
The Musgamagw Tsawataineuk is a First Nations tribal council based in the Queen Charlotte Strait region around northern Vancouver Island in British Columbia, Canada....
or fish farms under the jurisdiction of the federal Department of Fisheries and Oceans.
The archipelago is the traditional territory of the Kwicksutaineuk-ah-kwa-mish and Tsawataineuk subgroups of the Kwakwaka'wakw
Kwakwaka'wakw
The Kwakwaka'wakw are an Indigenous group of First Nations peoples, numbering about 5,500, who live in British Columbia on northern Vancouver Island and the adjoining mainland and islands.Kwakwaka'wakw translates as "Those who speak Kwak'wala", describing the collective nations within the area that...
peoples and is the focus of controversy over commercial fish-farming by Norwegian aquaculture
Aquaculture
Aquaculture, also known as aquafarming, is the farming of aquatic organisms such as fish, crustaceans, molluscs and aquatic plants. Aquaculture involves cultivating freshwater and saltwater populations under controlled conditions, and can be contrasted with commercial fishing, which is the...
companies. One of the most prominent studies carried out to assess the relationship between fish farms and sea lice infestations on wild species was carried out in this archipelago in the spring of 2002.
Broughton Archipelago was named in 1792 by George Vancouver
George Vancouver
Captain George Vancouver RN was an English officer of the British Royal Navy, best known for his 1791-95 expedition, which explored and charted North America's northwestern Pacific Coast regions, including the coasts of contemporary Alaska, British Columbia, Washington and Oregon...
in honor of William Robert Broughton
William Robert Broughton
William Robert Broughton was a British naval officer in the late 18th century. As a Lieutenant in the Royal Navy, he commanded HMS Chatham as part of the Vancouver Expedition, a voyage of exploration through the Pacific Ocean led by Captain George Vancouver in the early 1790s.-With Vancouver:In...
, the captain of the expedition's second ship, HMS Chatham
HMS Chatham (1788)
HMS Chatham was a Royal Navy survey brig that accompanied HMS Discovery on George Vancouver's exploration of the west coast of North America in his 1791–1795 expedition. Chatham was built by King, of Dover and launched in early 1788...
.