West Coast of Vancouver Island Aquatic Management Board
Encyclopedia
The West Coast Vancouver Island Aquatic Management Board is one of Canada
’s only co-management bodies for aquatic ecosystem
s. During the 1980s and 1990s, the federal government and coastal communities came to agree that a gap had to be closed; aquatic management decisions should start to include regional voices and representation, mainly coastal communities, fishermen, and First Nations
.
s in all aspects of management and provide recommendations to DFO. The board includes representatives from four levels of government, including the Nuu-chah-nulth First Nations. The Board has been mandated to:
- be the primary forum on aquatic resource policy specific to the management area.
- deal with local aquatic resource policy issues with implications outside of the management area
- be a key source of advice to decision-makers on coast-wide aquatic resource policy relating to the management area.
- undertake integrated aquatic resource
- management responsibilities in the management area in cooperation with the relevant government agencies
.
The board makes decisions and recommendations both on the conservation of aquatic resources and input on associated economic development
opportunities.
Structure
The Board consists of:
- two members appointed by the Government of Canada
- two members appointed by the Province of British Columbia
- two members appointed by Nuu-chah-nulth Tribal Council
- two members appointed by the regional districts
- eight non-government members jointly appointed by the governments pursuant to nominations solicited from coastal communities and other persons and bodies affected by aquatic resource management in the management area (i.e. commercial harvesters, First Nation harvesters, recreation
al sector, aquaculture
, conservation)
The geographic scope of the Board corresponds with Nuu-chah-nulth Ha-houlthee, which extends seaward from Cape Cook on Brooks Peninsula
to Solander Islands
, to the international boundary along the entrance to Juan de Fuca Straits, then true north to Sheringham Point. Inland boundaries generally follow the height of land along watershed
s dividing Vancouver Island
.
Decisions are made by consensus.
Co-Chairs include: Tom Pater and Tom Happynook
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...
’s only co-management bodies for aquatic ecosystem
Aquatic ecosystem
An aquatic ecosystem is an ecosystem in a body of water. Communities of organisms that are dependent on each other and on their environment live in aquatic ecosystems. The two main types of aquatic ecosystems are marine ecosystems and freshwater ecosystems....
s. During the 1980s and 1990s, the federal government and coastal communities came to agree that a gap had to be closed; aquatic management decisions should start to include regional voices and representation, mainly coastal communities, fishermen, and First Nations
First Nations
First Nations is a term that collectively refers to various Aboriginal peoples in Canada who are neither Inuit nor Métis. There are currently over 630 recognised First Nations governments or bands spread across Canada, roughly half of which are in the provinces of Ontario and British Columbia. The...
.
Roles and Responsibilities
The AMB is a forum for the coastal communities and other persons and bodies affected by aquatic resource management off the West Coast. Through this forum they can participate more fully with governmentGovernment
Government refers to the legislators, administrators, and arbitrators in the administrative bureaucracy who control a state at a given time, and to the system of government by which they are organized...
s in all aspects of management and provide recommendations to DFO. The board includes representatives from four levels of government, including the Nuu-chah-nulth First Nations. The Board has been mandated to:
- be the primary forum on aquatic resource policy specific to the management area.
- deal with local aquatic resource policy issues with implications outside of the management area
- be a key source of advice to decision-makers on coast-wide aquatic resource policy relating to the management area.
- undertake integrated aquatic resource
- management responsibilities in the management area in cooperation with the relevant government agencies
Government agency
A government or state agency is a permanent or semi-permanent organization in the machinery of government that is responsible for the oversight and administration of specific functions, such as an intelligence agency. There is a notable variety of agency types...
.
The board makes decisions and recommendations both on the conservation of aquatic resources and input on associated economic development
Economic development
Economic development generally refers to the sustained, concerted actions of policymakers and communities that promote the standard of living and economic health of a specific area...
opportunities.
Structure
The Board consists of:
- two members appointed by the Government of Canada
Government of Canada
The Government of Canada, formally Her Majesty's Government, is the system whereby the federation of Canada is administered by a common authority; in Canadian English, the term can mean either the collective set of institutions or specifically the Queen-in-Council...
- two members appointed by the Province of British Columbia
British Columbia
British Columbia is the westernmost of Canada's provinces and is known for its natural beauty, as reflected in its Latin motto, Splendor sine occasu . Its name was chosen by Queen Victoria in 1858...
- two members appointed by Nuu-chah-nulth Tribal Council
Nuu-chah-nulth Tribal Council
The Nuu-chah-nulth Tribal Council is a First Nations Tribal Council in the Canadian province of British Columbia, located on the west coast of Vancouver Island.- History :...
- two members appointed by the regional districts
- eight non-government members jointly appointed by the governments pursuant to nominations solicited from coastal communities and other persons and bodies affected by aquatic resource management in the management area (i.e. commercial harvesters, First Nation harvesters, recreation
Recreation
Recreation is an activity of leisure, leisure being discretionary time. The "need to do something for recreation" is an essential element of human biology and psychology. Recreational activities are often done for enjoyment, amusement, or pleasure and are considered to be "fun"...
al sector, 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...
, conservation)
The geographic scope of the Board corresponds with Nuu-chah-nulth Ha-houlthee, which extends seaward from Cape Cook on Brooks Peninsula
Brooks Peninsula Provincial Park
Parts of this article have been adapted from the .Brooks Peninsula Provincial Park is a provincial park located on the west coast of Vancouver Island in British Columbia, Canada.-History:...
to Solander Islands
Solander Islands
The Solander Islands are a small chain of uninhabited volcanic islets lying at , close to the western end of the Foveaux Strait in southern New Zealand...
, to the international boundary along the entrance to Juan de Fuca Straits, then true north to Sheringham Point. Inland boundaries generally follow the height of land along watershed
Drainage basin
A drainage basin is an extent or an area of land where surface water from rain and melting snow or ice converges to a single point, usually the exit of the basin, where the waters join another waterbody, such as a river, lake, reservoir, estuary, wetland, sea, or ocean...
s dividing Vancouver Island
Vancouver Island
Vancouver Island is a large island in British Columbia, Canada. It is one of several North American locations named after George Vancouver, the British Royal Navy officer who explored the Pacific Northwest coast of North America between 1791 and 1794...
.
Decisions are made by consensus.
Administration
The Executive Director is Denise Dalmer.Co-Chairs include: Tom Pater and Tom Happynook
Sources
- Ecotrust Canada. Sharmalene Mendis-Millard "Central Region Governance," in Daniel Arbour, Brenda Kuecks & Danielle Edwards (editors).
- Nuu-chah-nulth Central Region First Nations Governance Structures 2007/2008, Vancouver, September 2008.