Marine Park on Drawing Board

Parks Canada proposes protected status for south Strait of Georgia

Matthew Gauk, Times Colonist

Published: Wednesday, May 30, 2007

Parks Canada is looking at making the southern Strait of Georgia the country's third National Marine Conservation Area, residents heard yesterday at a "marine mixer" at Mary Winspear Centre in Sidney.

If the feasibility report that Parks' staff is working on recommends that the area become a federally protected marine park, the government could end up changing the way British Columbians use the strait.

According to a preliminary "vision" Parks staff has created through consultation over the last two years, use of the waters for commercial purposes could be restricted and more regulated in order to protect marine ecosystems and water quality. Dredging, dumping sewage, some forms of commercial fishing and shipping could all be affected by the creation of a conservation area.Darryll Harasemow

Darryll Harasemow of Sidney
approves of the Parks Canada proposal but wants more emphasis placed on marine recreation. Photograph by : Darren Stone, Times Colonist

Existing marine conservation areas are Fathom Five National Marine Park in Ontario and Saguenay-St. Lawrence Marine Park in Quebec.

Darryll Harasemow, owner of Liquid Heaven Diving Experience in Sidney, who learned to dive off Beacon Avenue in Sidney 25 years ago, attended the mixer and liked the proposal, but wasn't too sure about the area being run by the federal government. Like several others at the meeting, Harasemow felt not enough attention was being paid to recreational use of the strait. He stressed in particular the lack of mention of buoys as a way to avoid anchoring that destroys the sea floor.

He's also concerned that there are no interim plans to protect the strait, since Parks Canada has said 2009 is the earliest it could be made into a marine conservation area. "I want to listen over the next couple of sessions and see how they go ahead with this. The red tape they've got to go through is ridiculous."

The feasibility report was initially scheduled for completion this spring, but now won't be finished until early next year. The study and consultation have cost the government about $800,000 or $900,000, according to project manager Bill Henwood, who made a presentation at the meeting.

The newest step in the study is the development of draft boundaries for the conservation area. The proposed area encompasses 900 square kilometres, starting in the south just off Gordon Head and extending out along the Canada-U.S. border, covering the waters off the northeast coasts of Saturna, Mayne, Galiano and Valdes islands, and coming straight south along Saltspring Island and down into Saanich Inlet. It's still up for debate whether the conservation area would include Cowichan Bay, Fulford Harbour and the waters around Ganges and Sidney.

Henwood was quick to point out that most marine activities, such as fishing, kayaking, commercial shipping and undersea-utility use, would continue as usual as long as participants abided by the regulations if the strait is made a conservation area.

Parks Canada also unveiled a draft zoning framework it plans to apply to all NMCAs. The framework demands that each area have a "special preservation" zone for limited research -- and no public access.

That means that there would be certain areas of the Georgia Strait conservation area where the public isn't allowed, although this doesn't differ substantially from what Parks Canada already does in certain areas of national parks.

Another marine mixer will be held at the Victoria Conference Centre June 7.