The Malaspina Okeover

Transcription

1 Unit 3 Trevenen Bay Marine Area Substrate Exposure Current Roughness Shoreline Slope Depth Benthic Summer Temp 1.0 sq km Mud 7.3 km Flat Shallow-Mid-depth Warm DESCRIPTION Trevenen Bay is a long narrow water body situated between Coode and Malaspina Peninsulas. The shoreline is a mixture of rock ramps with veneer coarse sediments and a sand flat lies at the head of the Bay. This unit has moderate biological and recreational values and a high commercial value primarily due to the concentrated development of shellfish aquaculture tenures. BIOLOGICAL ATTRIBUTES: CWS confirmed areas of use by migratory birds: Trevenen Bay. Year round habitat for Alcids (Marbled Murrelet COSEWIC Threatened), Cormorants, Diving Ducks, Gulls, Mergansers, Grebes, Dabbling Ducks, Shorebirds, Eagles and Loons. Eelgrass beds (1.1 ha) at head of Trevenen Bay. Herring spawn (1.3 km) across from Coode Island along the eastern shore of Malaspina Peninsula. Kelp beds (1.5 ha) at mouth of Trevenen Bay adjacent to Malaspina Peninsula. WLAP Terrestrial Ecosystem Mapping: Indicates that the terrestrial areas adjacent to Malaspina Peninsula Coode Peninsulas have almost exclusive mature conifer forest coverage. One Malaspina Peninsula watershed with two riparian fringe areas discharge via a stream to Trevanen Bay. (see Malaspina Okeover Coastal Plan Sensitive Ecosystem Inventory Map at: /malaspina/index.htm). * Refer to Table 3 in Section 2 for specific species and Endangered and Threatened Provincial, National and Global Rankings. FIRST NATIONS: Sliammon (Tla amin): Traditional Territory area of archeological significance. high traditional use area. Klahoose: Traditional Territory FEATURES AND ACTIVITIES: Use area for recreational boaters and paddlers when weather is inclement. Close to Desolation Sound Provincial Marine Park. Adjacent to Malaspina Provincial Park. Sunshine Coast Trail. CAPABILITY AND TENURED USES: Beach aquaculture capability: five beaches rated as Good or Medium for clams and oysters; north and south of unnamed peninsula protruding from Malaspina Peninsula, southern shore of Coode Island, western shore of Coode Peninsula, and head of Trevenen Bay. Off Bottom Oyster aquaculture capability: rated as Good or Medium throughout. Off Bottom Scallop aquaculture capability: rated as Poor throughout. Sub tidal Shellfish aquaculture: No identified potential areas. Eight shellfish aquaculture tenures: four along eastern shore of Malaspina Peninsula and four along western shore of Coode Peninsula; collectively occupying 61.5 ha. 53

2 54 One commercial A (year round) tenure (1 ha) on the Malaspina Peninsula across from Coode Island. One commercial B (seasonal) tenure west of Isbister Islands on the Malaspina Peninsula (same as in Unit 2). Four Water Act freshwater tenures on the adjacent upland: from Wednesday Lake to Penrose Harbour, Coode Island and Selina Point (Gifford Peninsula). One Land Act shellfish map reserve (1.2 ha) on northwestern tip of Coode Peninsula in favour of LWBC for purposes of shellfish aquaculture. One Land Act UREP notation of interest (104 ha) on Isbister and Coode Islands (same as in Unit 3 and 4) in favour of MSRM respecting the interests of the MOF, BC Parks, and the PRRD for purposes of conservation and passive recreation (same as in Unit 2 and 4). One Land Act scientific measurement/ research reserve (0.9 ha) across from Coode Island in favour of MOF for purposes of conservation and recreation. One other map reserve (1.8 ha) along eastern shore of Malaspina Peninsula in favour of MOF for institutional purposes. MANAGEMENT EMPHASIS: Shellfish Aquaculture: This unit should be managed for shellfish aquaculture while recognizing the need for safe passage for paddlers during inclement weather. Maintaining high water quality necessary for shellfish culture is paramount. MANAGEMENT CONDITIONS: Applications are restricted to assignment or renewal of existing tenures for beach or off-bottom shellfish aquaculture; LWBC should not accept applications for tenure expansion or new tenures for shellfish beach aquaculture for a period of 3 years, consistent with the 3 year Plan review (i.e. in consultation with the Advisory Committee). Use Recommendations (based on "acceptability") Tenured Uses O Shellfish Beach Aquaculture O Shellfish Off Bottom Aquaculture X Shellfish Sub tidal Aquaculture X Finfish Aquaculture X Boat Launches X Log Handling, Storage and Infrastructure Conservation Non-Tenured Uses P First Nations P Commercial Fisheries Code O X P A X Public and Institutional Docks X Commercial and Industrial Docks X Float Homes Marine Telecommunications & Utilities X Commercial Recreation Guiding X Private Residential Moorage X Floating Lodges & Camps P Public Recreation (non-commercial) P Marine Transportation Acceptable. Applications for this use should be accepted for processing and evaluation. Acceptance of an application does not guarantee that a tenure will be approved by LWBC or meet local and federal government requirements. Conditionally Acceptable. New applications for this use should be accepted for processing and evaluation only if they meet the terms of relevant Management Conditions in the Plan (subject to variation process). Acceptance of an application does not guarantee that a tenure will be approved by LWBC or meet local and federal government requirements. Not Acceptable. Applications for this use should not be accepted for processing and evaluation based on known technological or environmental concerns, identified social preference or potential conflicts with existing uses and activities.. The non-tenured activity is present and ongoing in the Planning Unit The non-tenured activity is absent from the Planning Unit

3 LWBC should not accept applications for tenure expansion or new tenures for shellfish off bottom aquaculture for a period of 3 years, consistent with the 3 year Plan review (i.e. in consultation with the Advisory Committee). MANAGEMENT GUIDELINES: Applications for commercial or industrial tenures throughout the Plan Area should be referred to either directly to CWS (via Environment Canada s Environmental Assessment Section) or to DFO for subsequent referral to CWS. Given the particular importance of this unit for shellfish aquaculture, LWBC should only consider providing an access route from the water to the Coode Peninsula UREP at the time of tenure renewal or assignment, if: the Regional District feasibility study recommended below indicates the Wilderness Area is feasible; and, the PRRD or some other entity commits to managing the Wilderness Area.. LWBC should remove the UREP designation and not provide an access route if: the feasibility study indicates the Wilderness Area is not feasible; or, no entity commits to managing the Wilderness Area, In developing and implementing a Malaspina Provincial Park Management Plan, WLAP should consider protection and maintenance of drinking water quality in Wednesday and Hinder Lakes as per the interagency protocol agreement (See Appendix 3). Operators seeking bird scare permits from the Canadian Wildlife Service (CWS) should demonstrate due diligence in using siting and other mitigative measures to reduce the likelihood or the effect of diving duck predation (CWS has indicated that it will not issue kill permits for aquaculture activities). People with complaints related to practices used by shellfish aquaculture operators should consider the dispute resolution options described in Appendix 6 (Regulation of shellfish aquaculture and dispute resolution). Appendix 6 includes a description of the Farm Industry Review Board (FIRB) formal compliant process under the Farm Practices Protection (Right to Farm) Act (FPPA). Shellfish aquaculture operators should make every effort to employ methods to avoid noise and visual disturbances from structures and operating equipment. The Council of BC Yacht Clubs is encouraged to educate its members to not anchor adjacent to or over shellfish aquaculture tenures when members boats are not equipped with sewage holding tanks. All entities interested in obtaining a No Discharge Designation specifically to prevent sewage dumping from marine vessels should make a collaborative application for such to DFO and Transport Canada. The Vancouver Coastal Health Authority is encouraged to enforce sewage disposal regulations in the area. Provincial agencies and the PRRD and Sliammon (Tla amin First Nation) should work together to identify and address unauthorized uses under the Land Act. Utility owners are encouraged to post a sign at the site of the utilities indicating location of the utilities. Tourism and recreation operators should educate their clients on the location of utility rights of way and advise that vessel operators should not anchor in the vicinity of those rights of way. Tourism and recreation operators should educate their clients regarding potential for contaminating shellfish growing areas, promote client non-access across shellfish tenures, except as a safety measure, and provide information on how to avoid sewage contamination of shellfish areas. Shellfish aquaculture beach and off bottom operators should avoid the use of upland vegetation (i.e. shrubs and trees) for tenure anchoring purposes. Anchoring to trees on untenured Crown land constitutes an unauthorized use of Crown land. Shellfish aquaculture operators with Leases should provide signage that indicates that trespassing is not allowed without permission of the operator. If the results of ecological studies or monitoring of predator netting effects in Baynes Sound, Barkley 55

4 56 Sound and Malaspina Okeover areas demonstrate unacceptable impacts, shellfish beach aquaculture operators should undertake measures to avoid those impacts. Tenure holders must ensure adequate sewage disposal facilities are available nearby for staff on site. Tenure operators must avoid stream channeling, building berms or any other habitat alteration, without specific DFO authorization, that could result in habitat impacts and federal Fisheries Act violations. FOLLOW-UP ACTION: Remove Land Act shellfish map reserve on northwestern tip of Coode Peninsula in favour of LWBC for purposes of shellfish aquaculture. Reserve overlaps existing tenure. Maintain Land Act UREP notation of interest (104 ha) on Isbister and Coode Islands (same as in Unit 2 and 4) in favour of MSRM respecting the interests of the MOF, BC Parks, and the PRRD for purposes of conservation and passive recreation, subject to the results of a study to determine the feasibility of designation of this area as a Regional District Passive Wilderness Area.. Maintain scientific measurement/ research map reserve across from Coode Island in favour of MOF for purposes of conservation and recreation. Remove Land Act other map reserve in favour of MOF for institutional purposes. Maintain Land Act map reserve west of Isbister Islands on unnamed Island in favour of MSRM (same as in Unit 2). Tenure holders should ensure adequate sewage disposal facilities are available nearby for staff on site. MSRM to provide the PRRD with a large scale Planning Unit map to assist it in determining location of tenures and other values in this unit. MSRM Archeology and Registries Services Branch to meet with the Sliammon to discuss enforcement options related to the Heritage Resources Act. MSRM to provide funding to assist the PRRD in the conduct of the feasibility study. MSRM to provide funding for PRRD to conduct a study to determine the feasibility of developing a Regional Board Passive Recreation Wilderness Area over the Coode and Isbister Islands UREP that includes facilities for human waste management associated with limited access. The study should include consultation with all affected groups and include provincial involvement. MSRM will provide LWBC and MAFF with a map of the registered archeological sites in the Plan Area as a data base for consideration during any assessments and consultations conducted during their respective tenure application reviews.

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