01
Introduction
Protected Areas (PAs) are a tool to protect culture and nature.
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Traditional ways
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Nature
VS
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Climate change
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Development
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Transport
Nature is integral to traditional practices, each influences the other
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Strong coast line can better resist rising water levels and erosion
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As ice melts we might see more use of arctic ocean, Hudson bay and James bay by big ships
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Need eelgrass for geese, hunting and people
Stop this.
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QC protects 50% of boreal forest in 2011
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For the next 25 years
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Protection is vague because development projects reach way further than the area they take up
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They don’t agree to stay off traplines or culturally important spots
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Whabouchi lithium mine built before 2017, it operated for a couple years, closed & they want to re-open it
03
Protected Areas
What are Protected Areas?
Protected areas (PAs) in Canada follow the IUCN definition:
“A clearly defined geographical space, recognised, dedicated and managed, through legal or other effective means, to achieve the long-term conservation of nature with associated ecosystem services and cultural values”
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But do they work?
05
Marine Protected Areas
Canadian Protected Conserved Areas Database (CPCAD)
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This is what it looks like to report to the database
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These aren’t even full PAs yet, they’re just reserved
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They do get interim protection until its decided
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PAs might be accepted strategically, although the government obviously wouldn’t say that
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â—‹ LGA development
07
Barriers
Problems Chisasibi & Indigenous proponents should consider.
3 kinds of barriers:
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Colonial System
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Relationships
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Using resources
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Barriers
Relationships
Respect:
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Government needs to honor commitment to improving relationships with Indigenous people
Partnership:​
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Co-management is the most robust option
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Must be mutually beneficial and respectful
Traditional knowledge:​
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Indigenous peoples are known to be the best stewards
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Must trust partners to share knowledge with them
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Enhancement
How can we make PAs better?
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The DFO uses similar criteria to assess the overall effectiveness of MPAs
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First step is to set out criteria against which to evaluate results
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Enhancement
Example
Eastport - Newfoundland
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Goal: sustainable fishing
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Supported community goals and participation
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Overall success for the community
Local fishers used to catch groundfish until the population collapsed in the 90s so they turned to lobster
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They noticed they were overfishing the lobsters too so they created a protection group
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Then the fishers recruited a university, the DFO, Parks Canada and even had a local high school class help collect data
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At first they completely stopped all fishing in the area, waited 2 years when they saw the lobsters were healthy again then opened it up as an MPA where they could still fish enough to support themselves
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This worked so well because the MPA is part of the community, they built it and truly wanted it to succeed and they involved people with a history/relationship to the sea. Fishers were in charge, not the government
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Alternatives
Example: OECM Criteria
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The area has defined boundaries-you can point to it on the map
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Governing authorities are able to control activities within the boundaries
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Governing authorities have the obligation to perform activities that lead to conservation in the area and restrict activities that are incompatible with conservation
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Conservation is year round and will be maintained in the long term
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Site goals will lead to conservation and biodiversity
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Conservation objectives are not threatened by other site objectives
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Governing authorities follow the management plan that is creating positive biodiversity outcomes, and no governing authorities threaten onsite conservation
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Chisasibi
How do we do it?
Steps
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Set goals
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Research PA types & choose one to suit your goals
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Apply for funding
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Studies
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Plan & design
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Apply to government body to establish PA
Implications:​
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If you can place a PA before there’s mining claims, you can stop them from happening in the first place
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Nature doesn’t stay in a box
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â—‹Working with your neighbors protects nature better than trying to do it alone
02
Protected Areas
What is a PA, how do they work and why would we want one?
Basically 3 levels:
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International
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Federal
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Provincial
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â—‹ Each level has many types
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â—‹ Sometimes overlapping controls
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â—‹ They didn’t create it with IP in mind so they’re trying to make categories to include them now but it’s messed up
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This is what the government sees, what the colonial system sets up
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â—‹ No matter who you are you’re working within one of these if you choose to set up a PA, even ones that are designed specifically for IP
04
Marine Protected Areas
Canada says (2022)
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14.66% oceans protected
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14 MPAs, 3 NMCAs, 1 National Wildlife Area, 59 Marine refuges
Experts say (2021)
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0.1-0.4% strongly protected nationally
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Only talking about formal MPAs
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Marine Protected Areas
Problems with MPAs
Not allowed:
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Bottom trawling
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Dredging
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Mining
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Oil & gas
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Dumping
Allowed:
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Treaty rights
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Science
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Dumping ballast water
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Transport
Grandfathered in:
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Trawling
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Oil & Gas
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Dumping
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Enforcement:​
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Poor management
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Not meeting protection standards
Implications:
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No standard evaluation methods
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Exceptions to each rule if it aligns with research or conservation or it goes with the specific goals of that Marine Protected Area
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Prior to 2019 there was not a clear definition of “dumping”, wastewater from ships is a common culprit
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Not meeting protection standards means that either these activities are happening or they’re unable to stop other ones over fishing
08
Barriers
Colonial System
Legislation:
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Power imbalance
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Inadequate processes
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Indigenous involvement
Limits:​
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Enforce regulations
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Expertise
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Finances
Implications:
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“System” means any colonial government, their laws and the way they’ve tried to set up the world
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Minister has to approve activity application before MPA can be implemented and they have final decision making power
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Requirements for indigenous involvement depend on the treaty/recognition of their legitimacy to claim
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Capacity to hire or train locals or even get experts in to help from outside the community
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Barriers
Management: Power dynamic
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Who controls what
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Who has the final say
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â—‹What is there to stop certain ppl or groups from doing something stupid
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Enhancement
Governance
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Co-management
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Sharing responsibilities
Everything stems from governance
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Governance does not solely refer to government structures, it includes laws, regulations, institutions, formal and informal arrangements and other decision-making systems and processes that direct resource use
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When we’re thinking of creating any PA it’s essential to understand the limitations and benefits of the governance structure in charge of each type of PA
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There’s so many kinds of PA's and conservation strategies, however a common theme in the literature is that co-management; is the most powerful kind
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Holistic, well-rounded perspective, decentralize power, give power to local people who understand the lands/waters the best
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Employ the correct governance and everything else will fall into place
Good Governance
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Nature, the people & livelihood
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Offset negative impacts
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Create what you can manage, administer & enforce
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Community involvement
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Collaborate beyond boundaries
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Alternatives
Useful types
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Sometimes you have to report OECM and IPCA to CPCAD to get funding but you may be able to create one without reporting
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â—‹Not necessary to report, but is helpful to legally protect an area
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â—‹If no one knows about it, they’re going to be more likely to plan for development
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The reporting gives the government access to the boundaries which they may report
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Chisasibi
CERRI’s work so far
Studies
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Protected areas
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Water contamination
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Risks from transport on the Bay
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Meat quality
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Eelgrass
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Geese
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Applying for funding