The Quatsino Sound
Coastal Plan
Plan
Overview
New Approach to Coastal Planning
• Coastal zone planning & policy a profile
program within MSRM
• Coast & Marine Planning Branch (CMPB)
to conduct plans for / with regional offices
• CMPB sets program standards & is
responsible for interagency coastal policy
• CMPB consists of 3 resource & land use
specialists & planners & 1 office assistant
Types of Coastal Plans
Two basic types of provincial coastal planning
projects on Crown foreshore & nearshore:
• Multiple Opportunity Coastal Plans (MCPs):
direction for a full range of uses & related issues
• Issue Resolution Coastal Plans (IRCPs):
resolving specific conflicts or issues associated
with coastal land use and activities
Plan Area
Coal
Harbour
Holberg
Winter
Harbour
Quatsino
Mahatta
River
Quatsino
Sound
Port
Alice
Plan Rationale
• Identified by Vancouver Island Summary
Land Use Plan as a priority planning area
• Economic declines due to forestry and
commercial fishing downturns
• Aquaculture development and associated
increase in conflict and competition
Plan Approach
• Plan for provincial foreshore (inter tidal)
and near shore “inland waters”
• Complete Plan within 1 year
• Conduct efficient consultative process
• Process to be led by government
Plan Outcome:
Development and Conservation
• Provide a balanced planning outcome
• Identify & enhance sustainable
development opportunities for coastal
communities & First Nations
• Identify marine conservation & protection
opportunities
Scope of Provincial Planning
• Does not address matters of Federal
jurisdiction
• Does not address offshore oil and gas, or
major energy projects
• Provides a “coarse filter” for future Crown
land applications
• Does not eliminate the need for referrals
or site-specific information
Consultation Approach
• Agreement with DFO Central Coast to
collaborate on joint product development
• Participation agreements with Regional District
and Quatsino First Nation
• Input from public advisory group established to
represent local interests
• Meetings & consultation with federal and
provincial agencies, industry & stakeholder
groups
• Formal review by Quatsino First Nation,
Regional District
Planning Unit Approach
• Area divided into smaller planning units
• Units assessed for values, current uses and
selected capabilities
• Possible uses rated for acceptability
• Management provisions developed as
necessary
• Unit assigned a management “emphasis”
• Unit map showing values, uses and capability
informs proponents and agency staff while
directing development to preferred areas
Plan Structure:
Planning Units
Based on
• Marine Eco Units
• Distribution of
Biological
Resources
• Existing Use
and Activity
Patterns
Results in
15 Discrete
Planning Units
Distribution & Abundance of Ecological Features
Substrate Temperature
0%
10%
20%
30%
Attribute Category
40%
50%
60%
70%
80%
90%
Cold (<9°C)
Warm (9-15°C)
Hard
Mud
Sand
Unknown
Sloping (5-20°)
Steep (>20°)
Relief
Low
Medium
Exposure
High
Current
Relative Abundance
Slope
Flat (0-5°)
Low (Fetch <50km)
Medium (Fetch 50-500km)
High (Fetch >500km)
Low (Max <3knots)
High (Max >3knots
Depth
Shallow (0-20m)
Photic (20-50m)
Mid-depth (50-200m)
Deep (200-1000m)
Abyssal (>1000m)
Pacific Ecozone
Pacific Shelf and Mountains
Vancouver Island Shelf
Quatsino Sound CPA
100%
Distribution & Abundance of Ecological Features
(QSPA)
Temperature
Relative Abundance (%)
0%
10%
20%
Substrate
50%
Mud
60%
Relief
Exposure
Current
80%
90%
100%
88.81%
48.19%
11.19%
16.89%
51.81%
46.31%
50.29%
21.95%
10.95%
0.00%
78.05%
40.01%
Sand
46.54%
2.73%
92.18%
Flat (0-5°)
99.80%
40.21%
7.82%
Sloping (5-20°)
0.20%
59.79%
74.68%
73.01%
Low
86.26%
Medium
High
Low (Fetch <50km)
13.74%
22.71%
24.22%
2.37%
2.76%
0.00%
13.16%
0.00%
93.82%
86.84%
High (Fetch >500km)
100.00%
6.18%
99.97%
99.97%
100.00%
Low (Max <3knots)
High (Max >3knots
Shallow (0-20m)
Depth
70%
83.11%
Warm (9-15°C)
Unknown
Slope
40%
Cold (<9°C)
Hard
Attribute Category
30%
Photic (20-50m)
Mid-depth (50-200m)
0.03%
0.03%
5.56%
6.46%
Quatsino Sound CPA
0.00%
19.65%
18.13%
Outer Coast
28.93%
74.79%
75.41%
71.07%
Inner Sound
Physical Shore
Unit Mapping
Distribution and Abundance of Shore Types:
100%
90%
Sand Flat
80%
Sand Beach
Sand & Gravel Flat
70%
Relative Abundance
Sand & Gravel Beach
60%
50%
Rock w/ Sand Beach
Rock w/ Sand & Gravel
Beach
Rock w/ Gravel Beach
Rock Platform
40%
Rock Cliff
Mud Flat
30%
Man-made
Gravel Flats
20%
Gravel Beach
Estuary/Wetlands
10%
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Channel
Coastal Habitat
Mapping
Plan Structure:
Menu of Coastal Uses
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Shellfish Beach & Deepwater Aquaculture
Marine Plant Aquaculture
Finfish Aquaculture
Marine Residential
Floating Lodges & Base Camps
Boat Launches
Commercial Recreation Guiding
Log Booming Grounds
Log Handling Facilities
Helicopter Log Drops
Private Residential Moorage
Light Public/Commercial/Industrial Docks, Wharves & Facilities
Heavy Public/Commercial/Industrial Docks, Wharves & Facilities
Marine Telecommunications & Utilities
Conservation
Plan Structure:
Acceptable Use Codes
• Acceptable: The use is considered acceptable
and appropriate. Applications should be
accepted for processing and evaluation
• Conditionally Acceptable: New applications
should be accepted only if they meet the terms
of relevant Management Provisions.
• Not Acceptable Applications should not be
accepted for processing and evaluation.
Plan Structure:
Management Provisions & Emphasis
• Management Provisions identify specific
requirements or issues to be addressed
Limit uses to specific levels or to identified areas
Direct development to avoid disturbance of important
habitat
Avoid alienation of sites important to existing activities
Direct conditions for mandatory referrals to agencies
• Management Emphasis provides a “flavour” of
each unit & its management intent:
Conservation Emphasis
Recreation Emphasis
Community Emphasis
General Marine Emphasis
Unit 5 Quatsino
Description
•
Located at the eastern end of Quatsino Sound proper, the shoreline of this unit extends 44.4 km, includes the community of
Quatsino and encompasses a marine area of 2385 ha. The unit is bounded to the south by Drake Island. The shoreline is primarily
sand or sand and gravel beaches, the majority of these overlying rock platforms and ramps.
Ecounit Profile
Ecounit Type: C
Substrate
Exposure
Current
Roughness
Slope
Depth
Benthic Summer Temp
Sensitive/Critical Habitat
PFMD: 27-8, 11
hard
low (0 – 50 km)
low (<3kn)
low
sloping (5-20%)
mid-depth (50-200m)
warm (9-15°C)
Unit Attributes
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
CWS confirmed area of use by migratory birds. Hecate Cove provides
fall and winter habitat for grebes, gulls and diving ducks. Pamphlet
Cove provides very high value spring habitat for mergansers.
3 salmon streams: chum, coho, pink
Kelp: 168 ha (RI:3)
Clam beds: 76 ha. Littleneck, manila, unknown (Bio RI:1,2,4; NF
RI:0,2; Rec RI:1,2,3; Comm;0,2)
Urchin bed: 17 ha (RI:3)
Sea cucumber habitat
Red/blue listed species: (3) Cross Island, Ildstad Island, Quatsino The
adjacent upland is habitat of the provincially red-listed Common Water
Shrew (Brooksi ssp) and the blue-listed ermine (Anguinaessp)
•
•
•
•
•
The marine benthos east of Drake Island and in the vicinity of Ilstad
Islands provide habitat for the blue-listed giant swimming scaleworm
Extensive eagle nesting sites
Adjacent protected areas: Marble River Provincial Park
Finfish aquaculture opportunity: OA2 (approx 455 ha))
Shellfish deepwater aquaculture opportunity: good oyster throughout,
scallop potential limited to Hecate Cove (approx 1697ha oysters,
102ha scallops)
Shellfish beach aquaculture opportunity: very limited medium potential
oyster, very limited good potential clam (approx 2ha oyster, 0.5ha
clam)
First Nations
• IR1 Quattishe
Current Uses & Activities
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Prawn harvest: 45 ha (RI:3)
Recreational fishing: Quatsino Narrows
Submerged cable: Evenson Point – east of Jesdal Islet
Public wharf: Bergh Cove
Commercial/private docks and piers: Bergh Cove, Hecate Cove
Quatsino Boat yard: Hecate Cove
Recreational boating, canoe/kayaking
Issues and Concerns
•
Ilstad Islands are a local camping area.
•
Traditional Uses
•
•
•
•
•
•
Pamphlet Cove Boat Haven: 7.9 ha
UREP: Drake Island
Rural residential: 3
Log handling, storage and infrastructure: (1)
Private moorage (1)
The foreshore adjacent to the community of Quatsino is subject to
local zoning by Mount Waddington Regional District (bylaw 670)
Coastal Management Goals
•
Acceptable Uses and Activities
Tenured Uses
X
X
X
X
X
X
Π
Π
Shellfish Beach Aquaculture
Shellfish Deepwater Aquaculture
Finfish Aquaculture
Marine Plant Aquaculture
Marine Residential
Floating Lodges and Base Camps
Boat Launch
Commercial Recreation Guiding
Non-Tenured Activities
P
First Nations Use
P
Commercial Fisheries
Code
O
X
P
A
O
O
Π
Π
Π
O
Π
Π
Log Booming Ground
Log Handling Facilities
Helicopter Log Drops
Private Residential Moorage
Light Public/Commercial/Industrial Docks, Wharves and Facilities
Heavy Public/Commercial/Industrial Docks, Wharves and Facilities
Marine Telecommunications and Utilities
Conservation
P
P
Public Recreation
Marine Transportation
Acceptable. The use is considered acceptable and appropriate. Applications for this use should be accepted for processing and evaluation.
Acceptance of an application does not guarantee that a tenure will be approved.
Conditionally Acceptable. The use is considered conditionally acceptable. New applications for this use should be accepted for processing
and evaluation only if they meet the terms of relevant Management Provisions in the Plan.
Not Acceptable. The use is considered inappropriate. Applications for this use should not be accepted for processing and ev
The non-tenured activity is present and ongoing in the Planning Unit
The non-tenured activity is absent from the Planning Unit
Management Provisions
•
•
•
•
Management Emphasis – Community This unit should be managed to maintain the rural residential quality of the Quatsino village settlement while providing
opportunities for complementary development
Uses should conform to the Mount Waddington Regional District Zoning Bylaw 670, where applicable.
Commercial and industrial use applications within the unit should be referred to CWS.
Licences or permits for commercial recreation guiding use of this unit are conditional on operating practices that follow established guidelines and / or performance
based standards for minimizing impacts on bird colonies and migratory bird habitat.
Required Action
•
Maintain Pamphlet Cove boat haven as a Notation of Interest under the Land Act in favour of WLAP
Log handling, booming potential on Drake Island – access issues, discuss with industry
Need to address overlap of recreational use with areas of significant historic use and cultural sensitivity to Quatsino FN
Environmental Implications
General Approach to Environmental Risk
Assessment for Individual Planning Units
Identify and
rate VECs
Identify & rate existing
& potential tenures
Assess vulnerability of
VECs to tenure types
Aggregate to determine overall threat to VECs on
a unit by unit basis and for the Plan as a whole
Compare existing risks and
benefits with those from the Plan
Examine other contributing risk and benefit factors such as adjacency
issues, management provisions & conservation area assessment
Unit Environmental Assessment
Rating scheme for Valued Environmental
Components
Valued
Environmental
Component
Measurement
Kelp beds
# hectares/bed
1 = 0 - < 200 ha
2 = 200 - < 400 ha
3 = > 400 ha
# hectares/bed
1 = 0 - < 50 ha
2 = 50 - < 100 ha
3 = > 100 ha
Clam beaches
Salmon streams
Birds
Marine Mammals
(seals , sea lions,
sea otters)
Rating
# salmonid streams
1 = 0 -< 10 streams
2 = 10 -<20 streams
3 = > 20 streams
Presence
3 = CWS area of
interest
Presence
3 = occurrence of
haul out sites
Rating scheme for tenure acceptability codes
Land Tenure Acceptability
Code
Existing
Tenures
Rating
Use Inappropriate (X)
0
0
Use should be limited to current
)
levels of use. (
0
0
)
Use conditionally acceptable (
< 10
1
Use acceptable and appropriate
()
10 - <20
2
> 20
3
Rating scheme for tenure acceptability codes
Rating
Unit risk total
Low
< 100
Moderate
100 - < 200
High
>= 200
Example of Environmental Assessment Unit 5: Quatsino
VECs Kelp
(K)
Clam
(C)
Salmon
(S)
Birds
(B)
Marine
Mammals
(M)
Shellfish Beach Aquaculture
1
21
1
1
1
Shellfish Deepwater Aquaculture
1
21
1
1
1
Finfish Aquaculture
1
1
22
23
24
Marine Plant Aquaculture
1
1
1
25
25
Marine Residential
36
36
36
36
36
Floating Lodges and Base Camps
1
1
1
1
37
Boat Launch
1
1
1
1
1
Comm. Recreation-Guiding
18
1
1
27
27
Log Booming Grounds
29
1
1
1
1
Log Handling
29
1
1
1
1
Helicopter Log Drops
1
1
1
1
1
Private Residential Moorage
210
1
1
1
1
Light Public/Commercial/Industrial
Docks, Wharves and Facilities
211
211
211
211
211
Heavy Public/Commercial/Industrial
Docks, Wharves and Facilities
311
311
311
311
311
Marine Telecommunications &
Utilities
212
212
1
1
1
Tenured Activities Unit
5
Emphasis
Community
Existing Environmental Risk
Habitat VECs
Species VECs
29
35
Notes on specific interactions:
1.
Siting criteria prohibit overlap, but potential impact on natural beds from
broadcasting.
2.
1 km separation distance required, but potential for larger scale impact due
to escapement.
3.
No separation distance required and potential impact to birds being attracted
to sites.
4.
Although management provisions in place, no separation distance is
required.
5.
No siting criteria and potential for birds and marine mammals to be disturbed
by activity.
6.
No siting criteria required and potential significant impact from physical
structures, waste discharges and disturbance to birds and marine mammals.
7.
No siting criteria and potential impact due to disturbance.
8.
No siting criteria and potential impact from underwater recreation activities
such as diving.
9.
No separation distance or specific management provisions and potential
impacts could result from woody debris.
10.
Siting criteria prohibit overlap, but potential impact from affecting water flow
and sedimentation patterns.
11.
No siting criteria required and potential impact from physical structures or
from affecting water flow and sedimentation patterns.
12.
No siting criteria required and potential impact from physical structures.
Potential interactions were rated on a scale from 0 to 3 as follows:
0 = There is likely no interaction between VEC and activity
1 = Siting criteria and other mitigation measures reduce impact considerably or VEC
has limited sensitivity to activity.
2 = Siting criteria apply but there is residual impact, or no siting criteria apply and
VEC is moderately sensitive to the activity.
Plan Environmental Risk
Habitat VECs Species VECs
55
73
Residual Risk Class
Habitat VECs
Species VECs
26(Low)
38 (Low)
Aggregate
64 (Low)