Implementation Report: Multi-species Action Plan for Gwaii Haanas National Park Reserve, National Marine Conservation Area Reserve and Haida Heritage Site (2016-2021)

On this page

• Preface
• Acknowledgments
• Executive Summary
• 1. Context
• 2. Implementation of the action plan
• 3. Ecological impacts
• 4. Socio-economic impacts

Preface

The federal, provincial, and territorial government signatories under the Accord for the Protection of Species at Risk (1996)^{Footnote 2} agreed to establish complementary legislation and programs that provide for effective protection of species at risk throughout Canada. Under the Species at Risk Act (S.C. 2002, c.29) (SARA), action plans outline measures that will be taken to implement recovery strategies for SARA-listed Extirpated, Endangered and Threatened species. Parks Canada's multi-species action plans address a suite of species of conservation concern within one or more Parks Canada managed areas, including species that require an action plan under SARA.

The Minister responsible for the Parks Canada Agency (the Minister of the Environment and Climate Change) is the competent minister under SARA for species found in Gwaii Haanas National Park Reserve, National Marine Conservation Area Reserve, and Haida Heritage Site, and in 2016 published the Multi-species Action Plan for Gwaii Haanas National Park Reserve, National Marine Conservation Area Reserve, and Haida Heritage Site.

Under section 55 of SARA, the competent minister must monitor the implementation of an action plan and the progress towards meeting its objectives, and assess and report on its implementation and its ecological and socio-economic impacts five years after the action plan comes into effect. A copy of the report must be included in the Species at Risk Public Registry. The Minister responsible for the Parks Canada Agency has prepared this Implementation Report: Multi-species Action Plan for Gwaii Haanas National Park Reserve, National Marine Conservation Area Reserve, and Haida Heritage Site (2016-2021).

The achievement of population and distribution objectives identified within the recovery strategy or management plan for a species may require a long time frame. In these cases, a five-year reporting window may not be sufficient to show demonstrable progress towards meeting site-based population and distribution objectives identified for that species within a Parks Canada site-based action plan. Parks Canada monitors, evaluates and, as necessary, adapts measures taken to achieve species survival or recovery, and will report on progress towards meeting site-based population and distribution objectives every five years.

Acknowledgments

Parks Canada and management partners in Gwaii Haanas, Council of the Haida Nation and Fisheries and Oceans Canada, would like to acknowledge those who have contributed to implementation of the Multi-species Action Plan for Gwaii Haanas National Park Reserve, National Marine Conservation Area Reserve, and Haida Heritage Site on Haida traditional territory.

Haawa, Haaw'aa, thank you, to key partners who contributed to implementation of the plan for marine SAR, including the Haida Nation and DFO management partners, particularly the Haida Fisheries Program, Haida Marine Planning Program, DFO Ocean Science Division and Cetacean Research Program; other local members of the Haida Gwaii Marine Stewardship Group including Laskeek Bay Conservation Society, Skidegate Band Council, and Old Massett Village Council; academic partners in the Chiix̱uu tll iinasdll Nurturing Seafood to Grow kelp restoration project, including Florida State University, University of Oregon, University of New Brunswick, and University of British Columbia; the OceanWise Pollution Tracker Program. Key partners for terrestrial SAR include University of British Columbia; ECCC's Canadian Wildlife Service; and Watchmen and tour operators for contributing local knowledge and SAR sightings. Special thanks to all the good people on Haida Gwaii and from away who come to Gwaii Haanas to experience, learn about, share in, and contribute to recovery of SAR in many ways. We are able to know more and do more good for Species at Risk because of all of you!

Executive Summary

This document reports on implementation of the Multi-species Action Plan for Gwaii Haanas National Park Reserve, National Marine Conservation Area Reserve, and Haida Heritage Site between 2016 and 2021. It reports on implementation of measures identified in the plan, assesses progress towards meeting site-based population and distribution objectives, and evaluates socio-economic impacts.

Species addressed^{Footnote 3}
The action plan addressed 40 SARA-listed species and one species of conservation concern. Recovery actions and population and distribution objectives were focused on five species for which Gwaii Haanas could have the largest impact on species recovery: Northern Saw-Whet Owl, Ancient Murrelet, Cassin's Auklet, Little Brown Myotis and Keens Myotis, and Northern Abalone.

Implementation of the action plan
20 measures (recovery actions) were identified in the multi-species action plan. Implementation of the action plan is assessed by determining progress towards completing each measure, and is outlined in Section 2 of this report. During the five-year period, all 20 measures were initiated^{Footnote 5} and 16 were completed. As resources and/or partnerships became available to support the work, an additional 3 measures identified in the action plan were completed.

Ecological impacts
5 site-based, population and distribution objectives (PDOs) were developed in the action plan. Ecological impacts are assessed by measuring progress towards achieving each of the site-based population and distribution objectives and are outlined in Section 3. Progress was made on all objectives^{Footnote 6} including 4 that were fully achieved.

Socio-economic Impacts
Direct costs of implementing this action plan were borne by Parks Canada. Indirect costs were minimal. Benefits included improved park ecological integrity, greater species awareness and enhanced engagement of visitors, local communities and Indigenous groups.

1. Context

This document reports on implementation of the Multi-species Action Plan for Gwaii Haanas National Park Reserve, National Marine Conservation Area Reserve, and Haida Heritage Site^{Footnote 7} between 2016-2021 on lands and waters in Gwaii Haanas, assesses the progress towards meeting its population and distribution objectives, and evaluates its ecological and socio-economic impacts. It addresses 41 species, including 7 Endangered, and 10 Threatened species (which legally require SARA action plans once a recovery strategy is finalized) and 23 Special Concern SARA-listed species^{Footnote 8}. It also includes other species such as one species of conservation concern. Many of these species are also culturally significant species for the Haida.

Recovery actions were focused on five species for which Gwaii Haanas could have the largest impact on recovery, including: Northern Saw-Whet Owl, Ancient Murrelet, Cassin's Auklet, Little Brown Myotis and Keens Myotis, and Northern Abalone.

2. Implementation of the action plan

Implementation of the Multi-species Action Plan for Gwaii Haanas is assessed by measuring progress towards completing the recovery measures identified in the action plan (Table 1). See original action plan for threats and recovery measures addressed by each measure.

In 2020 there were several restrictions put in place at Gwaii Haanas to combat the spread of COVID-19, including temporary restriction of park management activities. This has affected the ability of the park to complete the implementation of some parts of the action plan.

Additional measures were identified in the action plan that would be completed should resources become available within the five-year timeframe. Table 2 describes the actions that Gwaii Haanas was able to initiate during 2016-2021. Measures from the action plan that were not completed or initiated will be carried forward for consideration in a revised action plan.
Table 2. Progress towards completing additional recovery measures implemented because partnerships and/or resources became available. Progress is influenced by the amount of funding / support received; "*" indicates an ongoing measure that may continue into a future multi-species action plan.

3. Ecological impacts

Ecological impacts of the action plan are assessed by measuring progress towards meeting the site-based population and distribution objectives described in the action plan (Table 3). See the original action plan for National Population and Distribution Objectives (where available) and General Information and Broad Park Approach for each species.

4. Socio-economic impacts

The Species at Risk Act requires the responsible federal minister to report on the socio-economic costs of the multi-species action plan (MSAP) and the benefits derived from its implementation. The MSAP only applies to protected lands and waters under the authority of the Parks Canada Agency, which are often subject to fewer threats (e.g., industrial activities) compared to other areas as the lands are managed to preserve ecological and commemorative integrity. This section does not include socio-economic impacts of existing permitted activities that may be occurring in Parks Canada places as those have been addressed through other processes (e.g., impact assessments). This socio-economic assessment is narrow in scope, as it is focused on the measures implemented within the action plan, and primarily focuses on Indigenous partners, leaseholders, licensees, residents and visitors. The overall socio-economic impacts of the MSAP for Gwaii Haanas, described as costs and benefits, are outlined below.

Costs

Most costs to implement this action plan were borne by Parks Canada out of existing salaries and goods and services dollars. This includes incremental salary costs, materials, equipment, and contracting of professional services for measures outlined in the action plan in Appendices C1, C2, D1 and D2. No major socio-economic costs to partners, stakeholders or Indigenous groups resulted from this action plan. Additional costs were provided by Environment Canada, Canadian Wildlife Service who provided in-kind time and leadership to implement seabird monitoring and research, which met some of our objectives listed in this action plan.

Additional costs and in-kind ship time, staff time and expertise from the DFO Ocean Science Division and Cetacean Research Program facilitated successful implementation of marine species at risk measures related to key threats. Additional funding to the Council of the Haida Nation's Haida Fisheries Program from the federal Habitat Stewardship Program (HSP) for Aquatic Species at Risk and federal Aboriginal Fund for Species at Risk (AFSAR) supported collaborative community-based work of the Haida Gwaii Marine Stewardship Group on marine SAR outreach and education, and abalone research.

The proposed action plan measures were integrated into the operational management of Gwaii Haanas and there were no new costs. Additional funding from the PCA SAR Action Plan Implementation Fund, Conservation and Restoration project funding, and Applied Science Fund facilitated enhanced work on marine species at risk, specifically Northern Abalone and addressing key threats from ocean noise and changing ocean conditions related to climate change.

The action plan applies only to lands and waters in Gwaii Haanas, and did not bring any restrictions to resource use outside the sites. As such, this action plan placed no additional socio-economic costs on the public. However, some minor restrictions were placed on visitors. Superintendent orders were used to limit access to islands with dense colonies of Ancient Murrelet and Cassin's Auklet to protect these fragile sites. On occasion, visitor access to specific sites were temporarily restricted during larger biosecurity operations that employed the use of poison or firearms. Visitors and tour operators must follow federal Marine Mammal Regulations and were asked to follow best practises guidelines for interactions with whales and other marine mammals, as well as federal fishing regulations and zoning.

Benefits

Potential economic benefits of the recovery of the species at risk found in these sites cannot be easily quantified, as many of the values derived from wildlife are non-market commodities that are difficult to appraise in financial terms. Wildlife, in all its forms, has value in and of itself, and is valued by Canadians for aesthetic, cultural, spiritual, recreational, educational, historical, economic, medical, ecological and scientific reasons. The conservation of wildlife at risk is an important component of the Government of Canada's commitment to conserving biological diversity, and is important to Canada's current and future economic and natural wealth.

Measures presented in the action plan for Gwaii Haanas contributed to meeting recovery strategy objectives for threatened and endangered species, and also contributed to meeting management objectives for species of special concern. These measures are expected to have an overall positive impact on ecological integrity, ecological sustainability, and enhance opportunities for appreciation of the sites and the species by visitors and the general public.

These measures had an overall positive impact on ecological integrity and ecological sustainability, and contributed to efforts to increase visitor and public awareness. For marine species, partnerships are critical for working towards recovery of species at risk due to the interconnected and multi-jurisdictional nature of marine systems, in addition to the high cost of some specialized equipment and research vessels required to do specific work. For example, working with DFO management partners facilitates access to large marine research vessels and expertise not otherwise available to Gwaii Haanas. This partnership enables annual deployment and retrieval of expensive oceanographic monitoring instrumentation and hydrophones, some of which belong to DFO and others to Gwaii Haanas.

Working with our cooperative management partners, the Council of the Haida Nation and DFO, we are able to collect data on the current status of Sea Otter distribution and abundance in Gwaii Haanas, as well as determine trends in the Northern Abalone population in Gwaii Haanas. With our management partners, we actively work together on stewardship, education and outreach activities that foster the recovery of marine species at risk through on-going work of the Haida Gwaii Marine Stewardship Group. Promoting active engagement of visitors and tour operators in interpretative programs and recovery activities such as marine debris clean-up resulted in increased awareness of marine species at risk issues and reporting on their sightings.

Summary

The measures proposed in the action plan had limited socio-economic impact and placed no restrictions on land outside the boundary of the National Park Reserve, or in waters outside the boundary of the National Marine Conservation Area Reserve. Direct costs of implementing this action plan were borne primarily by Parks Canada, with some costs of activities borne by management partners, Council of the Haida Nation and Fisheries and Oceans Canada. Indirect costs were minimal, while benefits included positive impacts on ecological integrity, ecological sustainability, greater awareness of species and enhanced opportunities for engagement of visitors, local communities and Haida Nation in the cooperatively managed Gwaii Haanas National Park Reserve, National Marine Conservation Area Reserve, and Haida Heritage Site.

Date modified :

2022-06-10