For years, the people of the Kitasoo/Xai’xais First Nation watched over their waters and waited. They had spent nearly two decades working with Canada’s federal government to negotiate protections for Kitasu Bay, an area off the coast of British Columbia that was vulnerable to overfishing.

But the discussions never seemed to go anywhere. First, they broke down over pushback from the fishing industry, then over a planned oil tanker route directly through Kitasoo/Xai’xais waters.

“We were getting really frustrated with the federal government. They kept jumping onboard and then pulling out,” says Douglas Neasloss, the chief councillor and resource stewardship director of the Kitasoo/Xai’xais First Nation. “Meanwhile, we’d been involved in marine planning for 20 years – and we still had no protected areas.”

Instead, the nation watched as commercial overfishing decimated the fish populations its people had relied on for thousands of years.

Nestled on the west coast of Swindle Island, approximately 500km north of Vancouver, Kitasu Bay is home to a rich array of marine life: urchins and abalone populate the intertidal pools, salmon swim in the streams and halibut take shelter in the deep waters. In March, herring return to spawn in the eelgrass meadows and kelp forests, nourishing humpback whales, eagles, wolves and bears.

“Kitasu Bay is the most important area for the community – that’s where we get all of our food,” Neasloss says. “It’s one of the last areas where you still get a decent spawn of herring.”

So in December 2021, when the Department of Fisheries and Oceans withdrew from discussions once again, the nation decided to act. “My community basically said, ‘We’re tired of waiting. Let’s take it upon ourselves to do something about it,’” Neasloss says.

What they did was unilaterally declare the creation of a new marine protected area (MPA). In June 2022, the nation set aside 33.5 sq km near Laredo Sound as the new Gitdisdzu Lugyeks (Kitasu Bay) MPA – closing the waters of the bay to commercial and sport fishing.

It is a largely unprecedented move. While other marine protected areas in Canada fall under the protection of the federal government through the Oceans Act, Kitasu Bay is the first to be declared under Indigenous law, under the jurisdiction and authority of the Kitasoo/Xai’xais First Nation.

Pictured: "In some ways, I hope someone challenges us" … the Kitasoo/Xai’xais stewardship authority.

Although they did not wait for government approval, the Kitasoo did consult extensively: the declaration was accompanied by a draft management plan, finalised in October after three months of consultation with industry and community stakeholders. But the government did not provide feedback during that period, according to Neasloss, beyond an acknowledgment that it had received the plan...

Approximately 95% of British Columbia is unceded: most First Nations in the province of British Columbia never signed treaties giving up ownership of their lands and waters to the crown. This puts them in a unique position to assert their rights and title, according to Neasloss, who hopes other First Nations will be inspired to take a similarly proactive approach to conservation...

Collaboration remains the goal, and Neasloss points to a landmark agreement between the Haida nation and the government in 1988 to partner in conserving the Gwaii Haanas archipelago, despite both parties asserting their sovereignty over it. A similar deal was made in 2010 for the region’s 3,400 sq km Gwaii Haanas national marine conservation area.

“They found a way to work together, which is pretty exciting,” says Neasloss. “And I think there may be more Indigenous protected areas that are overlaid with something else.”

-via The Guardian, 5/3/23

Eine kuratierte Auswahl an umweltfreundlichen Wildtiertouren, bei denen der Tierschutz ganz oben auf der Agenda steht Wir sind gerade von einem unglaublichen Tauchausflug im Great Barrier Reef zurückgekehrt und haben aus erster Hand gesehen, wie wichtig es ist, umweltfreundliche Wildtiertouren zu wählen, um die Umweltauswirkungen unserer Reisen zu minimieren. Wir haben immer behauptet, dass Touristen in der Lage sein sollten, gefährdete Orte zu besuchen, solange sie dies auf nachhaltige Weise tun. Natürlich ist kein Tourismus wirkungsfrei. Erst letzten Monat hat ein Wachmann eines Kreuzfahrtschiffes in Norwegen auf tragische Weise einen Eisbären erschossen. Bei der Auswahl umweltfreundlicher Wildtiertouren ist es wichtig, Entscheidungen auf der Grundlage dessen zu treffen, was für die Tiere am besten ist. Touren sollten immer Abstand zu Wildtieren halten und die Interaktion auf ein Minimum beschränken. Es ist äußerst wichtig, dass ethische Richtlinien eingehalten werden. Die einzige Möglichkeit, dies wirklich zu gewährleisten, besteht darin, akkreditierte Betreiber einzusetzen, die wirklich durch die Sorge um die Umwelt und den Tierschutz motiviert sind. Manchmal kann dies bedeuten, dass Sie mehr bezahlen. Wir haben eine Handvoll umweltfreundlicher Wildtiertouren aus der ganzen Welt ausgewählt, die die Möglichkeit bieten, eine Reihe von Wildtieren in verschiedenen Umgebungen zu sehen. Kreuzfahrt mit kleinen Schiffen in Spitzbergen, Norwegen Dauer: 4 TagePreis: $1.800Weitere Informationen: Magnetic North Travel magnetischer Nordpol Vor der S/V Linden schwimmt ein Walross an Land Die Philosophie von Magnetic North basiert auf der norwegischen Idee von „Friluftsliv“, was übersetzt „Leben in freier Luft“ bedeutet. Ihre Reisen – basierend auf einer tiefen Synthese zwischen Natur und Menschen – spiegeln genau das wider. Zur Feier des diesjährigen World Oceans Day hat Magnetic North seine bevorzugten umweltfreundlichen Meerestiertouren ausgewählt, darunter diese kleine Schiffskreuzfahrt nach Spitzbergen. An Bord der S/V Linden, einem dreimastigen Holzschoner, erkunden Kunden Spitzbergens weite Fjorde, gletscherbedeckte Küsten, abgelegene Berge und einzigartige Wildtiere, darunter Eisbären (immer aus der Ferne), Walrosse und den Polarfuchs. Spitzbergen ist die größte Insel des Svalbard-Archipels und liegt tief innerhalb des Polarkreises. Great Bear Rainforest, Kanada Dauer: 5 TagePreis: $3.860 USDWeitere Informationen: Magnetic North Travel magnetischer Nordpol Der Geisterbär kommt fast ausschließlich im Great Bear Rainforest vor Der Kermodebär (auch Geisterbär genannt) ist weder Albino noch Eisbär, sondern eine weiße Variante des nordamerikanischen Schwarzbären. Sie kommt fast ausschließlich im Great Bear Rainforest in British Columbia in Kanada vor. Die Spirit Bear Lodge ist ein gemeinschaftsbasiertes Ökotourismus-Unternehmen, das den Kitasoo/Xai'xais First Nations gehört und von ihnen betrieben wird, die das Gebiet seit Generationen bewohnen. Das in einem Archipel an der Westküste Kanadas gelegene Reiseziel ist ideal, um Wildtiere zu beobachten. Besucher können damit rechnen, Grizzlybären, Buckelwale, Wölfe, Pumas und natürlich den schwer fassbaren Geisterbären zu sehen. Indien-Tiger-Quest Dauer: 7 TagePreis: $6.795 USDWeitere Informationen: Natural Habitat Adventures Traumzeit Ranthambore ist der beste Ort der Welt, um Tiger zu beobachten Natural Habitat Adventures – oder NatHab – war das weltweit erste vollständig CO2-neutrale Reiseunternehmen und ist exklusiver Reisepartner des World Wildlife Fund. Daher wissen die Kunden, dass ihr Geld dazu beiträgt, die Zukunft gefährdeter Naturgebiete zu sichern und zu verändern. Der beste Ort der Welt, um Tiger zu beobachten, ist Indiens wichtigstes Ziel für Tigersafaris im Ranthambore-Nationalpark im dichten Dschungel im Südosten von Rajasthan. Die Reiseroute von NatHab ist strategisch auf den Frühsommer in Indien abgestimmt, wenn die Besucher weniger und Tiger weniger schwer zu fassen sind.

In den wärmeren Monaten zieht es die Tiger auf der Suche nach Wasser ins Freie Neben den prächtigen bengalischen Tigern ist es auch möglich, Wildtiere wie Lippenbären, Leoparden, Sambar, Chital, Langur-Affen, Pythons und mehr zu beobachten. Galápagos Wander- und Kajakabenteuer Dauer: 10 TagePreis: $6.495 USDWeitere Informationen: Natural Habitat Adventures Traumzeit Meerechsen sind auf den Galápagos-Inseln endemisch Wir haben die Galápagos-Inseln in Ecuador im Jahr 2014 besucht, als wir mit kleinem Budget gereist sind. Wir würden gerne eines Tages zurückkehren und die Inseln vom Boden und vom Meeresspiegel aus mit NatHab erkunden, die eine spezielle Paddelerlaubnis für den Galápagos-Nationalpark besitzen. Die Basis für die Reise ist ein gecharterter Segelkatamaran, der sich über Nacht zwischen den Ankerplätzen bewegt, was bedeutet, dass die Kunden den ganzen Tag Zeit haben, um die verschiedenen Inseln zu erkunden. Jeder Tag bringt eine neue Insel mit Baltra, Isla Lobos, San Cristobal, Española, Floreana, Santa Cruz und Bartolome auf die Reiseroute. Da die Galápagos-Inseln eine Fülle endemischer Arten wie Riesenschildkröten, Meeresleguane, Galápagos-Pinguine, Pelzrobben, Fregattvögel und Blaufußtölpel beherbergen, gibt es viel zu tun, um Naturliebhaber zu beschäftigen. Wildnis von Borneo, Malaysia Dauer: 12 TagePreis: $9.595 USDWeitere Informationen: Natural Habitat Adventures Traumzeit Orang-Utans leben in den dichten Regenwäldern von Borneo NatHabs beschreiben ihre Reise zur drittgrößten Insel der Welt (und der größten in Asien) als „Suche nach seltenen und bedrohten Wildtieren im ältesten Regenwald der Welt“. Eine weitere Untersuchung ihrer Reiseroute beweist, dass dies ziemlich genau ist. Tief auf der Insel Borneo liegt der höchste und älteste Regenwald der Erde. Hier, geschützt unter dem dichten Blätterdach des Waldes, gedeiht das Leben in Form von gefährdeten Orang-Utans, Blattaffen, wilden Gibbons, fliegenden Lemuren, Leoparden und mehr als 300 lebhaften Vogelarten. Antarktis, Südgeorgien und die Falklandinseln Dauer: 24 Tage Preis: 23.990 USD Weitere Informationen: Lindblad Expeditions Traumzeit Pinguine können zu Hunderttausenden gesehen werden Als Partner des WWF und Natural Habitat Adventures arbeitet Lindblad Expeditions auch eng mit der National Geographic Society zusammen, um Kunden nachhaltige und umweltfreundliche Wildtiertouren in einige der entlegensten Gebiete der Erde anzubieten. Eines der großartigsten dieser Erlebnisse ist die ultimative Südpolarmeer-Expedition in die Antarktis, nach Südgeorgien und zu den Falklandinseln. Vielleicht können sich nur die Ebenen der Serengeti mit den Tierschauspielen der wilden Antarktis messen. Königs-, Kaiser- und Felsenpinguine sind zu Hunderttausenden zu sehen, zusammen mit Herden von See-Elefanten und dem größten Vogel der Welt, dem Albatros. Ein Video-Chronist begleitet Expeditionen, um die Magie für Kunden einzufangen. Schätze von Tansania Safari Dauer: 8 TagePreis: $8.170 USDWeitere Informationen: AndBeyond Traumzeit Ein baumkletternder Löwe in Manyara Apropos Serengeti-Ebene, AndBeyond ist auf afrikanische umweltfreundliche Wildtiertouren spezialisiert. Ihr charakteristisches Erlebnis erkundet die Ufer des Lake Manyara, den Ngorongoro-Krater und natürlich die Serengeti. Die Unterbringung erfolgt in klassischen Safarizeltcamps. Zu den Höhepunkten der Tierwelt gehören baumkletternde Löwen im Manyara-Nationalpark, wandernde Gnu- und Zebraherden in der Serengeti und flammend rosa Flamingos, die im Rift Valley fliegen. AndBeyond wurde 1991 gegründet und sein Firmenethos konzentriert sich auf die Aufrechterhaltung eines gesunden Gleichgewichts zwischen Land, Wildtieren und Menschen. Kreuzfahrt zum Great Barrier Reef, Australien Dauer: 7 TagePreis: $2.720 USDWeitere Informationen: Coral Expeditions Atlas & Boots Eine farbenfrohe Szene im Great Barrier Reef Wir verbrachten vor kurzem sieben Tage an Bord des 35-Meter-Katamarans Coral Expeditions II, einer kleinen Schiffsexpedition, die von Ecotourism Australia zertifiziert wurde.

Ein kleines Schiff ist nicht nur eine nachhaltigere Möglichkeit, das Great Barrier Reef zu sehen, es ermöglicht auch den Zugang zu exklusiven Ankerplätzen, die für Tagesausflügler vom Festland unerreichbar sind. Zu den Höhepunkten unserer Woche gehörten das Tauchen an einigen der schönsten Tauchplätze im Great Barrier Reef zwischen endlosen bunten Korallen, Seeanemonen und Schwärmen von bunten und lebendigen Rifffischen. Ein weiterer Höhepunkt der Meereslebewesen war die Begegnung mit Meeresschildkröten sowohl in freier Wildbahn als auch im Schildkröten-Rehabilitationszentrum von Cairns. Madagaskar-Abenteuer in kleiner Gruppe Dauer: 17 TagePreis: $3.200 USDWeitere Informationen: Verantwortungsbewusstes Reisen Traumzeit Wilde Lemuren sind nur auf Madagaskar zu sehen Der Schlüssel liegt im Namen von Responsible Travel, das sich seit seiner Gründung im Jahr 2001 auf umweltfreundliche Wildtiertouren in kleinen Gruppen spezialisiert hat. Kunden haben die Qual der Wahl mit über 5.000 angebotenen Abenteuern an Hunderten von Reisezielen. Wir haben zwei Optionen ausgewählt, die beide einzigartige Tiererlebnisse bieten. Die afrikanische Insel Madagaskar ist der einzige Ort auf der Welt, an dem Lemuren in freier Wildbahn zu sehen sind. Die besten Orte, um Lemuren in Madagaskar zu sehen, sind Parc National Mantadia und Parc National de l'Isalo. Beide Parks sind in der Reiseroute enthalten und bieten ihren Bewohnern hervorragenden Schutz sowie sachkundige Führer und eine starke Infrastruktur für Besucher. Darüber hinaus finanziert ein Teil der Parkgebühren Gemeinschaftsprojekte. Kanadische Rockies und Nationalparks von Amerika Dauer: 20 TagePreis: $3.200 USDWeitere Informationen: Verantwortungsbewusstes Reisen Traumzeit Bisons im Yellowstone-Nationalpark Eine weitere umweltfreundliche Wildlife-Tour von Responsible Travel, die unser Interesse geweckt hat, war diese Reise durch die kanadischen Rocky Mountains und einige der größten US-Nationalparks, die zwei der berühmtesten Bergketten Nordamerikas von Süden nach Norden folgt. Das Wildlife-Highlight wäre das Beobachten von Bisons im Yellowstone-Nationalpark in den USA. Wenn Sie die Reise richtig planen (August ist ideal), können Sie die Brunft (Paarungszeit) in Amerikas Nationalparks miterleben. Im August versammeln sich Bullenherden, um um die Weibchen zu konkurrieren. Sie verwenden aggressive Geräusche und Verhaltensweisen, um ihre Dominanz zu behaupten, und „Balzhaltungen“, um sich einen Partner zu sichern. Leitbild: Dreamstime .

Grizzly adventure time deck

#Grizzly adventure time deck full#

Parks and the Kitasoo/Xai'xais People of Klemtu.

#Grizzly adventure time deck full#

Humpback whales offer the best whale watching as they seem to fly out of the sea in a full breach or as they demonstrate their cooperative feeding behaviour know as bubble net feeding, or as they slap their powerful tails on the water to warn other whales.ĭeep in the heart of the Great Bear Rainforest, we will travel the narrow channels of Fiordland, a provincial park that is cooperatively managed by B.C. In almost all the waters we will be traveling herring are providing a feast for Humpback Whales in preparation for their long migration to Hawaii. The returning salmon are like a dinner bell to the bears that will be fattening for hibernation, for wolves feeding their families and for many kinds of birds. In August the wild Pacific salmon begin their return to Fiordland's rivers and streams to spawn and complete their cycle of life. Powerful landscapes, spectacular wildlife viewing, whale watching and the unique culture of the Kitasoo/Xai'xais People of Klemtu are the focus of our trips in Fiordland in August.ĪBUNDANT WILDLIFE & LANDSCAPES OF IMMEASURABLE BEAUTY Thoughtful, quiet, patient wildlife viewing is practiced so that our guests can witness the natural behaviours of the wildlife and so that we can make the least possible impact on the wildlife and their wild homes, all of which are of the utmost importance to us.įOCUS OF EXPLORE B.C.'S FIORDLAND in AUGUSTĪs we explore B.C.'s Fiordland in August we will be traveling through the heart of the Great Bear Rainforest. We believe that our smaller group sizes allow our guests to really discover the heart beat of this unique and soul- stirring wilderness. SMALLER GROUPS ARE IDEAL FOR THE VIEWING OF WILDLIFEĪlthough we have had private charters with as few as 1 guest for special photo assignments or couples celebrating their special anniversary, our scheduled trips and our private charters have a maximum of 5 guests. Please email us at for other expeditions that include this amazing area. While we do not have a trip focused solely on Fiordland in August in 2022, we are offering trips that will feature Fiordland. Each year, the ship undergoes rigorous inspections by Transport Canada, by owner and Captain, Eric Boyum, and by systems specialists that Ocean Adventures employs. Our ship, Great Bear II, is Transport Canada certified as a passenger vessel, and carries all the latest navigation and safety equipment. Our 54 foot ship, Great Bear II offers unparalleled comfort and privacy as you experience B.C.'s most remote and spectacular settings.

New research has identified that the small genetic change responsible for Spirit bears – a rare, white-coated form of black bears – is up to 50% rarer in the Great Bear Rainforest than previously estimated. The study also indicates that geographic hotspots, where the Spirit bear [...] was especially prominent lack adequate protection from resource extraction. The study by scientists and stewardship practitioners from the Kitasoo/Xai’xais and Gitga’at First Nations, the University of Victoria, Spirit Bear Research Foundation and Raincoast Conservation Foundation was published today [5 July 2020] in the peer reviewed and open access journal, Ecological Solutions and Evidence. [...] The work also revealed that ~50% of the ‘hotspots’ where the Spirit bear [...] was especially prominent were not protected by parks and protected areas.   Simone Reece, Director of Gitga’at’s Oceans and Lands Department agrees, as the Gitga’at have forgone short-term economic opportunities in important Spirit bear habitats such as logging to advance habitat protection [...]. Simone observes: “Our territory is the heart of Spirit bear habitat and we have worked successfully to protect critical areas. These findings confirm our ongoing efforts for further protection to ensure the well-being of this amazing species and of our community.”

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Headline, image, caption, and text: Press release, The Raincoast Conservation Foundation. “New study reveals rarity of the Spirit bear and gaps in their protection in the Great Bear Rainforest.” 6 July 2020.

The study:

A portion of what is now recognized as British Columbia, Canada, hosts an endemic and rare form of a mammal about which little is known to Western ecologists, yet has been of cultural significance to local Indigenous Nations since time immemorial. There, the white‐coated black bear (Ursus americanus kermodei), referred to as a ‘Kermode’ or ‘Spirit bear’, is one of the most conspicuous coat colour polymorphisms among all mammals [...]. A separate line of inquiry, based on ecological and behavioural research, has suggested the polymorphism could be supported by a multi‐niche mechanism, whereby the white morph is associated with a niche defined by increased consumption of salmon [...]. The Spirit bear [...] primarily occurs on a handful of islands and nearby mainland over approximately a 6,500 km [squared] range. [...]

Addressing some of this uncertainty and with the intention of supporting Indigenous‐led land‐use planning, the Kitasoo/Xai'xais and Gitga'at First Nations in this area embarked on research to determine the spatial distribution of the allele underlying this rare white bear. These efforts emerged from relationships with, respect for, and reciprocity between people and wildlife of the region [...]. In the Tsimshian language group, Spirit bears are referred to as Moksgm'ol; relationships with and respect towards these unique bears are expressed through traditional stories, dance, and songs. Oral history belonging to the Kitasoo people tells of Wee'get (Raven, the Trickster) changing the coat colour of every 10th black bear on Princess Royal Island to white [...].

[W]e included in our study area additional portions of the territories of the Kitasoo/Xai'xais, Gitga'at, Haíɫzaqv (Heiltsuk), and Wuikinuxv First Nations on the central coast of British Columbia that were not previously sampled [...]. This area consists of a large archipelago and nearby mainland valleys of temperate rainforest (Service et al., 2014). Whereas black bears are present across the entire landscape, grizzly bears (Ursus arctos) occur in mainland watersheds but are largely absent in most island watersheds [...]. The Spirit bear [...] was previously reported to occur at the highest frequencies on Gribbell Island (∼43%), followed by Princess Royal Island (∼17%), with the frequency decaying to near zero on neighbouring islands and mainland watersheds (Marshall & Ritland, 2002 [...]).

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Map/graphic and text: Service CN, Bourbonnais M, Adams MS, et al. “Spatial patterns and rarity of the white-phased ‘Spirit bear’ allele reveal gaps in habitat protection.” Ecological Solutions and Evidence. 5 July 2020

New work!! Keepers of the Coast explores the sculptural potential of minimalist painting. String binds the work and creates texture, tension and fragmentation. A single kintsugi-inspired gold line speaks to repair and history. Poured paint augments expression resulting in layered forms reminiscent of the magical mountains seen in my travels to Cappadocia, Turkey. Simultaneously, this abstract landscape depicts the essence of Canada’s beautiful West Coast. Keepers of the Coast is named to draw attention to the important work of Doug Neasloss, elected Klemtu Chief and Central Coast Resource Alliance (CCIRA) board director. The painting’s name is drawn from the film of the same name by Aaron Heidt that looks at how the Kitasoo/Xai’Xais, Heiltsuk, Nuxalk, and Wuikinuxv Nations are stewarding their marine territories. I have done several creative projects with the Kitasoo/Xai'Xais nation and support their goal to create sustainable environments, healthy local economies and communities by working together. Their work impacts far beyond this region! By purchasing this painting, 35% of your investment goes to CCIRA helping further its initiatives. For more information, visit www.ccira.ca. https://www.instagram.com/p/Bm6ao6eFAPg/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=1t0pdxk1q8exy

Misty waterfalls of the Great Bear Rainforest, K’ootz/Khutze Conservancy, Kitasoo/Xai'xais territory.

Raven Mask in Klemtu, Coastal BC, Kitasoo/Xai'xais First Nations Art

Canadian Coast Guard Urges B.C. Boaters to Stay Home

The Canadian Coast Guard is asking boaters in British Columbia to stay off the water this season in order to reduce the risk of spreading COVID-19. 

In an open letter to Canada's maritime community, Canadian Coast Guard assistant commissioner Roger Girouard appealed to mariners' longstanding tradition of assisting others and saving lives at sea. "Today, on behalf of the Canadian Coast Guard, I am asking all mariners to once again come to the aid of others by avoiding non-essential trips and consider staying close to home to save lives as our country works to reduce the spread of COVID-19," Giroard wrote. 

SAR response calls are up this year in B.C., Giroard said, despite the coronavirus shutdown. With each callout to rescue distressed pleasure boats, responders run the risk of exposing themselves to people with COVID-19 - and they use up PPE that could be needed for rescuing commercial mariners. "Unnecessary boating trips increase the risk to our operations and our ability to respond," Giroard cautioned.

Giroard also noted that boaters could carry the disease to small coastal communities, where health care resources are limited. Some regions of the B.C. coast - notably the Heiltsuk Nation - are doing what they can to discourage visitors from the outside world as a precautionary measure. "Your presence in an area could have a serious impact on vulnerable community members, and if you were to get sick, strain the limited health care resources of that community," he wrote. 

Heiltsuk leaders say that despite stay-at-home orders, recreational boaters and sailing yachts have continued to arrive on their remote shores. On March 27, the Heiltsuk passed a bylaw banning the arrival of non-residents, and they have been enforcing the rule by turning away recreational boaters. "This is not the time to visit Bella Bella," said Chief Councillor Marilyn Slett. "I know that people are scared and trying to find a place of refuge . . . but our community of Bella Bella is highly vulnerable to a COVID-19 outbreak."

The Nuxalk, Oweekeno and Kitasoo-Xai'Xais nations have implemented similar restrictions, and many other communities in B.C.'s south and central coast regions have asked visitors to stay away voluntarily. Taken together, these closures mean that fuel, supplies and services for boaters may be difficult to access along parts of the B.C. coastline. 

from Storage Containers https://www.maritime-executive.com/article/canadian-coast-guard-urges-b-c-boaters-to-stay-home via http://www.rssmix.com/

A young male grizzly bear walking along the intertidal zone, K’ootz/Khutze Conservancy, Kitasoo/Xai'xais territory.

Canadian Coast Guard Urges B.C. Boaters to Stay Home

The Canadian Coast Guard is asking boaters in British Columbia to stay off the water this season in order to reduce the risk of spreading COVID-19. 

In an open letter to Canada's maritime community, Canadian Coast Guard assistant commissioner Roger Girouard appealed to mariners' longstanding tradition of assisting others and saving lives at sea. "Today, on behalf of the Canadian Coast Guard, I am asking all mariners to once again come to the aid of others by avoiding non-essential trips and consider staying close to home to save lives as our country works to reduce the spread of COVID-19," Giroard wrote. 

SAR response calls are up this year in B.C., Giroard said, despite the coronavirus shutdown. With each callout to rescue distressed pleasure boats, responders run the risk of exposing themselves to people with COVID-19 - and they use up PPE that could be needed for rescuing commercial mariners. "Unnecessary boating trips increase the risk to our operations and our ability to respond," Giroard cautioned.

Giroard also noted that boaters could carry the disease to small coastal communities, where health care resources are limited. Some regions of the B.C. coast - notably the Heiltsuk Nation - are doing what they can to discourage visitors from the outside world as a precautionary measure. "Your presence in an area could have a serious impact on vulnerable community members, and if you were to get sick, strain the limited health care resources of that community," he wrote. 

Heiltsuk leaders say that despite stay-at-home orders, recreational boaters and sailing yachts have continued to arrive on their remote shores. On March 27, the Heiltsuk passed a bylaw banning the arrival of non-residents, and they have been enforcing the rule by turning away recreational boaters. "This is not the time to visit Bella Bella," said Chief Councillor Marilyn Slett. "I know that people are scared and trying to find a place of refuge . . . but our community of Bella Bella is highly vulnerable to a COVID-19 outbreak."

The Nuxalk, Oweekeno and Kitasoo-Xai'Xais nations have implemented similar restrictions, and many other communities in B.C.'s south and central coast regions have asked visitors to stay away voluntarily. Taken together, these closures mean that fuel, supplies and services for boaters may be difficult to access along parts of the B.C. coastline. 

from Storage Containers https://www.maritime-executive.com/article/canadian-coast-guard-urges-b-c-boaters-to-stay-home via http://www.rssmix.com/

Canadian Coast Guard Urges B.C. Boaters to Stay Home

The Canadian Coast Guard is asking boaters in British Columbia to stay off the water this season in order to reduce the risk of spreading COVID-19. 

In an open letter to Canada's maritime community, Canadian Coast Guard assistant commissioner Roger Girouard appealed to mariners' longstanding tradition of assisting others and saving lives at sea. "Today, on behalf of the Canadian Coast Guard, I am asking all mariners to once again come to the aid of others by avoiding non-essential trips and consider staying close to home to save lives as our country works to reduce the spread of COVID-19," Giroard wrote. 

SAR response calls are up this year in B.C., Giroard said, despite the coronavirus shutdown. With each callout to rescue distressed pleasure boats, responders run the risk of exposing themselves to people with COVID-19 - and they use up PPE that could be needed for rescuing commercial mariners. "Unnecessary boating trips increase the risk to our operations and our ability to respond," Giroard cautioned.

Giroard also noted that boaters could carry the disease to small coastal communities, where health care resources are limited. Some regions of the B.C. coast - notably the Heiltsuk Nation - are doing what they can to discourage visitors from the outside world as a precautionary measure. "Your presence in an area could have a serious impact on vulnerable community members, and if you were to get sick, strain the limited health care resources of that community," he wrote. 

Heiltsuk leaders say that despite stay-at-home orders, recreational boaters and sailing yachts have continued to arrive on their remote shores. On March 27, the Heiltsuk passed a bylaw banning the arrival of non-residents, and they have been enforcing the rule by turning away recreational boaters. "This is not the time to visit Bella Bella," said Chief Councillor Marilyn Slett. "I know that people are scared and trying to find a place of refuge . . . but our community of Bella Bella is highly vulnerable to a COVID-19 outbreak."

The Nuxalk, Oweekeno and Kitasoo-Xai'Xais nations have implemented similar restrictions, and many other communities in B.C.'s south and central coast regions have asked visitors to stay away voluntarily. Taken together, these closures mean that fuel, supplies and services for boaters may be difficult to access along parts of the B.C. coastline. 

from Storage Containers https://maritime-executive.com/article/canadian-coast-guard-urges-b-c-boaters-to-stay-home via http://www.rssmix.com/

Canadian Coast Guard Urges B.C. Boaters to Stay Home

The Canadian Coast Guard is asking boaters in British Columbia to stay off the water this season in order to reduce the risk of spreading COVID-19. 

In an open letter to Canada's maritime community, Canadian Coast Guard assistant commissioner Roger Girouard appealed to mariners' longstanding tradition of assisting others and saving lives at sea. "Today, on behalf of the Canadian Coast Guard, I am asking all mariners to once again come to the aid of others by avoiding non-essential trips and consider staying close to home to save lives as our country works to reduce the spread of COVID-19," Giroard wrote. 

SAR response calls are up this year in B.C., Giroard said, despite the coronavirus shutdown. With each callout to rescue distressed pleasure boats, responders run the risk of exposing themselves to people with COVID-19 - and they use up PPE that could be needed for rescuing commercial mariners. "Unnecessary boating trips increase the risk to our operations and our ability to respond," Giroard cautioned.

Giroard also noted that boaters could carry the disease to small coastal communities, where health care resources are limited. Some regions of the B.C. coast - notably the Heiltsuk Nation - are doing what they can to discourage visitors from the outside world as a precautionary measure. "Your presence in an area could have a serious impact on vulnerable community members, and if you were to get sick, strain the limited health care resources of that community," he wrote. 

Heiltsuk leaders say that despite stay-at-home orders, recreational boaters and sailing yachts have continued to arrive on their remote shores. On March 27, the Heiltsuk passed a bylaw banning the arrival of non-residents, and they have been enforcing the rule by turning away recreational boaters. "This is not the time to visit Bella Bella," said Chief Councillor Marilyn Slett. "I know that people are scared and trying to find a place of refuge . . . but our community of Bella Bella is highly vulnerable to a COVID-19 outbreak."

The Nuxalk, Oweekeno and Kitasoo-Xai'Xais nations have implemented similar restrictions, and many other communities in B.C.'s south and central coast regions have asked visitors to stay away voluntarily. Taken together, these closures mean that fuel, supplies and services for boaters may be difficult to access along parts of the B.C. coastline. 

from Storage Containers https://www.maritime-executive.com/article/canadian-coast-guard-urges-b-c-boaters-to-stay-home via http://www.rssmix.com/

Canadian Coast Guard Urges B.C. Boaters to Stay Home

The Canadian Coast Guard is asking boaters in British Columbia to stay off the water this season in order to reduce the risk of spreading COVID-19. 

In an open letter to Canada's maritime community, Canadian Coast Guard assistant commissioner Roger Girouard appealed to mariners' longstanding tradition of assisting others and saving lives at sea. "Today, on behalf of the Canadian Coast Guard, I am asking all mariners to once again come to the aid of others by avoiding non-essential trips and consider staying close to home to save lives as our country works to reduce the spread of COVID-19," Giroard wrote. 

SAR response calls are up this year in B.C., Giroard said, despite the coronavirus shutdown. With each callout to rescue distressed pleasure boats, responders run the risk of exposing themselves to people with COVID-19 - and they use up PPE that could be needed for rescuing commercial mariners. "Unnecessary boating trips increase the risk to our operations and our ability to respond," Giroard cautioned.

Giroard also noted that boaters could carry the disease to small coastal communities, where health care resources are limited. Some regions of the B.C. coast - notably the Heiltsuk Nation - are doing what they can to discourage visitors from the outside world as a precautionary measure. "Your presence in an area could have a serious impact on vulnerable community members, and if you were to get sick, strain the limited health care resources of that community," he wrote. 

Heiltsuk leaders say that despite stay-at-home orders, recreational boaters and sailing yachts have continued to arrive on their remote shores. On March 27, the Heiltsuk passed a bylaw banning the arrival of non-residents, and they have been enforcing the rule by turning away recreational boaters. "This is not the time to visit Bella Bella," said Chief Councillor Marilyn Slett. "I know that people are scared and trying to find a place of refuge . . . but our community of Bella Bella is highly vulnerable to a COVID-19 outbreak."

The Nuxalk, Oweekeno and Kitasoo-Xai'Xais nations have implemented similar restrictions, and many other communities in B.C.'s south and central coast regions have asked visitors to stay away voluntarily. Taken together, these closures mean that fuel, supplies and services for boaters may be difficult to access along parts of the B.C. coastline. 

from Storage Containers https://maritime-executive.com/article/canadian-coast-guard-urges-b-c-boaters-to-stay-home via http://www.rssmix.com/