Protecting the Coast and Ocean

Protecting the Coast and Ocean is now available as an open access PDF. Click the button on the left to download the full text, or visit the open access page.

Fish were once so abundant in BC waters that Indigenous elders recall dried salmon being stacked like firewood behind the stove, and the sound of herring at night reminiscent of rainfall. But declines on the BC coast have accelerated over the last century, with marine wildlife cut in half in just four decades. Protecting the Coast and Ocean explores how we can reverse such precipitous declines.

This meticulous work catalogues not only the laws and designations that governments in Canada can draw on – marine protected areas, Indigenous protected and conserved areas, land-use measures, and zoning bylaws – but also the international treaties and designations that shape marine conservation and support collaboration. The authors analyze the scope and applicability of each legal tool, rating its strengths and weaknesses, and assess factors such as ease of implementation and adaptive management capabilities. In-depth case studies illustrate how these instruments have been used in practice.

Although the compound impacts of climate change, overfishing, and pollution seem overwhelming, Protecting the Coast and Ocean convincingly demonstrates that Indigenous, federal, provincial, and local governments have the legal tools to protect coastal and marine ecosystems, reverse species extinction, and plan for a resilient ocean.