Participants: Doug Biffard — BC Park

Regrets: Cheryl Borris — Friends of Ecological Reserves

Observers:Sean MacConnachie - Fisheries and Oceans Canada

INTRODUCTION

• Revision and acceptance of agenda and previous minutes.

FIRST NATIONS UPDATE

• Tom Sampson gave an update on his work with First Nations’ participation in the process. He indicated that there would be a traditional burning ceremony on March 9, 2000 by the Beecher Bay First Nation. The intent of the ceremony is to bring parties together to work on this project and provide an opportunity for non- natives to gain an idea of respect that First Nations have for the land, resources and their ancestors. The invitation is open to all members of the RRAB. The intent is to have all First Nations’ chiefs present from Sooke, Esquimalt, Songhees, and Beecher Bay. The ceremony will be held on Indian Reserve #2 at Rocky point. Please let Marc Pakenham know about attendance and he will distribute a map to site.
• Angus Matthews felt that this was a very generous offer by First Nations, it provides an opportunity for all of us to work together and it is not an offer that is given frequently.
• Gord Hanson indicated that the MPA initiative goes beyond Race Rocks and suggests that First Nations people are looking at Race Rocks at what role they will play in the future processes and their interaction with senior levels of government.

UPDATE ON PUBLIC CONSULTATION

• Kelly Francis gave an overview of the public meetings held on February13 and 16.
• Jim Morris introduced Doug Biffard and Marty Roberts. Jim Morris suggested that there was 95% support for the proposal, with 5% wanting more information.
• Marc Pakenham felt that session went well. Over 100 participants spread over two meetings including the Mayor of Colwood and Mayor of Metchosin. The forums gave an opportunity for the public to see how the two levels of government are working together.
• Kelly Francis indicated that the proceedings should be available next week from the consultant for RRAB members.

ROUNDTABLE UPDATE

• Erin Bradley indicated that the dive community and operators are currently developing site-specific guidelines and possible stewardship roles. Strong positive support from dive community on process and project. He is working to get a meeting together to finalize guidelines and hopes to have a draft document by the end of the week.
• Garry Fletcher expressed his concern that the maximum sustainable use of the reserve has not been defined, not only for diving but research and all other activities. Marc Pakenham suggested that the management plan and framework once in place will allow us to deal with these sorts of things as they arise.
• Dr. Anita Voss suggested that the problem with eco-tourism is that although it impacts less than traditional forms of industry it still impacts and she sited the example of the impact on amphibians with increased tourism. Angus Matthews felt that identifying the incremental increases of impact is what is important.
• Angus Matthews informed the RRAB of a recent incident where people were camping on West Race and were asked to leave by not only the current keepers but also a whale watching organization.
• Doug Biffard suggested that at some point triggers should be identified to discuss limits of access and use.
• Erin Bradley stressed the importance of educating the people who will be using the area. By eliminating commercial operators and guides, public users will collectively impact the are more than commercial operators would.
• Doug Biffard suggested that a dive speciality ticket could be established for Race Rocks. Erin Bradley indicated that there a peak performance buoyancy ticket exists that instructs divers how to minimize their impact by altering their diving behaviour.
• Marc Pakenham suggested that Garry Fletcher’s experience in site specific diving practices could be beneficial to the diving community's guideline development.
• Duane Freeman reported that he has been focusing on internal communications with Ottawa and the Maritimes, as they are interested in this precedent setting exercise. He suggests that there is overall strong support for pilot in DND.
• Jim Morris indicated that he is working on including activity specific management plans in the final overall management plan.
• Marty Roberts indicated that he sits on the joint federal and provincial MPA working group and he appreciates the opportunity to get a feel for how this and that group relate.
• Jennie Sparkes suggested that as an observer she continues to report back to Parks Canada on this group’s process.
• Doug Biffard suggested that after the February 12 session the public at large supports this and these types of projects.
• Angus Matthews firmly believes that the model we are pursuing may further facilitate the development of a positive relationship with First Nations. He believes that industries (diving and eco-tourism) can best develop their own guidelines that can be incorporated in Race Rocks management plan. The Race Rocks.Com project is going well and on-track.
• Dr. Anita Voss suggested that she would like to see specific permits for some activities.
• Alan McGillivray indicated that he was here in place of Kevin Walker. He distributed the whale watching community’s draft site specific guidelines. The hope is that these guidelines will help develop a common attitude toward best management practices. The guidelines have been based on the keep it simple model and include the use of radar to delineate a 1/8 of a mile (~200 m) exclusion zone from shore. He suggested that they are highly motivated to work on a conservative pro-active approach. He felt that implementing many regulations would create an atmosphere of trying to find loopholes as opposed to an atmosphere of compliance.
• Garry Fletcher indicated that he doesn’t see how operators would deal with serendipitous events such as birds feeding on a herring ball and that these events may need to be included in the Whale Watch Operators Northwest association guidelines.
• Keith Symington asked to have minutes from last the meeting revised about his comment on boundaries. He distributed a copy of the WildWaters document for the RRAB members.

DRAFT MANAGEMENT RECOMMENDATIONS

• Marc Pakenham gave a slide presentation on recommendations:
  • Including model of governance with roles and responsibilities post designation;
  • Recommendations:
  • Missing: Vision, aviation, recommendation for designation, governance.
  • Garry Fletcher suggested that the Vision recommendation should include:
  • Vessel management regime
  • Recommendations should include something about safety needs superseding conservation needs.
  • Fishing Activities

• Management of educational activity
  • Alan McGillivray suggested that whale watch community be co-managers of warden-operators. Therefore those that being permitted are part of the management team.
  • Jennie Sparkes inquired as to how does whale watch operators that educated public fit into permitting process. Marc Pakenham indicated that we need to define levels of education and research.
  • Alan McGillivray indicated that whale watch operators do not want to see a permitting system but want to work towards self-regulation and a change of attitudes.
• Minimum standards — no dumping, dredging and extraction of non-renewable resources.
• Migratory birds —change to just birds as many species at Race Rocks are non-migratory.
• Diving activity
• Commercial shipping
  • Duane Freeman suggested that changes to ballast water management guidelines have safety implications. Marc Pakenham indicated that the Port of Vancouver is aware of the Race Rocks project and concerns of existing regulations.

Action Item: Marc Pakenham will revise slides for a recommendations package for March meeting.

• Marty Roberts explained that different levels of government have different levels of responsibilities as set out by the Constitution, which has made it traditionally difficult for us to work together, but protection and conservation of the environment can not be reached unless there is goodwill and cooperation between governments.
• Angus Matthews suggests taking sometime to sign-off on those recommendations that can be reached today. RRAB members agreed.
  • Governance structure: Model does not hierarcherize. Advisory board would be comprised of users. Operations-warden would be the servant of the two groups. Jennie Sparkes suggested that to fully respect First Nations involvement in the process, First Nations have to be included in the management plan for both the ER and MPA.
  • Boundaries– Alan McGillivray suggested that the whale watchers are indifferent to the size or shape of the boundaries but agree to the ER model. Greatest concern is the vessel management regime in the area.
• Rupert Gale suggested that an evaluation and monitoring recommendation be included. Marc Pakenham indicated that it would be included in the list but it is also one of the roles of the Steering Committee as described in the governance model.

PERMITTING PROCESS–Garry Fletcher

• Garry Fletcher distributed a document detailing the evolution and history of the current permitting process. He gave an overview of the permitting process that is required to go forward with RaceRocks.com work of installing sensors in the marine environment. He recommended using a form created by Pearson.
• Jennie Sparkes inquired if the permitting process in the ER is legislated. Doug Biffard indicated that it was.
• Duane Freeman indicated that existing processes exist for different types of activities. He gave an example of the permitting process required for introducing an actual object into the environment as opposed to just observing the environment.
• Garry Fletcher felt that the MPA process should be able to overcome the existing requirements to streamline the process and that the Oceans Act gives the authority to overcome this issues. Jennie Sparkes indicated that the Canadian Impact Assessment Act (CIAA) supersedes the Oceans Act on this regard.
• Rupert Gale suggested that what people are looking for is one point of access and that could be the Steering Committee.
• Doug Biffard indicated that the purpose of permitting is not to control research but to form a contract with the researcher so that the information that is generated is open to the public domain. Further it can be used as a mechanism to maintain the ecological integrity of the area.
• Angus Matthews suggested an important role that the Steering Committee could have is to screen and channel permits so that external authorities that are not familiar with local issues do not supersede the authority of the advisory board and eco-wardens.

NEXT STEPS.

• Kelly Francis indicated that there would be one more meeting where the vision will be vetted and recommendations are accepted. She suggested that if there was interests in particular areas, groups could get together to discuss recommendations.

Next proposed meeting date March 22, 2000 from 09h30 to 15h30 at the BC Parks office on 800 Johnson St..
Meeting adjourned 16h00.

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