Coastal First Nations Announce $60 Million Investment for Protection of the Great Bear Sea
This article was originally published by Coast Funds on December 5, 2023.
Coastal First Nations, Na̲nwak̲olas Council, and Coast Funds are welcoming the provincial government’s announcement of a $60 MILLION INVESTMENT in support of Indigenous-led marine conservation, stewardship, and sustainable economic development in the Northern Shelf Bioregion, also known as the GREAT BEAR SEA. BC’s investment forms part of a broader initiative that will bring hundreds of millions of dollars in new investment for economic development, community prosperity, and the protection of coastal ecosystems and wildlife across the north and central coast and Haida Gwaii.
The Great Bear Sea extends from the top of Vancouver Island to the Canada–Alaska border. One of the richest and most productive cold-water marine ecosystems on Earth, it is home to a rich diversity of marine life that has sustained Indigenous communities for countless generations. Stewarded and cared for by First Nations for more than 14,000 years, the Great Bear Sea is the source of sustenance, culture, and livelihoods for our coastal communities communities and for all British Columbians.
For over a decade, First Nations have worked with Canada and BC, and with stakeholders from commercial fishing, tourism, energy, and other sectors, to develop multi-use marine plans and a network of marine protected areas. These plans are informed by Indigenous knowledge, Western science, and collaboration between governments, citizens, and stakeholders. By putting these plans into practice, we can help ensure a healthy future for fisheries, marine wildlife, communities, and cultures across the region.
“By protecting whole ecosystems that include people and communities in co-existence with nature, Indigenous-led stewardship provides a blueprint for conservation and sustainable resource management worldwide. This funding provides vital long-term support for stewardship initiatives that maintain ecosystem health and biodiversity, while creating new jobs and improving social and economic well-being throughout coastal communities.”
- K̓áwáziɫ Marilyn Slett, Chief Councillor of the Heiltsuk Nation and President of Coastal First Nations-Great Bear Initiative.
Coast Funds, the world’s first Indigenous-led conservation finance organization, will manage these funds on behalf of participating First Nations. Through Coast Funds, First Nations have established a STRONG TRACK RECORD of success: the innovative conservation finance model developed in the Great Bear Rainforest in 2007 has supported more than 1,250 new jobs and 120 businesses, along with broader economic development and diversification.