Biological Features

Abstract

Many coastal communities in British Columbia have experienced significant economic decline and population loss due to reductions in industrial forestry and commercial fishing. Many of those communities are looking for opportunities to diversify and expand their economies while protecting sensitive resources and values. A priority of the Ministry of Sustainable Resource Management (MSRM) is to use coastal planning to enhance sustainable economic development opportunities of coastal communities (including First Nations communities) while maintaining environmental values. The Johnstone-Bute Plan Area currently supports a range of economic activities. These include various commercial fisheries, finfish aquaculture, shellfish aquaculture, log handling and storage, marine transportation, and public and commercial recreation. The Plan Area also contains an array of sensitive resources and cultural values. The Johnstone-Bute Coastal Plan provides the basis for coastal development on an environmentally sustainable basis. This Plan is consistent with the MSRM governance principles for sustainability, presented in Appendix 1.