Scott Islands marine National Wildlife Area

The Scott Islands marine National Wildlife Area (NWA) is the first protected marine area established under the Canada Wildlife Act. Established on June 27^th, 2018 it conserves a vital marine area for millions of seabirds on the Pacific coast.

Description

The 5 Scott Islands are off the northwestern tip of Vancouver Island, British Columbia (BC). These islands and their surrounding marine waters are one of the most diverse marine ecosystems on Canada’s Pacific coast.

The Scott Islands area:

• supports the highest concentration of breeding seabirds on Canada’s Pacific coast
• is the site of the most intensive seabird research in Canada
• is an international Important Bird Area
• hosts over one million nesting seabirds each year

Additionally, it provides key ecological breeding and nesting habitat for 40 per cent of BC’s seabirds, including:

• 90% of Canada’s tufted puffins
• 95% of Pacific Canada’s common murre
• 50% of the world’s Cassin's auklets
• 7% of the world’s rhinoceros auklet

The marine area around the Scott Islands is also an Ecologically and Biologically Significant Area. Fisheries and Oceans Canada recognizes this area because of its:

• biologically rich environment
• diversity of marine mammals and fish species
• important habitat for several marine mammal species at risk

The Province of British Columbia already protects the 5 Scott Islands. This marine NWA protects the surrounding 11,546 square kilometers of marine environment.

It is rich in seabirds’ favourite food sources such as various small fish species and zooplankton.

This area attracts 5 to10 million migratory birds each year. Many travel vast distances across the Pacific to feed in the area. Some, such as the Sooty Shearwater, are at risk globally. Other birds are listed under Canada’s Species at Risk Act:

• short-tailed albatross
• black-footed albatross
• pink-footed shearwater
• marbled murrelet
• ancient murrelet

Find more information on this marine NWA in the summary below.

Management

Environment and Climate Change Canada leads planning and management activities for this marine NWA. Other federal departments with responsibilities in the marine environment also help:

• Fisheries and Oceans Canada and Canadian Coast Guard
• Transport Canada
• Natural Resources Canada

It will also be collaboratively managed with:

• Province of British Columbia
• Tlatlasikwala First Nation
• Quatsino First Nation
• stakeholders including industry and environmental organizations

More information on access and permitting can be obtained by contacting the Environment and Climate Change Canada regional office.

Map of the area

The flight restriction zone applies to all aircraft, including drones. Aeronautical charts are available through NavCanada at a fee.

This map should not be used to define legal boundaries.

Restrictions and prohibitions

Under the Canada Wildlife Act, Scott Islands marine National Wildlife Area is protected and managed in accordance with Scott Islands Protected Marine Area Regulations ^{Footnote 1}. The primary purpose of Scott Islands marine National Wildlife Area is to conserve migratory seabirds and species at risk as well as the habitats, ecosystems, and marine resources that support them. Site-specific regulations are in place year-round that prohibit activities that may threaten the conservation of wildlife and wildlife habitats in this area (for example, noise and physical disturbance caused by human activity, introduction of predators such as rodents, etc.). The regulations provide exemptions to the prohibitions in specific circumstances (see Exceptions Section below).

Permits may be issued to carry out activities that, although they may have an impact on the environment, have been evaluated to be compatible with Scott Island marine National Wildlife Area’s conservation objectives. Permits may include terms and conditions to minimize the impact of an activity on wildlife and wildlife habitat. Transport Canada (TC) and Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO) retain authority over shipping and fishing through the Canada Shipping Act, 2001 and Fisheries Act, respectively.

The following prohibitions are in place in Scott Islands marine National Wildlife Area:

1. carrying out any activity that is likely to disturb, damage or destroy wildlife or its habitat in the Protected Marine Area or to remove wildlife or its habitat
2. dumping or discharging any waste material or substance that is likely to harm wildlife or degrade the quality of wildlife habitat
3. introducing any living organism that is likely to harm wildlife or degrade the quality of wildlife habitat;
4. flying an aircraft ^{Footnote 2} above the flight restriction zone described in subsection (2) at an altitude that is below 3500 feet above mean sea level
5. being within 300 metres of the low water mark of the Triangle, Sartine or Beresford Islands; or
6. anchoring a vessel ^{Footnote 3} of more than 400 gross tonnes within one nautical mile (1852 metres) of the low water mark of the Triangle, Sartine or Beresford Islands

At all times, it is your responsibility to comply with all relevant federal, provincial or territorial legislation. The Province of BC (BC Parks) is responsible for the designation, management and conservation of the Ecological Reserves and Provincial Parks within Scott Islands marine National Wildlife Area. BC Parks is responsible for enforcement matters related to Ecological Reserves and Provincial Parks under the Park Act and Park, Conservancy and Recreation Area Regulation, Ecological Reserve Act and Ecological Reserve Regulations. Related provincial legislation may apply (for example the BC Wildlife Act). There are fishing restrictions in place within Scott Islands marine National Wildlife Area; provincial and federal fishing regulations (for example, Fisheries Act, Coastal Fisheries Protection Act, and associated regulations) should be reviewed for current restrictions and licensing requirements. Coastal Fisheries Protection Act, and associated regulations) for current restrictions and licensing requirements.

Exceptions

The federal regulations for Scott Islands marine National Wildlife Area include various exceptions to allow for certain activities, that would otherwise contravene one or more of the prohibitions, to occur without a permit issued under the regulations.
The following activities are exempt from all prohibitions ((a) to (f)) as listed above:

• Activities carried out for the purpose of public safety or national security or in response to an emergency
• Activities of foreign vessels or aircraft within the exclusive economic zone (EEZ) of Canada ^{Footnote 4}

The following activities are exempt from prohibitions (a) and (b) as listed above; all others still apply when conducting these activities:

• Fishing carried out in accordance with the Coastal Fisheries Protection Act and the Fisheries Act
• Navigation of a vessel in accordance with the Canada Shipping Act, 2001
• Navigation of military vessels, including foreign military vessels or vessels that belong to, or are under the command of, the Canadian Forces

The following activities are exempt from prohibitions (d) and (e) as listed above:

• A federal or provincial enforcement officer when they are performing their duties or functions or a person who is acting under their directions or control
• An employee or officer of the government of British Columbia who, in the course of performing their duties or functions, is carrying out an activity for the purpose of wildlife research or the conservation or interpretation of wildlife, or a person who is acting under the direction or control of that employee or officer

Summary

Protected area designation

Marine National Wildlife Area

Province/Territory

British Columbia

Latitude/Longitude

50° 45' N 129° 14' W

Size

11,546 km²

Reason for creation of the protected area

The Scott Islands marine NWA was established for the conservation of migratory species, species at risk, and the habitats, ecosystem linkages, and marine resources that support these species.

Date created (Gazetted)

2018

International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Management Category

IUCN category VI (protected area with sustainable use of natural resources)

Additional designations

• Part of the Scott Island Group Important Bird Area (IBA) (BirdLife International)
• Key Biodiversity Area (KBA) Listing
• Part of Lanz and Cox Islands Park (Province of BC)
• Rockfish Conservation Areas: Area 111 and 127 – Scott Islands (Fisheries and Oceans Canada)
• Surrounds Anne Vallee (Triangle Island) Ecological Reserve, Sartine Island Ecological Reserve, and Beresford Ecological Reserve (Province of BC)

Keystone or flagship species

• Cassin's auklets
• common murre
• rhinoceros auklet
• sooty shearwater
• tufted puffins

Listed species under the Species at Risk Act (SARA)

• ancient murrelet
• black-footed albatross
• marbled murrelet
• pink-footed shearwater
• short-tailed albatross
• Cassin’s auklet
• red-necked phalarope
• horned grebe
• blue whale
• killer whale (Northern resident and Bigg’s populations)
• fin whale
• grey whale (Western Pacific and Pacific Coast Feeding Group populations)
• humpback whale
• Steller sea lion
• Sea otter
• harbour porpoise
• Northern fur seal
• basking shark
• bluntnose sixgill shark
• tope
• rougheye rockfish (Type I and Type II)
• longspine thornyhead
• yelloweye rockfish (Inside waters and outside waters populations)
• green sturgeon
• loggerhead sea turtle
• leatherback turtle

Main habitat type

The marine NWA occurs within the transition zone between the Alaska and California currents, which leads to exceptionally high marine productivity.

Invasive species

Introduced American mink and raccoon have functionally eliminated seabird breeding on Lanz and Cox islands. Additionally, European rabbits were introduced to Anne Vallee (Triangle Island) Ecological Reserve in the 1920s.

Main threats and challenges

• Disturbance from human activities (noise and physical disturbance)
• Oil pollution
• Seabird bycatch (the incidental catch of non-target species, including seabirds, in fisheries)
• Marine debris, plastics, and microplastics
• Impacts on seabird forage species habitat
• Fishing and bycatch of seabird forage species
• Invasive species and introduced predators
• Climate change

Management agency

Environment and Climate Change Canada, Canadian Wildlife Service, Pacific Region, in collaboration with Province of British Columbia Ministry of Environment and Climate Change Strategy – BC Parks, Quatsino First Nation and Tlatlasikwala First Nation, other federal government agencies, local and regional government, industry, and conservation groups.

Public access and usage

Public access to the marine NWA is not prohibited. Access to the Scott Islands is managed by the Province of British Columbia – BC Parks. Anne Vallee (Triangle Island), Sartine Island, and Beresford Island Ecological Reserves are access by permit for scientific research purposes only.

For the complete list of area usage restrictions, please refer to the previous sections “Restrictions and Prohibitions” and “Exceptions.”

Note: If there is a discrepancy between the information presented on this web page, any notice posted at the marine NWA site and the law, the law prevails.

Contact us

Environment and Climate Change Canada - Pacific Region
Canadian Wildlife Service
Protected Areas Program
5421 Robertson Road
Delta, BC V4K 3N2

Toll-free: 1-800-668-6767 (in Canada only)
Email: enviroinfo@ec.gc.ca

Related links

• Scott Islands marine National Wildlife Area: Google map. Please note that the Google map is a complementary source of information and does not represent the official map or site name
• Scott Islands Protected Marine Area Regulations: frequently asked questions
• Scott Islands Protected Marine Area Establishment Order
• Permits for the Scott Islands Protected Marine Area Regulations
• Scott Islands B.C. rockfish conservation area | Pacific Region | Fisheries and Oceans Canada
• Government of British Columbia (BC Parks)
• Notices to Mariners - Section A2, Notice 5E: Regulatory Requirements for Scott Islands marine National Wildlife Area
• Important Bird Area (IBA) Site
• Key Biodiversity Area (KBA)
• Nature Counts – The State of Canada’s Birds
• Species at risk public registry
• Province of British Columbia
• Guidelines for rodent-free vessel or aircraft (Bird Studies Canada)

Acts and regulations

• Scott Islands Protected Marine Area Regulations
• Canada Wildlife Act
• Canada Shipping Act, 2001
• Fisheries Act
• Coastal Fisheries Protection Act
• Aeronautics Act
• Park Act
• Park, Conservancy and Recreation Area Regulation
• Ecological Reserve Act
• Ecological Reserve Regulations
• BC Wildlife Act
• Canadian Aviation Regulations