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The Wildlife Act: Managing For Sustainability In The 21st Century - Discussion Paper
Background
Why is Wildlife Management Significant?
Healthy and diverse wildlife species provide significant environmental, social and economic benefits to all British Columbians. Wildlife also has special importance to First Nations as a source of food, and for cultural, social and ceremonial purposes.
British Columbia's wildlife resources are a vital part of the environment and are essential to the ecological balance. British Columbia has a rich diversity of wildlife species, including 1,138 species of vertebrates. Three quarters of Canada's mammal species are found in B.C. and 24 are exclusive to this province. Of the 250 bird species that breed in B.C., 55 percent breed nowhere else in Canada.
Wildlife populations are important to the provincial economy as well, supporting hunting, angling, and wildlife viewing-related activities, as well as trappers, guides, taxidermists, and others who make a living through their commercial involvement. British Columbians and visitors enjoy a unique variety of wildlife-related recreation opportunities. Economic multipliers resulting from recreation, as well as other commercial activities related to wildlife, contribute significantly to the provincial economy. Annual expenditures by hunters and anglers alone exceed $340 million.[1]
In addition to these ecological, social and economic considerations, B.C. has provincial, national and international responsibilities with regard to the conservation of this resource. Consequently, it is vital that wildlife is managed in a sustainable way that enables the Province to steward this resource in a manner that is most likely to preserve wildlife benefits for future generations.
How is Wildlife Managed in Canada?
Canada's provinces and territories have constitutional responsibility for most matters related to the conservation and management of wildlife populations and habitat within their boundaries. The Government of Canada has specific responsibilities with regard to the protection and management of migratory birds, protection of nationally significant wildlife habitat, control of the international trade in endangered species, and research on wildlife-related issues of national importance. The Federal government also has authority to manage “sea coast and inland fisheries”. The Ministry of Environment has, through delegated authority under the Federal Fisheries Act, responsibility for the Province's non-salmon freshwater fisheries. In this capacity, the Ministry is responsible for freshwater fish governance, conservation and recreation efforts and issues. The licensing of freshwater recreational fishing is enabled under the Province's Wildlife Act. The Federal Department of Fisheries and Oceans is responsible for First Nation fisheries, commercial and recreational fisheries in tidal waters, salmon fisheries in non-tidal waters and has primary responsibility for fish habitat protection.
How is Wildlife Managed in British Columbia?
The B.C. Ministry of Environment develops, manages, regulates and enforces environmental programs and legislation that contribute significantly to ensuring the health and diversity of native species and ecosystems. With the objective of protecting, maintaining, and restoring native species and ecosystems, the Ministry works to conserve biodiversity, maintain and enhance native ecosystems, and achieve a balance between the needs of wildlife and the needs of people.
The Ministry encourages others to accept a greater role in environmental stewardship and facilitates initiatives to protect and restore local environments. Wildlife, ecosystems, geography, culture, and economies of communities are very different across the province and, in recognition of this, wildlife management initiatives are rooted locally and regionally.
The Ministry's approach to sustainable wildlife management is based on a model of shared stewardship. In pursuing this direction to managing wildlife, the Ministry recognizes the need to work with other levels of government and First Nations, as well as stakeholders and the public, to effectively manage wildlife resources. In a shared stewardship model of wildlife management, First Nations, the public and stakeholders are involved in decision-making and share responsibility for environmental outcomes. A successful shared stewardship model integrates cooperative and collaborative partnerships across sectors and geographic jurisdictions. It involves effective information-sharing with stakeholders, enhancing and promoting partnerships and volunteer programs, the creation of a stewardship network and designing and developing legislation, regulations, policies and guidelines that are publicly accessible, consultation-driven and client-focused.
Specifically, the Ministry manages wildlife by:
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Developing environmental and regional-based planning programs;
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Providing guidelines and standards for the protection and conservation of species and ecosystems;
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Recommending to Cabinet new and amended wildlife and ecosystems protection and management legislation;
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Exercising decision-making under the authority of the Wildlife Act;
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Encouraging compliance with, and enhancing enforcement of, wildlife protection and management legislation;
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Entering into joint initiatives with other governments and partners to identify, protect and restore species and ecosystems;
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Collecting, analyzing and distributing scientific information on species and ecosystems so that standards for the use and protection of species and ecosystems represent the best available science;
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Providing scientific advice to decision-makers and implementers of resource-use policies and land-use planning; and
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Providing leadership in species at risk ranking and designation, and preparation and implementation of recovery plans.
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