Population and Economic Activity

Economic and Conservation Tenures in the Intertidal Areas of B.C. Estuaries

Number of Estuaries (% of total)   Total With economic tenures With con- servation tenures Inside Georgia Basin 67 39 (58%) 30 (45%) Outside Georgia Basin 373 125 (34%) 93 (25%) Total 440 164 (38%) 123 (28%)

Intertidal area (ha) (% of total) Total With economic tenures With con- servation tenures With no designation (no tenures) 5,768.7 876.4 (15%) 1,397.8 (24%) 3,494.5 (61%) 29,201 1,923.7 (7%) 8,675.2 (30%) 1,8602.1 (64%) 34,969.7 2,800.1 (8%) 1,0073 (29%) 22,096.6 (63%)

In 2004, there were proportionally more estuaries with tenures in the Georgia Basin than along other parts of the B.C. coast.

Estuaries cover less than 3% of B.C.’s coastline, but provide vitally important habitat for many species.

Tenures (leases, licenses, and reserves) for economic purposes include those for docks, log sorting, intertidal shellfish aquaculture, fish farms, and floating fishing lodges.

Conservation tenures protect areas with important ecological values.

In 2004, an analysis of larger estuaries on the B.C. coast showed:

• 164 estuaries had economic tenures, covering 8% of the total intertidal area.

• 123 estuaries had conservation tenures, covering 29% of the total intertidal area.

• Tenures that covered most or all of the intertidal area of an estuary were more likely to be for conservation (67% of the total) than for economic purposes (16%).

For detailed information, including graph data, see In-Depth report.

Next: Land Cover Status of B.C.'s Coastal Forests >>