The Kitasoo Xai’xais First Nation's Gitdisdzu Lugyeks Marine Protected Area is getting international recognition but is being overlooked at home in Canada, falling victim to foot-dragging by the federal government.
The sticking point to moving forward with long-planned marine protected areas on B.C.'s Central Coast is the DFO Pacific branch's objections to proposed fisheries measures, say First Nations.
According to the Ministry of Fisheries and Oceans, “it's also about the importance of the ocean to communities and the variety of economic activities from food production to tourism that make (them) so incredibly important to our future."