B.C., First Nations, Ottawa sign agreement to create ‘Realm of the Salmon’ coastal reserve
CBC reports that six First Nations, the Government of Canada, and the Government of British Columbia have signed an agreement to establish Mia-yaltwa Ha’lidzogm hoon, a new national marine conservation area reserve on B.C.’s Central Coast.
The name means “Realm of the Salmon, Home of the Salmon” and reflects the leadership of the Wuikinuxv, Nuxalk, Kitasoo Xai’xais, Heiltsuk, Gitxaała, and Gitga’at Nations. The protected area will cover about 6,700 square kilometres of coastal waters within the Great Bear Sea, an ecosystem that supports salmon, herring, whales, kelp forests, sponge reefs, and coastal communities.
The agreement marks an important step for Indigenous-led marine protection and long-term salmon habitat conservation, helping safeguard the waters, species, and cultures that depend on a healthy coast.