Category Archives: BC Parks

Admin Report spring 2002

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The New Landlord
Responsibility for Great Race Island has recently reverted back to the Province of British Columbia represented by BC Parks. The Coast Guard has officially turned all surplus buildings and facilities at Race Rocks over to BC Parks for use in support of education, research and the protection of the Marine Protected Area. Before transferring the assets, the Coast Guard completed extensive upgrades of the fuel systems, generators, buildings and other equipment including the large equipment hoist. The Coast Guard retains a small area of land around the historic light tower and responsibility for maintenance of the tower, operation of the light, fog signal and automated weather reporting system.

BC Parks has in turn entered into a 30 year agreement with Pearson College to designate responsibility to the College for the operation of the facilities, delivering education programs, supporting research and providing supervision for the Ecological Reserve and Marine Protected Area. We look forward to working closely with BC Parks to serve as custodians of this precious ecosystem on behalf of the people of British Columbia and Canada.

Community Support
We are fortunate to have strong support and co-operation from the many visitors to the MPA. We continue to work with the eco-tourism and scuba diving operators to ensure their operating guidelines are carefully followed while their many appreciative visitors have the opportunity to experience the remarkable diversity of Race Rocks. This kind of public education is an essential element of promoting public awareness of the value of the MPA initiative. We hope to work with the eco-tourism operators this year to encourage their customers to voluntarily contribute financial support for Race Rocks. We continue to have an excellent working relationship with the operators.

Sports fishers continue to honour their commitment to avoid fishing within the MPA boundary and we have had great cooperation from Sean and the staff at Pedder Bay Marina. DFO staff members have recently strengthened relationships with the local kayaking community as well.

We are also engaged in an effort with the Department of National Defence and DFO in an attempt to mitigate the impacts on the MPA as a consequence of DND activities at the nearby Rocky Point Base.

The Financial Picture
We continue to rely on our many supporters to sustain the operation of Race Rocks MPA and the racerocks.com website. We greatly appreciate the support of many of you who have made donations both large and small. Every donation helps and through the web we have made new donor friends all over the world. We particularly welcome as new supporters, the Ivey Foundation, World Wildlife Fund, Georgia Strait Alliance and a new technology sponsor, Channel Storm from Israel. Apple Canada, Apple Learning Interchange and Akamai continue to be generous and helpful supporters and advisors

Regrettably we are likely to end our fiscal year on June 30, 2002 with an operating shortfall of $27,000 on our budget. Pearson College has undertaken this debt on an interim basis. We are working closely with government agencies to stabilise the financial plan for long term sustainability of the MPA.

racerocks.com
Garry and our students continue to develop extraordinary features for the MPA’s award winning website. The use of the site by students, teachers, science centres and cyber visitors from around the world has expanded considerably. Technology has proven to be an effective way to widely share Race Rocks and Canada’s Marine Protected Area strategy without negative impacts. Three of the most popular new resources on the website are the Archives, Daily Log and Race Rocks Taxonomy file features.

Video Archives
A great supplement to our live cameras (because you can be sure to find what you are looking for) is an extensive menu of special topic video clips that are being developed for the site. These are great classroom resources for teachers and on-line learning. Check them out

Daily Log
Our resident eco-guardians, Mike and Carol Slater have done a great job of telling the Race Rocks story on the web in the logs. Everything from an elephant seal invasion, to the surprise hatching of our first Canada Geese chicks a few weeks ago have been faithfully recorded. Information in the Daily Log is also backed up by a data base that will allow us to recover data on various marine mammal and bird sightings as well as visitor and vessel traffic. Over the years this data is bound to be useful to researchers and resource managers.

Race Rocks Taxonomy File
This will be a long term project. Garry is determined that we create a truly innovative and accessible taxonomy file featuring all the species at Race Rocks and utilizing the very best of what the web has to offer; video clips, photos, text and Internet links. With the guidance of Garry and our other Biology/Environmental Systems faculty members Catrin Brown and Laura Verhegge, the project is launched with 70 species files established this year. This work in progress is available on this website:

and Next…..….
We look forward to an interesting summer season. Throughout June we will have a team of students as guests at Race Rocks providing regular webcasts. Check the calendar for the schedule. We hope to raise the funds required to deal with our debt and a few important upgrades on the project. we urgently need to upgrade the sewage facilities on the island by installing composting toilets to eliminate discharge into the MPA there is a remarkable enhanced remote control camera with 360 degree rotation and a much more powerful zoom capability which we hope to acquire we hope to get data from the underwater sensors (which have run well for over a year) available to you on the website

Most of all, we look forward to your continued involvement and support for Race Rocks Marine Protected Area. Thank you for your support.

Angus Matthews
Director of Administration
and Special Projects
Pearson College/Race Rocks

A Biography of Tom Sampson

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We were fortunate to have Tom Sampson on the Race Rocks Marine Protected Area Advisory Board in 2000-2002. Tom brought to the board a welcome First Nations perspective . His concept of the three-legged milk-stool model of governance for the MPA was whole-heartedly accepted by the advisory group  and formed our basis for recommedation to DFO for MPA status.

tom_ministers

Tom Sampson on the left conversing with Federal Fisheries Minister, Herb Dahliwal and Provincial Environment Minister Joan Sawiki at Lester Pearson College on the occasion of the formal announcement of the creation of the Race Rocks MPA .

In his model, where the Provincial,Federal and First Nations governments formed the legs of the stool which supported the seat which was composed of the stake-holders and the marine ecosystems of the area . Unfortunately when the proposal went to Ottawa this model was not accepted, leading to a breakdown of the MPA process.

The article below appeared in a Georgia Strait Alliance newsletter:
Outgoing GSA  (Georgia Strait Alliance) director Tom Sampson has lived all his life on the shores of Saanich Inlet. His family’s tradition is that the first born always goes to the grandparents—a way of ensuring that the new generation gets a solid grounding in traditional knowledge. As the eldest of 12 children, Tom was raised by his great grandmother, a remarkable Halalt woman who had raised his father before him.

 

He describes her as “the lady who taught me everything”. In her 80’s when two-year-old Tom came to live with her, she taught him history, his place in the world, spiritual beliefs and all about the natural world, in both languages of the Coast Salish, her own Halkomelem (Cowichan) and her husband’s Sencoten (Saanich). No one knew her exact age, but baptismal records showed she was over 120 when she died about 30 years ago.

Tom became immersed in the English language when he started school. Fortunately his great grandmother refused to let the church take him away to residential school, though five of his siblings weren’t so lucky. Tom did well at Indian Day School, and qualified for an academic program at St. Louis College in Victoria, where he attended grades 10 and 11. He enjoyed school and excelled in math and languages, learning to speak French and Latin on top of his other three languages. But it was a hard time for his family economically, so he quit and went to work in the woods as a whistle-punk.

It was a time of rapid change and development of resource industries. Yet already the problems were starting to show, if one paid attention: the trees being cut were significantly smaller than those Tom’s father had cut during his time as a logger.

Tom describes the devastation of resources that he has seen over his 64 years and how this has led to “a crisis all across North America”. He remembers, as a young man, regularly building fires on the beach to steam clams and mussels. Today, he says, that’s not possible, “because our beaches have been destroyed”.

“We seem to have the attitude,” he says, “that we need to destroy what doesn’t pay off monetary value of some kind—that it has no value and should be terminated. Scientists, managers and technicians seem to believe they know more about the environment than our people.”

He describes predictions that his people have made for decades about salmon, herring and other resources —that unless these were managed in a different way they would disappear. He quotes Chief Seattle and other tribal leaders over the past 50 years, but says they were always ignored by government officials. “We don’t have the degrees and diplomas, so our information isn’t considered important,” he says. “Yet our total survival has been based on understanding nature.”

“Our concept of harvesting of the land and ocean are based on the 13 moons of the year—the absolute time clock of nature, ” he explains. “We managed our resources by understanding this clock, which meant there was a right time for everything, and a time we weren’t allowed to harvest.” Tom has organized sessions on the 13-moon concept as part of his work on the Race Rocks marine protected area, where he has worked to improve cross-cultural understanding and appreciation for the traditional knowledge his people bring to the table. “It’s important that people understand that when we talk about the land we’re talking about a relationship that goes back thousands of years,” he says. “We know this land better than anybody else.”

This focus on cross-cultural awareness has been evident in other environmental work that Tom has tackled. A few years ago he played a key role in getting the BC Environmental Assessment Office to undertake a ground-breaking Aboriginal Land Uses Study within the Bamberton Environmental Assessment, which documented traditional knowledge from elders and others from the Saanich tribes; it was done in the traditional language and then translated into English.

Tom believes that listening is the key to understanding the environment. He remembers his great grandmother telling him to go down to the beach and listen to the ocean, because “if you don’t listen to it and hear the stories, you won’t learn”. Listening to each other is just as important to Tom, and he believes this skill is not being taught to most young people today.

Tom has taken a leadership role for most of his adult life. He’s been involved in tribal politics right to the national level, serving as Chief of Tsartlip for 24 years, chairman of the South Island Tribal Council for 22 years, vice-chief of the BC Assembly of First Nations, chairman of the Assembly’s Constitutional Working Group for Status Indians and chair of the Douglas Treaty Council.

Although “retired” from tribal politics, Tom has certainly not slowed down. The schedule of long days that he keeps as a volunteer would exhaust most people half his age. He works tirelessly, helping people that the system has failed.

One of his key concerns is how the justice system has been unfair to aboriginal people and ignored their beliefs about individual and community healing. “The system works if you can afford it,” he says, pointing out that from 60 to 90% of his people live in poverty. It is this poverty that has motivated Tom to work for his people.

Another area of his volunteer work is community health. He’s working more with older people these days, since the average age of his people has risen (though it’s still only 55). But he says his tribe has to struggle against the legacy of the 40-year-long residential school experience, which destroyed the social fabric of many families, removing positive family models and leading to many of the social problems experienced by native communities today.

But there’s been no shortage of strong models in Tom’s family. He remembers his mother, a Nez Perce from Idaho, serving on the Tsartlip council at “a strange time” when the band elected an all-woman council (one of the first in his territory) with a man as chief.

Tom’s wife of 43 years, Audrey—as active as Tom in community work and a vocal advocate of aboriginal rights—also comes from a family of strong models. Her father was a Cowichan chief and tribal spokesman for many years, and like Tom, her mother served on the band council. Audrey has served on the Tsartlip council, and now works as coordinator for adult health care for all the Saanich First Nations. Tom is visibly proud of Audrey and impressed with her ability to juggle her roles as mother, grandmother, great grandmother, housewife and full-time health administrator.

But he’s no slacker himself! On top of his community-based work, these days he’s very busy building the new Coast Salish Sea Council, an initiative he launched to bring together the close to 90 Coast Salish tribes on both sides of the Canada-US border, to develop agreements and move forward on social and environmental issues. Later this month the Lummi tribe will host the first major meeting of the Council, and Tom is busy organizing this.

He’s also doing a lot of traveling—recently to Seattle, Ottawa, and Texas, speaking out on environmental issues and urging that action accompany agreements.

When he gets time at home he loves to garden, a skill he learned from his father who taught him that, “when you run out of money at least you’ll have food”. This year he has planted a full acre with flowers and vegetables. He also spends as much time as possible with his five children, 10 grandchildren and one great grandchild, who all live close by. He thanks his great grandmother for teaching him the importance of “never losing” his family.

Tom says he has learned a lot from his first year with GSA and he plans to stay involved even though he will no longer be on the Board. One thing that’s made a big difference is learning to use a computer (something he had to do over the past year as a Director). Being “wired” has provided him with daily information from all over the world, which Tom says has “helped me understand issues, linkages and the reasons behind things.” He sees modern communication skills as vital for young people.

But spiritual beliefs form the heart of his environmental philosophy. “Conservation and management of resources are inseparable from these,” he says. “If you don’t see the spiritual need for the land and water, then people will continue to dump raw sewage, log mountains, and devastate the streams beyond repair. We have to look at ourselves. We can’t be holistic without a spiritual connection to the land.”

SOURCE: Georgia Strait Alliance Newsletter

Race Rocks Marine Protected Area Update May 6 2001

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Racerocks.com continues to reach to the far corners of the world as more and more people become aware of this extraordinary ecosystem and the opportunity to discover it electronically.(over 100,000 visitors in the past year) Garry Fletcher, our Educational Director, has attended conferences in New York, California (twice) and in the near future plans to go to Halifax. In each case we have featured live webcasts from Race Rocks with video from both above and below the surface to the conference site. On March 17, 2001 we completed the first underwater webcast in which in addition to video one of our student divers spoke directly to the conference participants from underwater at Race Rocks. This was possible thanks to a fabulous, locally developed, wireless underwater communications system created by Divelink.

A wireless internet feed from Race Rocks is now possible for eco-tourism vessels in the MPA. Visitors to the MPA can now establish wireless internet access aboard their vessel from most locations within the MPA. This allows guides to download real time video streams showing activity in the MPA including underwater video from the display tanks on the island. In addition, visitors can have access to archived video of marine life, First Nation’s activities and more recent history stored on the Race Rocks server. If you are interested in more information about the equipment required and how you could subscribe to this service please contact Angus Matthews.

Eco-guardians Mike and Carol Slater continue to do an outstanding job for us all as our resident caretakers of the island and equipment. We are grateful to Mike and Carol for their dedication and commitment to Race Rocks and it’s many residents. It is also reassuring to know that their watchful eyes are always looking out for us.
Should you need to contact them they are usually monitoring VHF 16 or 68.

Site restoration has continued on the island over the winter. In late April the Coast Guard finished flying out the last of the concrete from the dykes that surrounded the old tank farm. This has returned another large portion of the island to a natural state. We are working with BC Parks to establish a plant life inventory of Great Race Island. We have modified the Coast Guard’s old lawn mowing compulsion to allow more of the natural grasses and vegetation to take over the island. A small perimeter is maintained around the buildings for fire safety and Mike and Carol of course maintain their traditional kitchen garden.

BC Parks has assumed ownership of the area of Great Race Island that was previously leased to the Coast Guard. A small area around the light tower and solar panels has been retained by the Coast Guard as they are still responsible for the automated navigational aids. All the remaining infrastructure on the island has been given over to BC Parks. Pearson College has entered into a 30 year park use permit agreement with BC Parks to continue to operate the facility as we have for the past four years.

Serious financial challenges lie ahead. Now that the federal Millennium Partnership funding that established racerocks.com has been exhausted we are receiving no financial support for the operation of the Race Rocks MPA from any government. We are hopeful that BC Parks and DFO which established the MPA will respond positively to our application for them to provide a contribution of $50,000 each towards operating costs. Pearson College has undertaken to raise the balance required to cover the $150,000 annual budget. We hope that the eco-tourism industry will consider assisting us in the future as a demonstration of the commitment you have to environmental protection and Canada’s first Marine Protected Area. See $ave Race Rock$

Please excuse our questionable flag etiquette! One of the pitfalls of joint federal/provincial jurisdiction is they both want their label on the product. At the request of our current MLA we are now flying both the BC and Canadian flag on the same mast on the island. Until the funding arrangements are worked out it is simply prudent to do so!

The special operational guidelines for Race Rocks established by the eco-tourism operators have been largely respected and we greatly appreciate the individual commitment vessel operators have made to following them. We are now working on better cooperation from other organisations such as the Navy and education of the general public. Our proceedure is to log all infractions and contact the operator or their owner directly to advise them of a difficulty. The level of cooperation and voluntary compliance from the eco-tourim sector has been outstanding and we appreciate it a great deal.

Operator training for the 2001 season is now occurring in many eco-tourism organisations. Many of your operators have received special training about the MPA in the past. If the number of new operators warrants it, we have offered to host a training session ashore at Race Rocks in the near future. Please contact Dan Kukat if you think this is necessary.

Marine life at the Race features several elephant seals again this year and the sea lion/ harbour seal population looks fairly strong for the time of year. Already a number of harbour seal pups have been born, and this emphasizes the need for cautious navigation through the area as they are very vulnerable. Serious bird nesting activity is starting so our activity on the island and access is now being limited. Chick survival on the island was very poor last year largely due to what appeared to be starvation. Hopefully more of the usual food sources will return this year.

We look forward to another successful season of protection and education at the Race. Thank you for all you do to share this experience with an appreciative public.

Angus Matthews

Director of Administration and Special Projects, Lester Pearson College

Provincial Proposal for Race Rocks MPA Funding

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Ecological Reserve and Marine Protected Area
OPERATIONAL PROPOSAL 2001/2002

Presented to: Province of British Columbia
BC Parks
Attention:Denis O’Gorman
Assistant Deputy Minister
January 31, 2001

Background

BC Parks was among the first to recognize the extraordinary value of this treasured eco-system. In 1980 the Race Rocks Ecological Reserve was established to protect marine life on the rocky outcrops and the ocean floor extending to a depth of 20 fathoms. Great Race Island, home to the Race Rocks light station was leased to the Federal Government since BC joined confederation. As a result the Island was excluded from the Ecological Reserve.

As a consequence of a Federal decision to de-staff the light station in 1997, the keepers were to be removed and they would no longer provide the essential supervision required for full protection of the Reserve. In excess of $25 million worth of commercially exploitable species are known to exist within the Reserve area. The presence of the keepers was determined to be essential for continued protection. Coast Guard agreed to a special short-term agreement whereby Pearson College would retain the former light keepers as eco-guardians and operate the surplus facilities as a new Marine Education Centre until such time as a permanent solution for the operation of Race Rocks could be found.

BC Parks and the Federal Department of Fisheries and Oceans began community consultations in 1998 to assess the possibility of Race Rocks being recognized as Canada’s first Marine Protected Area. For the first time, Race Rocks, with the cooperation of both levels of government would be truly protected with a management plan that included both the Provincially managed Ecological Reserve and the Federally controlled water column.

On January 24, 2001 Great Race Island (except for a small piece of land which accommodates the navigational aids) reverted back to the Province of British Columbia under the control of BC Parks.

A New Beginning

A long-term Parks permit is currently being prepared by BC Parks to allow Pearson College to operate the facilities at Race Rocks as a Marine Science and Education Centre in accordance with the new management plan and the original rationale from 1980 when the Race Rocks Ecological Reserve was established.

For the first time, the Race Rocks eco-system enjoys full protection under a unified management plan with the authority of both the Provincial and Federal governments. An important new provision has also been made for the full involvement of First Nations in on-going management of the Race Rocks area. The priorities of protecting ecological values, education and research are the primary focus of the recently developed management plan.

Scope of the Race Rocks Project

  • The key activities that Pearson College will manage on behalf of BC Parks include:
  • Protection
    • Continuous supervision of the island and Reserve by resident eco-guardian.
    • Security for buildings, equipment and infrastructure (24 hrs/day all year).
    • Vigilant observation of activities within the Reserve and if needed, reporting of infractions to appropriate agencies.
    • Electronic video monitoring of the Ecological Reserve by enforcement agencies.
    • Restrict access to specific areas as necessary.
  • Safety
    • Observe and report any situations which may represent a safety hazard.
    • Assist individuals in distress when required and liaise with rescue agencies.
    • Assist in emergency communications.
    • Be vigilant for fire hazards.
    • Monitor for the occurrence of hazardous material spills.

    Science

    Continue monitoring program for weather conditions.

    • Continue monitoring program for seawater temperature and salinity.
    • Ongoing protection of unique Northern Abalone populations and monitoring of population and growth rates.
    • Annual intertidal and subtidal transect site monitoring.
    • Installation of environmental scan sensor arrays for air, soil and seawater with full accessibility on the Internet.
    • Observation and recording of marine mammal and bird populations.
    • Daily ecological events log.
    • Support for visiting scientists.
    • Development of alternative energy solutions.

    The Federal Department of Fisheries and Oceans began community

    Education

    • Development of curriculum materials for K-12 use.
    • Cooperative development of information about First Nations focusing on the history of traditional uses and creating a supporting curriculum.
    • Operation and continuous upgrading of the racerocks.com education site with a major commitment for the production of online archived video for classroom and public use.
    • Interactive web cast production and delivery for use by schools, science centres, museums and conferences.
    • Public education programs for visitors to the Race Rocks area.
    • Education programs in cooperation with eco-tourism industry and dive community.

     Operations

      • Supervision and monitoring of operating systems including generators, water systems, heating systems and data network.
      • Routine preventative maintenance for all buildings, equipment and infrastructure.
      • Maintenance of station vessel.
      • Assistance to government agencies with equipment installed at Race Rocks.

    Eco-guardian / Project Management

     Pearson College is uniquely qualified and suited to operate and manage Race Rocks on behalf of BC Parks and the public.
    Located 3.7 nautical miles from Pearson Collegeâs docks at Pedder Bay, Race Rocks is within easy reach in moderate weather conditions. In addition to the Race Rocks station boat, Pearson College operates two purpose built aluminum workboats suitable for transporting fuel, personnel, equipment and supplies to Race Rocks.

    Pearson College staff provides all logistical support required for the efficient operation of Race Rocks. Qualified staffing for maintenance, accounting, purchasing and deliveries are all coordinated by existing College systems. Mike and Carol Slater, the former light-house keepers, are now employed by Pearson College and they live at Race Rocks. They are particularly well qualified to supervise and operate the facility after 30 years of experience with the Coast Guard and extensive experience observing marine life. Over the past 14 years they have been responsible for dealing with the public in the Reserve area and, when necessary, reporting infractions to the appropriate agency. Many of the College’s suppliers such as Nixon Electrical Services, Day’s Welding, Aramark Services, Henning’s Plumbing and others offer their services to Race Rocks at reduced rates or by donation.

  • It is an extraordinary legacy of the Millennium Partnership Fund and our partners that Race Rocks is now the most technologically advanced Marine Protected Area in the world. The state of the art information technology system includes a full island network, wireless technology, remote controlled live video streams from above and below water and an environmental data array all streamed live on the Internet for public use. Major sponsorships from Apple, Apple Learning, LGS Group, Sorenson, Sony, Telus, Yamaha, Seapoint Sensors, the Vancouver Aquarium and others support the Race Rocks project.As an educational institution Pearson College applies significant educational resources to the Race Rocks project. Environmental Systems/Biology faculty member Garry Fletcher serves as Educational Director of the Race Rocks program. Supported by students involved in web design, scuba diving, vessel operation, photography, video production, research and school program delivery, Garry has established an award winning education program at Race Rocks. This program is widely used by provincial agencies such as the Open Learning Agency, Ministry of Education, University of Victoria and the Royal British Columbia Museum. In the past year alone there have been over 65,000 users of the racerocks.com site.
  • This project has proved conclusively that there can be mass electronic public access to a protected area without the negative impact of large numbers of visitors to the islands. Race Rocks provides a viable alternative to the potentially high impact personal site visit. Rather than a BC Parks Ecological Reserve being a secret resource this approach encourages public education and appreciation of the area while maintaining a high level of protection.Pearson College has a proven record of successful fundraising for the Race Rocks project. Since 1997 over $280,000 has been raised from private donors to operate Race Rocks. This was an emergency initiative to save the site from demolition while a long-term solution could be found. Pearson College will continue this commitment to fundraising for the project by raising one third of the annual operating costs for the ongoing operation of Race Rocks.

 

Community Commitment

BC Environment Minister The Hon. Joan Sawicki and Federal Fisheries Minister The Hon. Herb Dhaliwal committed their respective governments to the establishment of a Marine Protected Area at Race Rocks on September 14, 2000. Their action was based on the unanimous recommendations of the Race Rocks Advisory Board. The Advisory Board includes senior staff from BC Parks, the Department of Fisheries and Oceans and south island First Nations leadership. In addition there is broad public representation from groups such as sports fishers, the dive community, ecotourism companies, marina operators, scientists, Friends of Ecological Reserves, Georgia Strait Alliance, and the Canadian Parks and Wilderness Society. A key feature of the Race Rocks Advisory Board conclusions is a recommendation that both the Federal and Provincial governments provide financial support for the Race Rocks Marine Protected Area.

So many Parks so little money

British Columbia leads Canada in the establishment of parks and protected areas. The fact BC is the first jurisdiction in Canada to attain the 12% of total landmass under protection goal is an extraordinary accomplishment that places British Columbia as a world leader. In only the past nine years the NDP government has doubled total park space to 11.7 million hectares to meet itâs declared objective. One might think the Ministry budget would also have been increased to provide financial support for this initiative. The Ministry budget has in fact decreased.

 

The financial reality of the Ministry of the Environment, Lands and Parks budget situation makes it extremely difficult for BC Parks managers to fulfill the operational challenges of administering this burgeoning parks system. One solution to the budget crisis as identified by the BC Parks Legacy Panel in their 2000 report is partnership funding arrangements with the private charitable giving sector. This is exactly what we propose for Race Rocks. Under the formula presented here BC Parks will contribute only one third of the annual operating cost of Race Rocks. For every dollar expended by BC Parks two additional dollars will be contributed to operate this BC Parks facility.

Why is Race Rocks funding special?

Race Rocks is a unique Provincial asset with specific circumstances that qualify it to be deserving of a special funding allocation designated at the Ministerial level.

 

So many Parks so little money

British Columbia leads Canada in the establishment of parks and protected areas. The fact BC is the first jurisdiction in Canada to attain the 12% of total landmass under protection goal is an extraordinary accomplishment that places British Columbia as a world leader. In only the past nine years the NDP government has doubled total park space to 11.7 million hectares to meet itâs declared objective. One might think the Ministry budget would also have been increased to provide financial support for this initiative. The Ministry budget has in fact decreased.

 

The financial reality of the Ministry of the Environment, Lands and Parks budget situation makes it extremely difficult for BC Parks managers to fulfill the operational challenges of administering this burgeoning parks system. One solution to the budget crisis as identified by the BC Parks Legacy Panel in their 2000 report is partnership funding arrangements with the private charitable giving sector. This is exactly what we propose for Race Rocks. Under the formula presented here BC Parks will contribute only one third of the annual operating cost of Race Rocks. For every dollar expended by BC Parks two additional dollars will be contributed to operate this BC Parks facility.

Why is Race Rocks funding special?

Race Rocks is a unique Provincial asset with specific circumstances that qualify it to be deserving of a special funding allocation designated at the Ministerial level.

Race Rocks is:

  • an internationally recognized Marine Protected Area established jointly by the Province and the Federal government.
  • Canadaâs first and only Marine Protected Area and therefore success is essential if others are to follow.
  • the only Ecological Reserve in BC with over $650,000 in physical building and equipment assets owned by the Province which clearly require security and routine maintenance.
  • over $25 million worth of extremely marketable sea-life that has prospered under 20 years of protection would be subject to immediate poaching without the presence of the resident eco-guardians.
  • Race Rocks has the most comprehensive accumulation of scientific data of any marine Ecological Reserve. The continuous data chain some of which dates back to 1926 must be sustained.
  • Race Rocks, through award winning web based education programming, is recognized as a word leader in environmental monitoring and education delivery.
  • partnerships with Provincial agencies such as the Open Learning Agency, Royal BC Museum, and Ministry of Education provide direct benefit to the BC Government and British Columbians.
  • the funding formula proposed is in accordance with recommendations of both the Race Rocks Advisory Board and the BC Parks Legacy Panel.
  • BC Parks investment in Race Rocks will be directly matched at a two to one ratio by other independent funding sources.
  • when gift in kind contributions from our other sponsors are considered the ratio of private contribution is over ten times the BC Parks contribution level.
  • the involvement of BC Parks assures the project of stable funding. The lack of involvement by BC Parks will lead to immediate financial collapse.

Financial Proposal

The following operational budget provides details of projected minimum operational expenses at Race Rocks for the period April 1, 2001 to March 31, 2002. The budget is based on our four years of experience in funding the Race Rocks project and the highly efficient operational format we have established. Pearson College guarantees to cover any cost over runs if they should occur.

It is proposed that the Department of Fisheries and Oceans, BC Parks, and Pearson College each contribute $50,000 to cover the 2001-2002 operating budget.

Race Rocks MPA/ER
Operating Budget April 1, 2001 to March 31, 2002
Salaries
Eco-guardian(s)
42,000
Educator (1/2 time)
30,000
Shoreside support (1/3 time)
14,000
Benefits
9,460
95,460
Fuel
Generator
11,000
Heating
1,400
Boat
1,750
Lube/oils
2,000
16,150
Maintenance
Buildings
6,000
Generators
4,300
Water pumps
2,100
Desalinator
2,200
Winches
800
Boat and motor
4,700
Jetty
400
Fuel system
450
Radios
200
Diving equipment
2,500
23,650
Administration Costs
Phone
600
Insurance
1,800
Stationery/printing
1,150
3,550
Education Program
Classroom materials
4,500
Communication/outreach programs
2,500
First Nations’ program
5,000
Internet access
2,000
14,000
 
Total expenditures
$152,810

 

 Pearson College is a registered charity and as such is subject to an annual audit. Our auditors KPMG will provide fully audited accounting details of all Race Rocks expenditures to the partner agencies. In addition the College will file an annual operating report with BC Parks.

Conclusion

 We had not expected to operate the facility on an interim basis without any financial support from any government for the past four years. Our donors are experiencing fatigue and our largest private financial supporter has indicated their continued support is conditional upon governments entering into this cost sharing formula.  A similar proposal has been well received by the Federal Government. Race Rocks is an essential investment by BC Parks, a cost effective arrangement, a unique innovation in the field of environmental protection and education and a proud accomplishment for all British Columbians. We ask that you agree to support Race Rocks Ecological Reserve as it begins a new life.

Respectfully submitted,

Angus Matthews
Director of Special Projects
Lester B. Pearson College of the Pacific
650 Pearson College Drive
Victoria, BC

 

Great Race Rock Added to Ecological Reserve

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The Esquimalt-Metchosin MLA Moe Sihota went out to the Ecological Reserve with Garry  and Angus to declare the island part of Great Race Rock an addition to the Race Rocks Ecological Reserve.  This 1.5 ha land had been excluded from the ER in 1980, and is now part of the Reserve. A small parcel of land around the tower, foghorn and solar panels  is still leased by the Coastguard.

ertransfer1

Race Rocks: Officially Designated as an MPA Sept 14, 2000

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Canada’s Ocean’s Minister Herb Dhaliwal and British Columbia’s Environment Minister Joan Sawicki join students and faculty of Lester Pearson College in a tour of Canada’s first Marine Protected Area on the morning of September 14th, 2000.

 
Guests approaching Race Rocks in the Second Nature
Group Photo
 Pearson College faculty member,
Garry Fletcher explains the technology involved in the racerocks.com project while Pearson College student Karl Braun takes the video for the live webcast from Race Rocks .
Canada’s Ocean’s Minister Herb Dhaliwal and British Columbia’s Environment Minister Joan Sawicki join students and faculty of Lester Pearson College in a tour of Canada’s first Marine Protected Area on the morning of September 14th, 2000
In the tank room. Ryan Murphy
(PC year 26) shows the ministers some of the marine invertebrates that live in the area. 		Minister Joan Sawicki and Minister Herb Dhaliwal at Race Rocks Federal Fisheries Minister Herb Dhaliwal Damien and Karl setting up camera 4 for the live webcast
Speakers, invited guests and members of the press assemble for the opening of the Marine Protected Area which was live webcast on racerocks.com. Minister Dhaliwal and Minister Sawicki put the seal of approval of their respective governments on the management of the area by one body with representatives of the First Nations, Provincial and Federal Governments. opening prayer and speaking about the importance of the new MPA to the First Nations people.They emphasized the cooperative role they would all play in the tripartied stewardship of the area. Provincial Environment Minister Joan Sawicki speaks in the lecture theatre. Text of the Joint Federal Provincial Press Release.
During her speech, the sea lions looked on live on the screen from Race Rocks! The Ministers meet with the members of the Race Rocks Advisory Board who worked over the past year to achieve a consensus on the MPA Proposal. Archived Video of Race Rocks officially being declared a Marine Protected Area by Canada’s Ocean’s Minister Herb Dhaliwal and British Columbia’s Environment Minister Joan Sawicki.
Our thanks to Photographers Jean-Olivier Dalphond (PC year 26) and Barbara Pedrick


Text of the speech given by the Honourable Herb Dahliwell Minister of Fisheries and Oceans-

Community Involvement: The Success Story..DFO 

See text of MPA Conclusions 

Joint Federal and Provincial Government News Release of Dhaliwal and Sawicki Endorse Race Rocks as Canada’s First Marine Protected Area.

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Fisheries and Oceans Canada - News Release

NR-PR-00-120E

September 14, 2000

DHALIWAL AND SAWICKI ENDORSE RACE ROCKS AS
CANADA’S FIRST MARINE PROTECTED AREA
VICTORIA, BC – Herb Dhaliwal, Minister of Fisheries and Oceans and Member of Parliament for Vancouver-South Burnaby and Joan Sawicki, Minister of Environment, Lands and Parks announced today their endorsement of the Race Rocks Advisory Board’s recommendation that Race Rocks become Canada’s first Marine Protected Area (MPA) under the Ocean’s Act.

Race Rocks was declared a candidate Marine Protected Area in September, 1998. An MPA is an area of the ocean that is designated for special protection under the Oceans Act. The goals of an MPA are to protect and conserve the natural beauty and richness of Canada’s marine areas, retain ecological diversity, provide scientific research and educational opportunities and preserve the many recreational and cultural features of the oceans.

“I am very pleased and proud that Race Rocks has been put forward for designation as an MPA under the authority of the Oceans Act,” said Mr. Dhaliwal. “Today represents the culmination of an outstanding community-driven process which saw First Nations, BC Parks and Fisheries and Oceans Canada working collaboratively with the local community to achieve a common vision for this special place called XwaYeN.”

“Race Rocks is an international treasure,” said Minister Sawicki. “Today’s announcement will further promote and strengthen the stewardship of this extraordinary place. Together, the federal and provincial marine protected areas designations will help to protect the marine life that makes Race Rocks so unique.”

In 1980, the Province of British Columbia recognized the natural values of the Race Rocks area by designating it as an ecological reserve under their Ecological Reserves Act. This authority provides for protection and conservation over the terrestrial (nine islets) and the ocean bottom (to a depth of 20 fathoms). Designation of Race Rocks or XwaYeN (pronounced shwai’yen) as an MPA will further protect marine species and their habitat found within the boundaries of the existing ecological reserve. The marine ecosystem within this area is known for its exceptional diversity which is of importance to commercial and recreational fisheries in adjacent areas. It also protects critical habitat for threatened Northern abalone.

The MPA designation will also serve to protect the natural beauty of the area and provide scientific and educational opportunities for researchers and students. Lester B. Pearson College, the primary advocate for originally securing Race Rocks as an Ecological Reserve, operates the lightstation facility as a research and education centre in cooperation with BC Parks and Fisheries and Oceans/Canadian Coast Guard.

“The First Nations people have long recognized the importance of the ocean and particular significance of XwaYeN,” said Tom Sampson of the Coast Salish Sea Council. “The creation of this first Marine Protected Area under the Oceans Act is a positive step toward creating mutual understanding of our cultural values. It will have an impact on not only the living marine resources and their environment but on Canadians and, most importantly, their children.”

“Protection of the rich marine waters at XwaYeN (Race Rocks) is an important step towards establishing a system of marine protected areas in Canada,” said Sabine Jessen, Conservation Director for the BC Chapter of the Canadian Parks and Wilderness Society. “The community and government collaboration at XwaYeN is a model for future MPAs. The conservation community is committed to continuing our efforts to protect other ecologically important marine habitats on all of Canada’s coasts.”

“The whale watching and eco-tourism industry is proud to be an integral participant in the MPA process and is extremely pleased that this ecological marine environment will now receive additional protection,” said Dan Kukat, Vice President of the Whale Watch Operators Association (North West) and Sport Fish Advisory Board Member (Victoria Chapter). “The recreational and sport fishing community is pleased to provide continued support in the conservation of marine species.”

“The development of this comprehensive package for Race Rocks has been achieved through the complementary use of the powers of the Oceans Act and of the provincial Ecological Reserves Act, as well as the key role played by the community,” stated Ministers Dhaliwal and Sawicki. “This is an excellent demonstration of Canada’s new management approach towards oceans and their resources.”

Named for its strong tidal currents and rocky reefs, Race Rocks is a showcase for Pacific marine life, featuring whales, sea lions, seals, birds and a wide array of underwater plants and animals. Race Rocks is located 17 kilometres southwest of Victoria at the eastern end of the Strait of Juan de Fuca, and is the most southerly part of Canada’s Pacific coast. One of its nine islets is the site of Race Rocks Lightstation, the second oldest lighthouse in Western Canada.

For a virtual tour of Race Rocks anytime, visit http://ww.racerocks.ca

-30-
 

Backgrounders:

RACE ROCKS – A SUCCESS STORY FOR COMMUNITY AND STAKEHOLDER INVOLVEMENT

(originally at: http://www-comm.pac.dfo-mpo.gc.ca/english/release/bckgrnd/2000/bg0032e.htm)

HERB DHALIWAL  ANNOUNCES THE DESIGNATION OF RACE ROCKS AS CANADA’S FIRST MARINE PROTECTED AREA–VICTORIA, BC

(originally at http://www-comm.pac.dfo-mpo.gc.ca/english/release/Statement/2000/st0002e.htm)

September 14, 2000

 

For information:

Kelly Francis
Fisheries and Oceans Canada
(250) 616-9143		 Alex Dubrowski
Environment, Lands and Parks
(250) 387-9423		 Tom Sampson
Coast Salish First Nations
(250) 652-3889
Sabine Jessen, Conservation Director
Canadian Parks and Wilderness Society-BC
(604) 685-7445 office
(604) 657-2813 cell		 Dan Kukat, Vice President
Whale Watch Operators
Sport Fish Advisory Board
(250) 386-6016		 Angus Mathews, Director
Administration & Operations
Lester B. Pearson College
(250) 391-2406

 NOTE: THIS WEB PAGE HAS BEEN COPIED TO OUR SITE TO PRESERVE IT FOR ARCHIVE PURPOSES. (.It appeared originally at:: http://www-comm.pac.dfo-mpo.gc.ca/english/release/p-releas/2000/nr00120e.htm)

racerocks.com home page
 Sitemap Contact
webmaster:
Garry Fletcher
 Copyright

Race Rocks Ecological Reserve – Marine Protected Area (RR ER-MPA) Draft Management Plan

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This draft version has been replaced by a newer versionProceed to this link

 Race Rocks Ecological Reserve – Marine Protected Area
(RR ER-MPA) Draft Management Plan

Table of Contents
  • Map
  • Executive Summary
  • Acknowledgments
  • Introduction
  • Objectives, Background and Action?
  • Key Management Issues?
  • Appendix 1: Ecosystem Overview?

Map

Executive Summary

Race Rocks Ecological Reserve – Marine Protected Area will be managed to protect the rich intertidal communities and to encourage educational and research benefits while minimizing impacts.

The relationship with Lester B. Pearson College will be formalized to assist in the education, research and management of the ecological reserve – marine protected area.

The addition of Great Race Rock will be pursued to protect the integrity of the area and its values. If Great Race Rocks is acquired the lighthouse lands will be designated as a Protected Area under the Environment and Land Use Act. The former lighthouse buildings will be operated in conjunction with Lester B. Pearson College (under permit) and other partners as an education and research centre to complement the intent of the Race Rocks Ecological Reserve – Marine Protected Area.

To provide increased protection to resident groundfish populations, BC Parks will, in consultation with DFO and stakeholders and through direction provided by the emerging joint federal-provincial Marine Protected Areas Strategy, investigate the implications and feasibility of implementing full recreational harvesting closures in Race Rocks either under the federal Fisheries Act or designating the area as a Marine Protected Area under the Oceans Act.

 Acknowledgments

The plan was coordinated by Kris Kennett, BC Parks Planner. Garry Fletcher of Lester B. Pearson College developed the initial draft plan, and provided expert knowledge and information. Assistance and expertise was provided by various BC Parks staff including: David Chater, District Manager; Chris Kissinger, Resource Officer; Don McLaren, Area Supervisor; Mona Holley, Acting Wildlife Ecologist; Doug Biffard, Marine Ecologist; Ken Morrison, Conservation Planner and Jim Morris, District Planner and Fisheries and Oceans staff: Doug Andrie, Integrated Coastal Zone Management Coordinator; and, Marc Pakenham, Community Advisor.

Introduction

 The objective of the ecological reserve – marine protected area strategy in British Columbia is the conservation of representative and special natural ecosystems, plants and animal species, features and phenomena. Ecological reserves and marine protected areas contribute to the maintenance of biological diversity and the protection of genetic materials. They also offer opportunities for scientific research and educational activities. In many ecological reserve – marine protected areas, non-consumptive low-intensity uses such as nature appreciation, wildlife viewing, bird watching and photography are allowed and Race Rocks Ecological Reserve – marine protected area – Marine Protected Area features many of these activities.

Race Rocks Ecological Reserve – Marine Protected Area was created to protect a unique small rocky island system, intertidal areas and high current subtidal area in the eastern entrance of the Strait of Juan de Fuca. It is located off the southern tip of Vancouver Island, approximately 17 km. southwest of Victoria. It covers an area of 220 ha and includes nine islets, but does not include Great Race Rock. It was established in 1980 as a result of a proposal by the students and faculty of Lester B. Pearson College.

Purpose of the Race Rocks Ecological Reserve — Marine Protected Area Feasibility Study Plan

This plan defines management goals and objectives for Race Rocks Ecological Reserve – Marine Protected Area. It provides the strategies and guidance necessary to protect and manage the ecological reserve – marine protected area, particularly concerning the protection of natural values, recreation use, research and education uses. The management plan will be the working tool that will require periodic updating. Specific recommendations are documented for a multi-year management program.

Vision

Race Rocks Ecological Reserve — Marine Protected Area will continue to protect the high-energy marine system found in the eastern entrance of the Strait of Juan de Fuca. Research will assist in the management of the ecological reserve – marine protected area and contribute to the knowledge base of marine systems. The ecological reserve – marine protected area will provide opportunities to increase the awareness of students, visitors and the general public about marine systems and the ecological reserve – marine protected area program. Lester B. Pearson College and the surrounding community will play a large role in the education, research and management of this area. Non-consumptive low-intensity educational uses such as nature appreciation, wildlife viewing, bird watching and photography will continue.

OBJECTIVES

  1. To contribute to the protection of marine biodiversity, representative ecosystems and special natural features.
  2. To contribute to the conservation and protection of fishery resources and their habitats.
  3. To contribute to the protection of cultural heritage resources and encourage understanding and appreciation.
  4. To support recreation and tourism opportunities.
  5. To provide scientific research opportunities and support sharing of traditional knowledge.
  6. To enhance efforts for increased education and awareness.
  7. To develop partnerships for management and protection of the ecological reserve – marine protected including monitoring and reporting activities. 
  8. To develop working relationships and educational programs with First Nations

Objectives, Background and Action

 1. Objective:

To contribute to the protection of marine biodiversity, representative ecosystems and special natural features.

Background:

Establishing boundaries is a difficult task, given the problems associated with establishing ‘markers’ in a marine environment. The present boundaries were determined by the normal limits of SCUBA diving and based on the contours of the nautical charts of the time. This has created a situation where features are not captured and the boundary is not well-defined. In addition, metric charts are now the standard which makes the ‘fathom’ description more difficult to determine.

The ecological reserve is protected under the Ecological Reserve Act and the Ecological Reserve Regulations. In addition, the penalty provisions of the Park Act can now be used to assist in protecting the ecological reserve – marine protected area and its values. Organisms in the water column are not subject to provincial legislation, being under the jurisdiction of the federal government.

Fisheries and Oceans Canada can manage marine resources under the Fisheries Act and the new Oceans Act. The Oceans Act, enacted in January 1997, also gives DFO the authority to establish Marine Protected Areas (MPAs). Under this Act, MPAs can be established for a number of purposes, including conservation and protection of: commercial and non-commercial fisheries resourced; marine mammals and their habitats; endangered or threatened species and their habitats; unique habitats; and areas of high biodiversity or biological productivity. Race Rocks Ecological Reserve and its values, particularly the protection of resident groundfish populations, would benefit from the implementation of full harvesting closures under the Fisheries Act or designating it as a Marine Protected Area under the Oceans Act.

Great Race Rock is surrounded by the ecological reserve – marine protected area but is not part of it. It is the largest island in the group and supports a lighthouse station, which is federally administered. Recently, the federal government has been automating lighthouses and returning surplus Crown provincial land to the provincial government for others uses. BC Parks has the opportunity to add Great Race Rock to the ecological reserve – marine protected area.

Action:

In conjunction with DFO, investigate opportunities to expand the boundary from the existing 36.5 m (20 fathom) contour to the 50 m contour.

Investigate opportunities to establish global position system coordinates for identification of the ecological reserve – marine protected area.

Identify ecological reserve – marine protected area boundaries on marine charts and related marine guides and publications.

BC Parks will, through consultations with other agencies, such as DFO and stakeholders and through direction provided by the emerging joint federal-provincial Marine Protected Areas Strategy, investigate the implications and feasibility of implementing full recreational and commercial harvesting closures in Race Rocks either under the federal Fisheries Act or designating the area as a Marine Protected Area under the Oceans Act.

Develop a protocol agreement with DFO to ensure consistent management of the water column and the land base.

Pursue the addition of Great Race Rock to the ecological reserve – marine protected area.

  • Cooperate with Parks Canada and their national marine conservation area feasibility study.

2. Objective:

To contribute to the conservation and protection of fishery resources and their habitats.

Background:

 Race Rocks Ecological Reserve protects a provincially, if not nationally, significant high-current subtidal and intertidal ecosystem. The reserve has ecologically significant and unique assemblages of benthic and pelagic invertebrates. It protects several rare species, including the spiral white snail Opalia, and many rare hydroid species (such as Rhysia fletcheri), that represent unique Canadian or North American occurrences and provides haul outs and feeding areas for elephant seals, sea lions, breeding areas for harbour seals and nesting habitat and migrating resting areas for seabirds.

In 1991, DFO closed Race Rocks Ecological Reserve to commercial fin and shellfish harvesting for all species. Race Rocks is also closed to recreational harvest of shellfish, ling cod and rock fish but remains open for salmon and halibut. Fishing for salmon still occurs inside the ecological reserve – marine protected area boundaries, whereas halibut is largely found in the deeper, adjacent waters.

Oil spills next to the ecological reserve – marine protected area could potentially be devastating to the sensitive intertidal communities, marine mammal and bird populations. The ecological reserve – marine protected area probably has a relatively short time for self cleansing given its location in a high current zone with high energy exposure from both easterly and westerly winds in the Strait of Juan de Fuca. However, options for protection of this valuable ecosystem in the event of an oil spill should be investigated.

The lighthouse station on Great Race Rock poses two threats to the marine environment. First, sewage from the residences is being discharged directly into the water column. Although the extreme tidal flushing lessens the impact, this situation is not appropriate in an highly valued marine environment. Second, electricicty is provided by diesel generators, and diesel spills pose a hazard to the environment. Alternative technologies for sewage treatment and power generation, such as composting toilets and solar energy, should be investigated. Composting toilet has already been installed in assistant’s residence.

Visitors to the ecological reserve – marine protected area can severely impact the delicate underwater communities by anchoring, or disturb nesting sea birds or resting sea lions and seals by landing or passing too close to these small islets. Boats driven in the reserve at high speeds endanger the marine mammals.

Action:

Develop a marine management plan to ensure protection of intertidal and rare species and to ensure that elephant seals, harbour seals, California and Steller’s sea lions, and seabirds are not disturbed on their haulout and nesting sites.

In conjunction with Lester B. Pearson College and commercial tour operators, develop a code of conduct for visiting the ecological reserve – marine protected area to ensure protection of natural values and to maintain a high quality educational experience (including speed restrictions).

Discourage landings on islands through the provision of information and permit requirement.

Discourage anchoring in the ecological reserve – marine protected area through the provision of information.

In conjunction with Marine Protected Areas Strategy initiative, work with DFO in consulting all stakeholders to explore the implementation of full harvesting closures under either the Fisheries Act or the Oceans Act in order to assist in the protection of resident groundfish populations.

Ensure the recognition and clear information of the boundaries of the ecological reserve – marine protected area, speed limits and its protective status are clearly described in the BC Sports Fishing Regulations, on marine charts and guides.

In conjunction with the Oil Spill Recovery Information System (OSRIS), develop and register a strategy for protection of the ecological reserve – marine protected area in the event of an oil spill.

Work with the federal government to clean up and improve the site, including the removal of the present sewage disposal facilities and diesel tanks. Pursue opportunities for compensation. Investigate opportunities to utilize alternative technologies. Monitor technology that supports more intensive use remotely with less impact on the ecological values. Institute a monitoring program to determine marine and terrestrial site degradation or enhancement within the ecological reserve – marine protected area.

3. Objective:

To contribute to the protection of cultural heritage resources and encourage understanding and appreciation.

Background:

One of the main objectives of the ecological reserve – marine protected area program is to provide opportunities for scientific research. Race Rocks Ecological Reserve has been very successful at fulfilling this objective through the interests and actions of Lester B. Pearson College. The college undertakes and assists in most of the research conducted at Race Rocks. The students and faculty provide local knowledge, orientation services and willing assistants to other researchers. They also monitor permanent transects and conduct their own research as part of their course requirements.

BC Parks encourages research that contributes to the long-term protection and understanding of ecosystems. Research priorities reflect BC Parks’ mandate, with emphasis on conservation objectives, acute and chronic management problems, and rare and endangered species. To achieve this, research proposals are subjected to a systematic review process. The collected data are required to be made available and shared with the scientific community. As required by the Ecological Reserve Regulations, researchers must require a permit through BC Parks to legitimize their activities.

In the past, Lester B. Pearson College developed a good working relationship with the Coast Guard and the lighthouse keepers. The College was able to use some of the buildings to assist in their research. With the automation of lighthouses, Lester B. Pearson College has taken the opportunity of formalizing the use of the surplus buildings for a two-year period ending in 1999 and presently (since March 1997) employed the former light keepers to stay at Race Rocks. The College proposes to continue to utilize the facilities as an education and research centre.

Action:

With assistance from Lester B. Pearson College and other researchers, develop a long-term research and monitoring plan to minimize impact to ecological reserve – marine protected area values and maximize research opportunities and benefits.

Ensure all researchers have permits.

Operate buildings on Great Race Rock as a research and education centre, as funding permits. Work with community groups such as Lester B. Pearson College and other partners for the ongoing operation and funding for such as facility through a long term permit.

Develop a comprehensive permit with Lester B. Pearson College which define roles and responsibilities for education, research and management.

4.) To support tourism recreation and tourism ( this objuective was not completed inthe original)

5 Objective:

To provide scientific research opportunities and support sharing of traditional knowledge.

Background:

Education is another objective of ecological reserve – marine protected areas. Since the late 1970s, Lester B. Pearson College has been using the ecological reserve – marine protected area as an outdoor classroom and educational facility for students from both the college and local schools. In addition, groups like Friends of Ecological reserve, naturalists, and commercial operators visit the ecological reserve – marine protected area as part of their education programs.

Films and live televised programs such as the “Underwater Safari” series assist in developing an appreciation of the biodiversity with little impact on the ecological reserve – marine protected area. Approval for filming takes into account the purpose of the filming and the type of footage in relation to the purpose of the ecological reserve – marine protected area and the current inventory of ‘stock’ footage available.

The Internet is another means of education. In 1995, Lester B. Pearson College established files connected to their website with information on Race Rocks Ecological Reserve – marine protected area – Marine Protected Area, an ecological reserve – marine protected area publications list and intertidal photographic transects. Since that time the site has expanded to include more records of research, profiles of organisms, tidepools, as well as history. This has raised awareness globally and has resulted in students from other parts of the world undertaking comparative studies.

Race Rocks has a colorful marine history, with the ships that sunk as a result of the rocks and the building of the lighthouse. Little is known about First Nations historical interests and use of the ecological reserve – marine protected area. The college has established an archive on the internet of relevant historical information and images.

Action:

Undertake proactive measures to provide educational information to the public and visitors. Ensure accurate information in fishery regulations, provide information at points of entry (such as marinas); ensure the ecological reserve – marine protected area is mapped on marine charts and navigation guides.

Work with Lester B. Pearson College and other community groups to provide: low impact educational opportunities for schools and the community; offsite educational opportunities; and information on the Internet.

Continue to permit filming for only educational and research purposes. Develop stock footage to respond to standard filming requests.

Monitor the level of educational use and take management actions where necessary and in consultation with Lester B. Pearson College, commercial tour operators and others.

Develop, in consultation with Lester B. Pearson College and First Nations, educational information on ecosystems and the cultural and marine history of Race Rocks Ecological Reserve – Marine Protected Area.

Update existing Race Rocks Ecological Reserve – Marine Protected Area brochure to reflect management direction established in this plan.

 5. Objective:

To permit educational opportunities that have minimal impact to the ecological reserve – marine protected area and increase public awareness, understanding and appreciation for Race Rocks Ecological Reserve – Marine Protected Area and its values.

Background:

Ecological reserve – marine protected areas are established to support research and educational activities. Visitation to the waters surrounding Race Rocks Ecological Reserve – marine protected area – Marine Protected Area has been increasing, particularly those engaged in wild life viewing and diving. Uncontrolled, uninformed and excessive use could result in: behavioral changes or injury to marine mammals and seabirds; poaching of sealife; or physical injury or mortality from handling or improper dive techniques. Given the proximity of the ecological reserve – marine protected area to Victoria and the interest in these types of activities, commercial and recreation use will continue to grow.

Given the roles of ecological reserves – marine protected areas, uses that occur at Race Rocks should contribute to education or research objectives without negatively impacting the natural values. This may include commercial tours.

Action:

Subject to an impact assessment, only issue permits for commercial activities that are educational or research oriented.

Work with the volunteer warden, Lester B. Pearson College, to provide annual orientation session for commercial operators and tour guides. Continue to provide public information to increase awareness of the ecological reserve – marine protected area, the potential of ecological impact of various activities, and the need for caution in the ecological reserve – marine protected area. This would include: brochure; accurate information in BC Sports Fishing Regulations; information at points of entry; mapping on marine charts and navigational guides; internet/web site.

Work with commercial operators and researchers to develop a code of conduct within the ecological reserve – marine protected area to ensure protection of the natural values and to maintain a high quality educational experience. Develop a monitoring system with Lester B. Pearson College, site guardian, researchers and commercial tour operators to ensure appropriate behavior of diving and wild life viewing companies and other visitors.

Develop an outreach program and stewards program to assist with the management, and to develop respect for the ecological reserve – marine protected area and its values.

Discourage anchoring in the ecological reserve – marine protected area.

As per the Ecological reserve – marine protected area Regulations ensure that commercial operators in the ecological reserve – marine protected area have permits for their activities.

6. Objective:

To enhance efforts for increased education and awareness.

Background:

Commercial and sports fishing, nature tours, marine traffic, and explosives testing occur in the waters surrounding the ecological reserve – marine protected area. Presently, a part of Great Race Rock is administered by the federal government and partly by Lester B. Pearson College. Although most of the land base will be returned to the Province, the tower, which has been automated, will continue to be administered by the Canadian Coast Guard.

A number of federal and provincial initiatives for planning in the marine environment are either proposed or underway. These include the Pacific Marine Heritage Legacy, Marine Protected Areas Strategy and strategic planning for marine areas that is consistent with the Vancouver Island Land Use Plan.

Action:

Establish communications with CFB Esquimalt to determine the impact of nearby explosives testing on, the ecological reserve – marine protected area, and develop mitigative measures if necessary.

Work with DFO to lessen the impact of fishing, whale watching, seal and sea lion observing and bird watching.

Before Great Race Rock property reverts to the Province, work with federal government to clean up and improve site, including the removal of sewage disposal facilities and diesel tanks. Pursue opportunities for compensation. Investigate opportunities to utilize alternative technologies.

Develop protocol with Coast Guard for their continuing operation of the light tower, including helicopter landings, marine access, repairs.

Work with federal and provincial agencies in marine planning initiatives.

7. Objective:

To develop partnerships for management and protection of the ecological reserve – marine protected including monitoring and reporting activities.

Background:

Under the volunteer program, BC Parks has an ecological reserve – marine protected area warden program to provide on-site monitoring and reporting on ecological reserve – marine protected areas. Since the establishment of Race Rocks Ecological Reserve – Marine Protected Area, the Biology and Environmental Systems faculty and students at Lester B. Pearson College have taken on the role of warden. They were greatly assisted by the former lighthouse keepers stationed at Race Rocks who monitored activities in the ecological reserve – marine protected area and reported violations such as commercial fishing, shooting of sea lions and oiled birds on islands. Since the automation of the lighthouse, the college has an interim agreement with the Coast Guard to use the facilities for the next two years and they have generated private funding to keep the former lighthouse keeper in place as a guardian until March 1, 1998. The role of the site guardian is to support Pearson College’s activities on the island and alsoupport the College’s ecological reserve – marine protected area warden duties (e.g. provide information and report violations).

BC Parks is now developing a broader conservation stewardship initiative under the volunteer program. This program will encourage community involvement in the stewardship of parks and ecological reserve – marine protected areas. Given the interest in Race Rocks Ecological Reserve – marine protected area – Marine Protected Area and its proximity to an urban centre, there are opportunities to implement the program here. The integrity of the ecological reserve – marine protected area will be assisted by involving tour operators and other interests in the stewardship of Race Rocks.

Action:

  • Work with Lester B. Pearson College as host warden to assist in the management of the ecological reserve – marine protected area. Develop a protocol agreement to define relationship and outline roles and responsibilities for education, research and management, including operation of research facility on Great Race Rock.
  • In consultation with the volunteer warden, Lester B. Pearson College, develop opportunities for operators, naturalists and others to contribute to the stewardship of the ecological reserve – marine protected area.
  • Develop procedures to report violations in order to assist with enforcement.
  • Work with Lester B. Pearson College to provide a presence or guardian to assist in information distribution, education, monitoring and reporting of violations.
  • Work with DFO and the Coast Guard to enforce site-specific fisheries regulations and objectives.

8Objective:

To develop working relationships and educational programs with First Nations

Background:

First Nation interests and traditional uses of Race Rocks are not documented. A good working relationship between BC Parks and the First Nations people is needed to ensure BC Parks is fulfilling its fiduciary obligations and to develop a mutual understanding of the values of the ecological reserve – marine protected area and its ongoing protection.

Action:

Consult with representatives from the Beecher Bay, T’souke, Songhees and Esquimalt First Nations to understand the traditional uses of Race Rocks ecological reserve – marine protected area.

Ensure regular communication on ecological reserve – marine protected area management issues.

  • Investigate opportunities to undertake a traditional use and education study.
  • Establish joint management initiatives.

KEY MANAGEMENT ISSUES

Relationship with Other Land Use Planning

Ecological Reserve – Marine Protected Area Boundaries

Cooperation with the Federal Government

Cooperation with Lester B. Pearson College

Management of Research Activities and Facilities

Management of Education Activities

Management of Recreation and Commercial Activities

Conservation and Representation

Surrounding Land Use

Community Stewardship

Relationship with First Nations

KEY MANAGEMENT ISSUES

Relationship with Other Land Use Planning

Management planning processes provide a mechanism for public review and support for management strategies. In this respect, an ecological reserve – marine protected area management plan must be considered in terms of its relationship with other land use strategies.

In June 1994, the provincial government announced the Vancouver Island Land Use Plan. This plan recommended that strategic planning occur for marine areas. Marine planning units have now been identified and planning framework statements summarizing values and capabilities have been prepared for the next level of planning. Race Rocks and surrounding areas are included in this process.

The marine environment of the Pacific coast is not well represented in either federal or provincial protected areas systems. The federal and provincial governments are committed to establishing a system of marine protected areas and are developing a strategy to this end. A separate but related initiative is the Pacific Marine Heritage Legacy (PMHL), where the federal and provincial governments are working to form a network of coastal and marine protected areas along the southern Pacific coast. Race Rocks Ecological Reserve – Marine Protected Area is situated adjacent to a study area for a national marine conservation feasibility study which will be initiated in 1998-99 as part of the PMHL Program.

 Key Management Issues

Ecological Reserve – Marine Protected Area Boundaries

The ecological reserve – marine protected area includes an area of ocean, nine small islands and reefs bounded by the 36.6 metres contour, which is an outdated notation that does not follow natural features. Because of the presence of the Canadian Coast Guard light station, Great Race Rock has not been included in the ecological reserve – marine protected area. With the decommissioning of these stations, Great Race Rock is available to be added to the ecological reserve – marine protected area to enhance its integrity.

Cooperation with the Federal Government

Jurisdictional responsibilities for the management of the marine environment and marine resources are shared between the federal and provincial governments. For example DFP is responsible for organisms in the water column. The Coast Guard is presently reponsible for the management of Great Race Race Rock. The province has jurisdication over the other islands and the land under the water column. The provincial government is working with federal government agencies of DFO, Parks Canada and Environment Canada to develop and implement a marine protected areas strategy, and with Parks Canada to implement the PMHL program. The Canadian Forces Base (CFB) in Esquimalt tests explosives in the area, which may impact the ecological reserve – marine protected area’s values. Cooperation with the Coast Guard, DFO, Parks Canada and CFB Esquimalt is essential to ensure the best protection for the ecological reserve – marine protected area.

Cooperation with Lester B. Pearson College

Lester B. Pearson College was instrumental in the establishment of the ecological reserve – marine protected area. The faculty and students of the Biology and Environmental Systems program at Pearson College are long-time volunteer ecological reserve – marine protected area wardens. They are actively involved in research and education activities and provide an important monitoring function. Lester B. Pearson College has a temporary agreement with the Coast Guard to operate a research station at the lighthouse on Great Race Rock. Clarification of roles and responsibilities of both Lester B. Pearson College and BC Parks are needed to ensure successful management of the ecological reserve – marine protected area.

Management of Research Activities and Facilities

Race Rocks Ecological Reserve – Marine Protected Area provides outstanding marine research opportunities. Lester B. Pearson College has been the principal research agency and has developed a good database for the ecological reserve – marine protected area and its values. The College has pursued options to use the decommissioned lighthouse buildings as a research and education facility and guardian base.

Management of Education Activities

Given the proximity of an urban centre, Race Rocks Ecological Reserve – Marine Protected Area provides excellent educational opportunities. Lester B. Pearson College uses Race Rocks for their marine ecology program for college and local school students and naturalists. Tourism operators from Victoria offer educational nature tours as well. These activities must be managed to ensure protection of the values of the ecological reserve – marine protected area.

Management of Recreation and Commercial Activities

Commercial and non-commercial recreation activities such as wild life viewing, diving, boating and nature appreciation occur in the ecological reserve – marine protected area, both in the water and on land. These activities require cooperative management with the federal government, tour operators and recreational users to ensure that the values of the ecological reserve – marine protected area are maintained.

Background Summary

The Race Rocks Ecological Reserve – Marine Protected Area Background Report (Appendix 1) provides information on the ecological reserve – marine protected area to provide the basic information and assist in understanding the rationale behind the management plan.

Plan Implementation

This section compiles all the actions listed through this plan into three categories.

The implementation plan is divided into three components: ongoing management, priority one actions, and priority two actions.

Ongoing Management

Discourage anchoring and landings on islands in the ecological reserve – marine protected area through the provision of information.

Undertake proactive measures to increase awareness of the ecological reserve – marine protected area, the potential of ecological impact of various activities and the need for caution in the ecological reserve – marine protected area. This would include providing information such as the ecological reserve – marine protected area brochure at points of entry and ensuring accurate information and mapping in BC Sports Fishing Regulations, marine charts and navigational guide.

Only issue permits for activities that are educational or research oriented. Ensure all researchers and commercial operators have permits.

Work with Lester B. Pearson College and other community groups to provide: low impact educational opportunities for schools and the community; offsite educational opportunities; annual orientation session for commercial operators and tour guides; and information on the Internet.

Continue to permit filming for only educational and research purposes. Develop stock footage to respond to standard filming requests.

In consultation with Lester B. Pearson College as the ecological reserve – marine protected area warden, monitor the level of educational use and take management actions where necessary. This may include a site guardian to assist in information distribution, education, monitoring and reporting of violations to BC Parks.

Establish communications with CFB Esquimalt to limit testing near, and impact on, the ecological reserve – marine protected area.

  • Work with DFO and the Coast Guard to protect the values of the ecological reserve – marine protected area and to lessen the impact of fishing, whale watching and seal and sea lion observing.

Ensure regular communication with First Nations on ecological reserve – marine protected area management issues.

Priority One Actions

Develop a protocol agreement with DFO to ensure consistent management of the water column and the land base.

Pursue the addition of Great Race Rock to the ecological reserve – marine protected area. ( done in 2002)

Support the application of Park Act Regulations and penalties to ecological reserve – marine protected areas.

Cooperate with federal and intergovernmental initiatives such as Pacific Marine Heritage Legacy, Marine Protected Areas Strategy, Parks Canada’s national marine conservation area feasibility study, and other marine planning initiatives.

Work with operators and researchers to develop code of conduct within the ecological reserve – marine protected area to ensure protection of the natural values and to maintain a high quality educational experience.

Work with the federal government to clean up and improve site, including the sewage disposal facilities and diesel tanks. Pursue opportunities for compensation. Investigate opportunities to utilize alternative technologies.

With assistance from Lester B. Pearson College and other researchers, develop a long-term research and monitoring plan to minimize impact to ecological reserve – marine protected area values and maximize research opportunities and benefits.

  • Develop a protocol agreement with Lester B. Pearson College to define relationship and outline roles and responsibilities for education, research, and management issues, including operation of a research facility on Great Race Rocks. Develop a comprehensive research and park use permit with Lester B. Pearson College.

Operate buildings on Great Race Rock as research education centre, as funding permits. Work with community group such as Lester B. Pearson College for the ongoing operation and funding for such as facility through a long term permit.

Develop a monitoring system with Lester B. Pearson College, guardian, researchers and operators to ensure that appropriate behavior of diving and whale watching companies.

Develop protocol with Coast Guard for their continuing operation of the light tower, including helicopter landings, marine access, repairs.

Develop procedures to report violations in order to assist with enforcement.

Consult with representatives from the Beecher Bay and T’souke First Nations to determine their traditional use in the ecological reserve – marine protected area.

Priority Two Actions

Develop a marine management plan to ensure protection of intertidal and rare species and to ensure that elephant seals, harbour seals, California and northern sea lions, and seabirds are not disturbed on their haulout and nesting sites.

In conjunction with DFO, investigate opportunities to expand the boundary from the existing 36.5 m (20 fathom) contour to the 50 m contour.

Investigate opportunities to establish global position system coordinates for identification of the ecological reserve – marine protected area.

In conjunction with the MPA Strategy initiative, pursue the feasibility of establishing Race Rocks as a marine protected area under the Oceans Act.

In conjunction with OSRIS, develop and register a strategy for protection of the ecological reserve – marine protected area in the event of an oil spill.

Develop, in consultation with Lester B. Pearson College and First Nations, educational information on ecosystems, history and culture of Race Rocks Ecological Reserve – Marine Protected Area.

Develop outreach program and stewards program to assist with the management, and develop respect for the ecological reserve – marine protected area and its values.

  • In consultation with Lester B. Pearson College, develop opportunities for operators, naturalists and others to contribute to the stewardship of the ecological reserve – marine protected area.

Investigate opportunities to undertake a traditional use study.

Appendix 1: Ecosystem Overview

Introduction

The objective of the ecological reserve – marine protected area program is to preserve representative and special natural ecosystems, plants and animal species, features and phenomena. Ecological reserve – marine protected areas contribute to the maintenance of biological diversity and the protection of genetic materials. Scientific and educational activities are the principal reasons for ecological reserve – marine protected areas. Most ecological reserve – marine protected areas are open to the public for uses that are non-consumptive, educational, low-intensity such as natural appreciation, wildlife viewing, bird watching and photography.

Race Rocks Ecological Reserve – Marine Protected Area was created to protect an unique small rocky island system, intertidal and high current subtidal areas in the eastern entrance of the Strait of Juan de Fuca. It has ecologically significant and unique assemblages of benthic and pelagic invertebrates. In addition, it is a haul out and feeding areas for seals and sea lions and a nesting and staging area for seabirds.

Ecological Reserve – Marine Protected Area Description

Location and Access

Race Rocks Ecological Reserve – marine protected area – Marine Protected Area is located 17 km south west of Victoria at 123∞ 31.85’W latitude and 48∞ 17.95’N longitude. It is 1.5 km off the extreme southern tip of Vancouver Island at the eastern end of Strait of Juan de Fuca. Given the marine environment, access is limited. A Canadian Coast Guard helicopter pad is located on Great Race Rocks (which is excluded from the ecological reserve – marine protected area). Only seaworthy vessels are able to approach the ecological reserve – marine protected area, given the extreme sea conditions and lack of sheltered moorage.

Size and Boundaries

The ecological reserve – marine protected area is 220 ha to a depth of 20 fathoms (36.6 metres). It is almost entirely subtidal, although nine islets comprise less than 1 ha. The present boundaries were determined by the normal limits of SCUBA diving and the contour lines of nautical charts.

History of Ecological Reserve Establishment

Race Rocks Ecological Reserve – marine protected area – Marine Protected Area was first proposed by Lester B. Pearson College in 1979. Concerned about the effect of increasing visitation and harvesting, the marine biology teacher, Garry Fletcher, and his students sought legal protection. Their goal was to ensure the preservation of marine mammals, sea birds and underwater organisms for future generations. They were assisted by Brent Cooke of the Royal British Columbia Museum, Dr. Paul Breen of the Pacific Biological Station in Nanaimo, Dr. Derek Ellis of the University of Victoria and a host of other advisors. Garry and his students undertook 80 dives to collect data. They compiled background information to support ecological reserve – marine protected area designation including: observation records; species checklists; bottom profiles; tidal currents; salinity levels; and temperature variations. They also offered to undertake the responsibility for stewardship of the area as volunteer wardens. Their role wou be to provide information to divers and advised them of appropriate behavior. They would also continue to accumulate information and serve as assistants to researchers.

With the data collected by Lester B. Pearson College, the Race Rocks area fit the criteria for ecological reserve designation and was proclaimed under Order In Council no. 692, March 27, 1980.

Natural Features

Physical Features

The ecological reserve – marine protected area is almost entirely subtidal, but includes nine islets, comprising less than 1 ha in total. Intertidal and subtidal zones have substrates primarily of continuous rock and a rugged topography which includes cliffs, chasms, benches and surge channels. The location at the southern tip of Vancouver Island, plus the rugged shallow sea bottom, result in strong currents, eddies and turbulence.

Geology

The geology of Race Rocks is volcanic in origin, with the islets being offshore basalts. Granite and quartz intrusive, probably of the undeformed kind, are evident. Sediment basins can be found in subtidal areas.

Oceanography

The important oceanographic features which have a bearing on biodiversity are tides, currents, wave action, water temperature and turbidity.

Tidal currents are a major oceanographic feature of Juan de Fuca Strait. The ebb and flood tides and residual current have a major influence on the water structure. In addition, Race Rocks is a transition zone between the inner waters and the open ocean. For ebb tide that funnels water from the low-salinity, nutrient-rich waters of coastal rivers such as the Fraser and countless tidal marshes along the Strait of Georgia and Puget Sound through the narrow part of the Strait of Juan de Fuca. The flood tides, that bring in water from the nutrient-rich upwellings of the open Pacific Ocean. As tidal flow surges past the rugged topography of Race Rocks results in ‘racing’ current, eddies and turbulence. Currents flow with velocities of two to seven knots and change direction according to tide, wave and wind direction. The wave action is more pronounced at Race Rocks due to the exposure to the outer portion of the Strait of Juan de Fuca. The variability in undersea topography results in waves being reflect, diffracted and refracted in irregular patterns, resulting eddies and complex tides.

The water temperature is generally greater than 7∞ C with no distinct thermocline occurring. Mean surface temperatures are 7∞ C to 8∞ C in January, rising to 10∞ C to 11∞ C in August and September. In summer, the water is slightly cooler during flood than during the ebb tidal phase. Tidal flushing and turbulent currents reduce vertical layering of water masses. Surface salinity values average 31∞ /00 through the years and are characteristic of the waters in the Strait of Juan de Fuca.

Water clarity is seasonally dependent, being largely determined by the phytoplankton content of the water. In the winter, low phytoplankton populations result in good underwater visibility (sometimes greater than 15 metres) except after storms. In the summer , underwater visibility lowers with increasing phytoplankton. There is no significant turbidity due to freshwater run off.

Race Rocks is subjected to strong wave action during southeasterly and southwesterly gales which are characteristic of fall and winter. A prolonged westerly storm may produce swells 3 to 4.6 m high with 1 to 3.24 m high wind waves superimposed. Southwesterly gales produce smaller swells (2.5 to 3.7 m high) because of the limited fetch available across the Strait of Juan de Fuca. During calm periods between gales and the summer, a surge is produced by the low westerly swells (1 – 1.2 m) that are present through most of the year.

Climate

Race Rocks is in the rainshadow of the Olympic Mountains and the end of the wind funnel of the Strait of Juan de Fuca. Often, the ecological reserve – marine protected area experiences weather patterns quite different than southern Vancouver Island. It has an unusually high amount of sunshine the winter months, very seldom recording freezing temperatures. In summer, there is the occasional blanketing of fog.

The winds in Juan de Fuca Strait blow principally from the southeast and northwest. Outward blowing winds occur 50% of the time during the winter (October through March) while the inward blowing winds predominate during the summer (April through September).

Biotic Features

The rich variety and abundance of seashore life of the Pacific coast is due to the nutrient-rich waters, relatively uniform seasonal range of temperature and freedom from winter icing. Excellent light penetration results in the shallow clear waters teeming with plankton. Combined with the varied topography, the ecological reserve – marine protected area has exceptional variety and productivity of marine life and tremendous ecological diversity. Intertidal, shallow water, deep water and rocky substrate ecosystems support encrusting animals and plants capable of withstanding high velocity currents. In the lee of the island, quiet water flora and fauna are extremely abundant.

The marine communities here are unusually luxuriant and rich. The “coelenterate” fauna is perhaps the richest in the world and benthic fauna is abundant and diverse. Species such as Pink Coral, Gersemia rubiformis, and Basket Seastar, Gorgonocephalus eucnemis, that are usually found at much greater depths are found here at several metres. In addition, there is an unusual abundance of ubiquitous species such as Coralline Algae, Corallina sp., and Brooding Anemone, Epiactis prolifera.

Given the nutrients, some organisms grow to a large size. For example, Giant Barnacle, Balanus nubilus, reaches sizes in excess of four inches and the Thatched Barnacle, Semibalanus cariosus, achieves a prickly texture. The occurrence of disjunct echinoderm species such as the seastar Ceramaster articus, numerous specimens of the Cup Coral, Balanophyllia elegans, the Northern Abalone, Haliotis kamtschatkana, and the Butterfly or Umbrella Crab, Cryptolithoides sp., contribute to the unusual character of the subtidal communities.

The ecological reserve – marine protected area contains an abundance of plumose and brooding anemones, Epiactis prolifera, and large numbers of sponges and ascidians. At least 65 species of hydroids, giant barnacles, a variety of colonial tunicates, three species of sea urchins, sea cucumbers, and basket stars adorn the underwater cliffs. Bright pink hydrocoral, soft pink coral, bryozoans and long-lived species of mussels are found here. Other molluscs include chitons, limpets, snails, scallops, and pacific octopus. The rare spiral white snail, Opalia sp., occurs in one limited area. The ecological reserve – marine protected area protects thriving populations of intertidal species that have been severely impacted by sports and commercial harvesting elsewhere. These include three species of sea urchins, goose-neck barnacles and the mussel, Mytilus californianus.

Twenty-two species of algae have been recorded, including extensive stands of Bull Kelp, Nereocystis luetkeana,. In the intertidal zone, over 15 species of red, brown and green algae exhibit striking algal zonation patterns, distinctive to the Pacific coast. Several species of red algae, Halosaccion glandiforme, Endocladia muricata and Porphyra sp., occupy relatively high levels on the intertidal shoreline. Porphyra sp. are particularly abundant in the early spring at higher intertidal levels. Microscopic flagellated euglenoids, Pyramonas, live in the high rock pools, giving them a bright green color. The rock walls of tide pools and the shallow subtidal areas are encrusted with the Encrusting Pink Algae, Lithothamnion sp., and large populations of coralline algae. Dead Man’s Fingers, Codium fragile, rare to this area, is found in two small isolated areas of the intertidal zone on the main island. Over 20 species live subtidally and a dense canopy of bull kelp rings all the islands and extends underwater to 12 metres.

The Surfgrass, Phyllospadix scouleri, is abundant in a narrow band near zero tide level and in the deeper tidepools on the western side of the main island.

Marine Mammals

Over fifteen hundred California Sea Lions, Zalophus californianus, and Steller or Northern Sea Lion, Eumetopias jubatus, haul out on the islets south of Great Race Rocks between months of September and May. In the spring, they tend to move out the area and head north to breed on the Scott and Queen Charlotte Islands. In recent years, 35 to 70 Northern lions and up to 800 California sea lions have used Race Rocks as a winter haul-out.

Several hundred Harbour Seals, Phoca vitulian, inhabit Southwest and North Race Rocks year round, bearing their young in June. Six to eight Northern Elephant Seals, Mirouaga angustirostris, have started to frequent the reserve. Up to 60 transient and resident Killer Whales, Orcinus orca, frequent the waters foraging on the sea lions and seals. A family of River Otters, Lontra canadensis, has also been living in the ecological reserve – marine protected area. Other marine mammals that are occasionally observed in the waters of the ecological reserve – marine protected area are Northern Fur Seal, Callorhinus ursinus, Dall’s Porpoises, Phocoenoides dalli, Gray Whales, Eschrichtius robustus, and False Killer Whales, Pseudorca crassidens.

Sea Birds

Race Rocks serves as a nesting colony and a migration resting area. Glaucous-winged Gulls, Larus glaucescens, and Pelagic Cormorants, Phalacrocorax pelagicus, are the most abundant nesting birds in the summer months. Approximately 235 pairs of cormorants nest on the cliffs of Great Race Rock and on the southern outer island. One hundred and eighty pairs of gulls nest in the high spray zone around the perimeter of the main island and on the small outer islands. Eighty pairs of Pigeon Guillemots, Cepphus columba, nest in rock crevasses on the central island and up to 10 pairs of Black Oyster Catchers, Haemotopus bachmani, nest on the islands. Bald Eagles, Haliaeetus leucocephalus, frequent the area, with groups of 50 birds being sighted on the rocks in winter months. Harlequin Ducks, Histrionicus histrionicus, Surfbird, Aphriza virgata, Rock Sandpipers, Calidris ptilocnemis, and Black Turnstons, Arenaria melanocephala, can be observed occasionally, particularly in the winter. Brandt’s Cormorants, Phalacrocorax penicillatus, and Glaucous-winged Gulls, Larus glaucescens, are the most abundant birds in the fall and winter. Common Murres, Uria aalge, Tufted Puffins, Fratercula cirrhata, Rhinoceros Auklets, Cerochinca monocerata, Ancient Murrelets, Synthliboramphus antiquus, and Marbled Murrelets, Brachyramphus marmoratus,are occasional visitors. Lester B. Pearson College staff reported counting thirteen brown pelicans also on Race Rocks.

The islets of Race Rocks function as suitable alternate habitat for various sea birds that have been forced out of other areas due to environmental disturbances. For example, in the fall of 1974, unusually severe weather conditions off the Queen Charlotte Islands forced the ancient murrelet to frequent Race Rocks.

Fish

Decorated Warbonnets, Chirolophis decoratus, Red Irish Lords, Hemilepidotus hemilepidotus, sculpin, Kelp Greenling, Hexagrammos decagrammus, Ling Cod, Ophiodon elongatus, China Rockfish, Sebastes nebulosus, Tiger or Black Banded Rockfish, Sebastes nigrocinctus, and Copper Rockfish, Sebastes caurinus, swim in ecological reserve – marine protected area waters. Wolf Eels, (Anarhichthyes ocellatus, also inhabit the rock cervices. Salmon species pass through the area including: Pink Salmon, Oncorhynchus gorbuscha; Chum Salmon, O. keta; Sockeye Salmon, O. nerka; Coho Salmon, O. Kisutch; Chinook Salmon, O. tshawytscha.

Historical and Cultural Features

This small group of islets were known to the early sailors as the “dangerous group” . They were subsequently renamed “Race Rocks” by officers of the Hudson’s Bay Company upon the recommendation of Captain Kellet who previously noted the dangers created by the rip tides and current which raced around the islands.

Given that the rocks and reefs of Race Rocks were a danger for converging shipping traffic from Seattle, Vancouver and Victoria, the second oldest lighthouse on the southwest coast lighthouse was built on Great Race Rock. It was constructed of four-foot, cut and fitted granite blocks brought around Cape Horn from England in 1858, build in 1860 and lit on February 7, 1861. It stands 39 metres (105 feet) above the ground. The tower was automated in 1996 and no longer requires light keeper staff.

Despite the Race Rocks lighthouse and another at Fisgard at Esquimalt Harbour, by 1936 at least thirty five vessels had met with disaster in the immediate vicinity of Victoria. The “Nanette” (1860), the “Lookout” (1872), the “Sechelt” (1911), “Rosedale”, “James Griffith”, “Albion Star”, and the “Siberian Prince” are only a few of the ships which were wrecked on or near Race Rocks. Within the ecological reserve – marine protected area lie at least two shipwrecks, the “Nanette” and the “Fanny”, a sailing ship which was built in Quebec.

In 1950, the lighthouse keeper disappeared in Race Passage while trying to row to the mainland for supplies. In 1960, the Department of National Defense installed a bronze plaque on the lighthouse tower to commemorate the centennial of the lighting of this important aid to navigation.

Tenures, Occupancy Rights and Jurisdictions

Water column is in federal jurisdiction and the land, including the sea bottom, is provincial jurisdiction. Great Race Rock is excluded from the ecological reserve – marine protected area and, until recently, was administered by the federal government. With the automation of light houses, most of the island is now being transferred back to the Province. Lester B. Pearson College has a two-year agreement with the Canadian Coast Guard to occupy the site and run a research station from the outbuildings. The College has been successful in generating funding to maintain the buildings and to keep on the lighthouse keeper as a guardian until 1998. The College has applied for a license of occupation with BC Lands to continue their activities there.

The lighthouse has been designated a heritage site under the Heritage Conservation Act. With recent changes to the Heritage Conservation Act, wrecks more than two years old are protected from unauthorized removal of artifacts.

Resource Use Adjacent to Ecological reserve – marine protected area

Fishing

This part of the coast is one of the most productive recreational salmon sport fishing water in British Columbia and in the past sports fishing has been a popular activity in ecological reserve – marine protected area waters. In 1990, the Department of Fisheries and Oceans closed the waters surrounding the ecological reserve – marine protected area to the commercial harvest of fin and shellfish and to recreational harvest of shellfish, ling cod and rockfish. Recreational fishing of salmon and halibut can still occur. Fishers have reported that the ecological reserve – marine protected area is not a good fishing area for salmon and that the halibut recreation fishery occurs in deeper water beyond the bounds of the ecological reserve – marine protected area.

Military

The Naval Base in Esquimalt use the area for testing of weapons. Underwater explosions may be negatively impacting marine mammals in and around the ecological reserve – marine protected area.

Marine traffic

Oil tankers from Alaska, freighters from Europe and Japan with industrial goods ranging from cars to forest products pass by the ecological reserve – marine protected area. Ships used to come within half a mile of the rocks but since designation of the Traffic Separation Lanes, they pass further away. Smaller vessels come close or pass through Race Passage, mainly tenders and fishing boats from Vancouver and Victoria on their way to or from the salmons and herrings grounds in the Pacific. On weekends, particularly in the summer, the surrounding waters are covered with sports fishers and small boats.

Activities

Research

Much of the research activity in the ecological reserve – marine protected area has been undertaken or assisted by Lester B. College, for two reasons. First, the college is close by, located in nearby Pedder Bay. Secondly, the marine ecology instructor, Garry Fletcher, has used the area for educational purposes with his students undertaking many research projects and has an interest in researching the area. The light station complex on Great Race Rock provides a base and sanctuary for the researchers.

Since the establishment of the ecological reserve – marine protected area, the science students, members of the diving service and faculty of Lester B. Pearson College have continuously monitored underwater and intertidal life. They now monitor tidepools and 13 under water reference stations and have installed intertidal and subtidal reference pegs. Students have done original research on the following topics: distribution of barnacles in the intertidal zones in the different exposures; population density study on sea urchins; intertidal anemone Anthopleura elegantisima; limpets; marine mammals acoustic monitoring; Euglenoid; incidence of Imposex in carnivorous snails such as the spindle whelk (Serlesia dira); internal parasites of the Hairy Shore Crab (Hemigraspus oregonensis) and Purple Shore Crab (H. nudas); colonization in a heavy current channel; marine red algae Halosaccion glandiforme populations; and research on biotic association of Giant Barnacles with hydroid species.

The students of Lester B. Pearson College assisted Dr. Anita Brinkmann-Voss (under the auspices of the Royal Ontaria Museum) to identify 65 species of hydroids. Many of these had never been found in North America and is totally changing the classification of these animals, with a new genus and possibly even a new family. The Royal British Columbia Museum has done research on nesting seabirds. Other researchers have studied transient Orca whales, seals and sea lions. Research on northern abalone (Haliotis kamschatkana) as an indicator species for ‘No Take’ marine protected areas was completed in 1997 by Scott Wallace.

Daily water temperature since 1927 and salinity records since 1936 of the surrounding waters have been taken by the staff of the light station. Water currents were monitored by instruments from the Institute of Ocean Sciences with assistance of Lester B. Pearson College in the early 1980s. The present Race Passage Current tables are a result of that research.

Education

Since the late 1970s, Lester B. Pearson College has been using the ecological reserve – marine protected area as an education facility for courses on biology and environmental systems. In addition, they lead school tours in the spring and fall. Up to 150 grade seven students from local schools either visit Great Race Rock for ecology work in the spring. The objectives of this school program are: to gain a first hand experience on the complex marine systems; to instill a respect for marine life and concern for its conservation; and, to develop an appreciation for ecological reserve – marine protected areas. The children often get a tour of the light station, and are introduced to intertidal and subtidal marine life.

Education has been enhanced through live telecasts in the Underwater Safari series, which continue to be broadcast. This experiment in real-time video access for one week in 1992 showed the potential for using technology to provide access electronically to thousands of viewers without impacting the integrity of this sensitive ecosystem. This has raised awareness globally on the “Adopt an Ecosystem” approach.

The Internet is another means of education. In 1995, Lester B. Pearson College established a world wide web page with information on Race Rocks Ecological Reserve – Marine Protected Area and their activities there. This has raised awareness globally.

Other Activities

Generally, there are three categories of visitors to the ecological reserve – marine protected area: 1) boaters who are primarily observing the marine life around the rocks, particularly marine mammals; 2) boaters who come ashore, usually to visit the lighthouse facilities; 3) divers who dive either from shore or from boats. Visitation to the ecological reserve – marine protected area has been increasing, particularly those engaged in whale watching and diving. Concerns are being raised about the affects on visitation on the whales and their foraging activities. Uncontrolled, and unrestrained pursuit of the whales could interfere with behaviors and ability of the whales to feed in this area.

Dive tours are also increasing. Uncontrolled use of the ecological reserve – marine protected area could result in increasing in poaching of sea life, physical injury and mortality from handling and improper dive techniques. These could lead to impacts on the underwater life, for which the ecological reserve – marine protected area is to protect.

Management Considerations

Management of Recreation and Commercial Activities

Activities such as whale watching, commercial diving, boating and nature appreciation occurs in the ecological reserve – marine protected area, both in the water and on land. Activities, their types, and levels of use require management to ensure that values of the ecological reserve – marine protected area are maintained.

Management of Research Activities and Facilities

Race Rocks is well-known and well-used for research purposes, as a result of the efforts of Lester B. Pearson College. The college undertakes and assists with most of the research .

Cooperation with the Federal Government

The ecological reserve – marine protected area legislation pertains only to the foreshore and the land under the water column. The water column, which is an important component of the ecological reserve – marine protected area, actually under Federal jurisdiction.

Cooperation with Lester B. Pearson College

Lester B. Pearson College plays a large role in the management and the research undertaken in the research. Garry Fletcher and his students have been the wardens of the ecological reserve – marine protected area since its creation. They work closely with school groups, naturalist groups, divers and other researchers who visit the ecological reserve – marine protected area, providing information on appropriate conduct and guiding services. With their plans to set up and staff a research centre on Great Race Rock, they could provide an even greater monitoring role.

Ecological reserve – marine protected area Boundary

The 220 hectares of the ecological reserve – marine protected area include an area of ocean, nine small islands and reefs bounded by the 36.6 metres contour. This boundary is difficult to mark and enforce.

Management of Educational Activities

Lester B. Pearson College uses Race Rocks Ecological Reserve – Marine Protected Area for their marine ecology program involving college, local school students, and naturalists. Tourism operators from Victoria also offer natural history tours of the area.

Management of Ecological reserve – marine protected area Values

Sewage disposal on Great Race Rocks, fishing in the ecological reserve – marine protected area for salmon and halibut, military testing and the potential for oil spills are issues that exist on this site.