Data Management and GIS Contractor
Great Bear Sea Marine Protected Area Network & Marine Planning Partnership
Network and MaPP Background
First Nations on the North Pacific Coast, the Province of British Columbia, and the Government of Canada have signed collaborative governance agreements to implement a Marine Protected Area (MPA) Network in the Northern Shelf Bioregion. This area, which is also known as the Great Bear Sea, extends from the middle of Vancouver Island (Quadra Island / Bute Inlet) and reaches north to the Canada - Alaska border. A Network Action Plan, the blueprint for the implementation of an MPA Network, was endorsed by the governance partners in February 2023. The governance partners are now working collaboratively to implement the MPA Network, which will result in MPAs that span 30% of the Great Bear Sea.
The Marine Plan Partnership for the North Pacific Coast (MaPP) is a government-to-government partnership between the Province of British Columbia (B.C.) and Partner First Nations who developed and are now implementing marine use plans for the North Pacific Coast. The MaPP region is divided into four sub-regions: Haida Gwaii, North Coast, Central Coast, and North Vancouver Island. Four MaPP Marine Plans are being implemented at the sub-regional level and through coordinated regional initiatives identified in a Regional Action Framework (RAF). The plans inform decisions regarding the sustainable economic development and stewardship of the Great Bear Sea.