Area 23 - Barkley Sound

Overview

The Area 23 Harvest Roundtable was founded in 2005, and is the primary body for making recommendations to Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO) regarding salmon harvest decisions in DFO’s Statistical Area 23 (Barkley Sound and Alberni Inlet).

The goals of the Harvest Roundtable are to ensure all fishing sectors have adequate opportunity to harvest their allocations while ensuring salmon populations are sustainably managed for long-term abundance. This involves coordinating plans and working through conflicts.

Members

I​n-season members include:

• One official representative from each of the areas D and B of the Commercial Salmon Advisory Board (CSAB)

• One official representative from Bamfield, Port Alberni and Ucluelet of the Sport Fishing Advisory Board (SFAB)

• One official representative from each of the Maa-nulth First Nations, or one collective representative as per the preference of the Yuu-cluth-aht First Nation, Uchucklesaht Tribe, Toquaht Nation, and Huu-ay-aht First Nation.

• One official representative from each of the following First Nations: Hupacasath and Tseshaht

• One official representative from the Barkley Salmon Working Group

• Official representation from appropriate Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO) teams.

In addition to the in-season members, pre and post season meetings will include other stakeholders who are affected and have data to contribute to these discussions. These include but are not limited to:

• Uu-a-thluk (Nuu-chah-nulth Tribal Council)

• Port Alberni Port Authority

• City of Port Alberni

• Alberni Clayoquot Regional District

• British Columbia Provincial Government

Facilitation and communications is provided by West Coast Aquatic.

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History

Leading up to the mid-2000s, there was significant conflict in Barkley Sound / Alberni Inlet fisheries[1] (DFO Statistical Area 23, West Coast Vancouver Island). The conflict (political, social, legal) was exacerbated by First Nations and sectors each having separate bilateral conversations with DFO, creating a zero-sum game environment. Sectors and First Nations started to meet together, seeking weekly dialogue with DFO on fisheries operations. Around the same time, DFO’s 2005 Wild Salmon Policy[2] was enacted, including Strategy 4 – Integrated Strategic Planning. With these factors aligning, DFO started regularizing the need for coordinated discussions by creating formal salmon roundtables, Area 23 Barkley being the first. The collaborative WCVI roundtables were the first of their kind in BC, and are often referred to as a pilot project under the Wild Salmon Policy.

[1] See “Appendix 2. Brief History of Sockeye Management in Barkley Sound / Alberni Inlet”

[2] DFO’s Wild Salmon Policy