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- Title
An analysis of marine protected areas in British Columbia, Canada, using a marine ecological classification
- Authors
Zacharias, Mark A.; Howes, Don E.
- Abstract
This paper presents an analysis of marine protected areas in BritishColumbia using the recently created British Columbia Marine Ecological Classification. The classification is hierarchical in nature and delineates provincial marine areas into 12 'ecosections' based on biophysical characteristic, and 619 'ecounits' based on current, depth, exposure, relief, and substrate. Protected areas were assessed as a percentage of total marine area and shoreline length for each ecosection and ecounit. Results indicate that 1.25% of British Columbia's marine areas have some degree of protection. If the abyssal (> 1,000 m) regions are excluded, this number rises to 4.22%. For British Columbia's 29,489 km of shoreline, 14.36% is protected in some way. Results also indicate that high exposure, high current, and hard substrate environments have greater representation than other areas. The British Columbia Marine Ecological Classification is also being used as a toolin the establishment of marine reserves based on a representative ecosystems approach, and it is being used in the development of a GAP analysis methodology for marine environments.
- Subjects
BRITISH Columbia; CANADA; ECOSYSTEM management
- Publication
Natural Areas Journal, 1998, Vol 18, Issue 1, p4
- ISSN
0885-8608
- Publication type
Article