Gitxaała Nation and Canada Partner to Establish Banks Marine Refuge in Nłuut'iksm Laxyuubm Gitxaała

BANKS ISLAND, BC, Oct. 17, 2025 /CNW/ - Beneath the waters west of Lax k'naga Sts'ool (Banks Island, B.C.), ancient corals, swaying kelp forests, and thriving eelgrass beds provide food, shelter, and life for countless marine species. For Gitxaała people, these places are part of an unbroken relationship with the ocean that spans countless generations.

Today, Gitxaała Nation and the Government of Canada are taking a united step to ensure these ecosystems remain healthy and abundant for the future, showcasing how Nation-to-Nation collaboration can achieve meaningful marine conservation. Chief Councillor Linda Innes of Gitxaała Nation and the Honourable Joanne Thompson, Minister of Fisheries, announced the establishment of the Banks Marine Refuge, a new protected area in Nłuut'iksgm Laxyuubm Gitxaała (sacred Gitxaała Territory) on the north coast of British Columbia.

The Banks Marine Refuge is one of three new sites under the Great Bear Sea Project Finance for Permanence initiative and advances the shared national goal of protecting 30% of marine and coastal areas by 2030. It safeguards coral and sponges and key habitats for ts'mhoon (rockfish) such as mo'ox (bull kelp), gyoós (giant kelp forests), and gadza k'aw (eelgrass beds). To protect these culturally important, rare, and sensitive ecosystems, the Banks Marine Refuge prohibits all commercial and recreational prawn and crab trap fisheries in addition to the existing fishing closures for rockfish conservation.

The Banks Marine Refuge reflects both Gitxaała Adaawx, Ayaawx, and Gugwilx'ya'ansk (laws and practices), and Canada's legal framework and commitments to marine ecosystem protection. It stands as a model for how shared priorities, mutual respect, and long-term collaboration between Gitxaała Nation and Canada can strengthen marine protection and deliver on shared commitments for the benefit of present and future generations.

Quotes

"The Banks Marine Refuge reflects what can be achieved when Canada works with Gitxaała Nation in a respectful and principled way. Our government has long called for stronger protection of our marine territory, and this agreement shows that when both parties are heard and respected, we can meet shared goals. The Banks Marine Refuge is a step toward abundance, rooted in our stewardship responsibilities and Gitxaała Adaawx, Ayaawx, and Gugwilx'ya'ansk, and contributes to the wider MPA Network in a way that upholds Gitxaała's leadership."

Chief Councillor Linda Innes, Gitxaała Nation

"Protecting our marine environment goes hand-in-hand with advancing reconciliation. Working with the Gitxaała Nation, this step under the Great Bear Sea Project Finance for Permanence strengthens protection for a unique ecosystem and the livelihoods it supports. It is about responsible stewardship now, so that coastal communities and future generations can count on healthy waters tomorrow."

The Honourable Joanne Thompson, Minister of Fisheries

Quick Facts

• The marine environment west of Lax k'naga Sts'ool is a critically important area for Gitxaała Nation, where Adaawx, Aayaawx, and Gugwilx'ya'ansk continue to guide Gitxaała stewardship.
• Gitxaała Nation has cared for and managed these waters for millennia to sustain cultural use, food security, and ecosystem health.
• The Banks Marine Refuge was co-developed under the Gitxaała Nation Marine Protected Area Agreement--a governance agreement between Gitxaała Nation, Canada, and British Columbia that guides collaborative establishment and management of Marine Protected Areas in Nłuut'iksgm Laxyuubm Gitxaała.
• Co-governed by Gitxaała Nation and Fisheries and Oceans Canada, the Banks Marine Refuge supports biodiversity and adds 435.83 km² of protected ocean area toward Canada's marine conservation targets.
• A marine refuge is a long-term fisheries-area closure established under the Fisheries Act to help protect important species, their habitats, and ecosystems. It is recognized as an Other Effective Area-Based Conservation Measure.
• In 2024, 17 partner First Nations, the Government of Canada, the Province of British Columbia, and Coast Funds announced the signing and launch of the Great Bear Sea Project Finance for Permanence (PFP) initiative to advance reconciliation and Indigenous-led marine conservation on Canada's west coast.
• The Banks Marine Refuge is part of the Northern Shelf Bioregion Marine Protected Area Network Action Plan, which is supported by the Great Bear Sea Project for Permanence.

Associated Links

• Banks Marine Refuge
• MPA Network Northern Shelf Bioregion
• Great Bear Sea Project Finance for Permanence Backgrounder
• Rockfish Conservation Areas
• Fisheries Act

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SOURCE Fisheries and Oceans Canada, Pacific Region

Contacts: Ira Khedkar, Press Secretary, Office of the Minister of Fisheries, [email protected]; Courtney Halvorson, Gitxaała Territorial Management Agency, Gitxaała Nation, [email protected]; Media Relations, Fisheries and Oceans Canada, 613-990-7537, [email protected]