Wednesday, November 25, 2015

Outer Shores Applauds Prime Minister Trudeau's Great Bear Rainforest Oil Tanker Ban Mandate

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s mandate letter to his ministers effectively ends the Northern Gateway pipeline proposal, helping to protect Canada’s Great Bear Rainforest

Victoria, BC. November 25, 2015 - Earlier this month, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau instructed key cabinet ministers to formalize the moratorium on crude-oil tanker traffic on B.C.’s north coast. British Columbia’s leading sailing operator, Outer Shores Expeditions, along with many other parties concerned about protection for this precious region, applauds the federal government’s move towards ensuring a viable and vibrant future for British Columbia’s northern Pacific Coast.

“The new prime minister’s mandate letter to his ministers instructing them to formalize a moratorium on crude-oil tanker traffic effectively ends the Northern Gateway pipeline proposal,” explains Russell Markel, Captain, Marine Biologist, and Founder, Outer Shores Expeditions. “It’s a mandate Outer Shores proudly applauds, as it will prevent hundreds of tankers from endangering the Great Bear Rainforest every year.”

Encompassing more than 64,000 square kilometres, the incredibly rich Great Bear Rainforest extends from the Discovery Islands off the east coast of Vancouver Island to the BC-Alaska border in the north. As the largest remaining tract of coastal temperate rainforest in the world, the Canadian rainforest supports, and is supported by, enormous populations of wild Pacific salmon, which in turn support a meshwork of highly diverse species and ecosystems that includes wolves, cougars, goats, deer, eagles, ravens, whales, and bears, including the rare white Spirit Bear.

From inception, Outer Shores Expeditions has made the protection of the regions in which it provides small-ship expeditions central to its operations, a commitment that extends beyond a simple business model.

“We incorporate hands-on conservation projects in our expeditions, not only to help us maintain our certified carbon neutrality, but also to educate guests on the importance of sustainable management of the BC Coast,” says Markel. “There is a complex web of species and ecosystems that exists throughout the forests, fjords, valleys, estuaries, islands, ocean and mountains of the Great Bear Rainforest. It’s only in experiencing the delicate interconnectedness of it all that guests gain an appreciation for the need to conserve it.”

While Prime Minister Trudeau’s recent instruction to his ministers is positive news for the Great Bear Rainforest, there is still a lot of work to be done in order to ensure this region, which has supported First Nations for more than 10,000 years, remains an intact, functioning ecosystem. Climate change and grizzly bear trophy hunting are among the many threats still facing the Great Bear Rainforest today.

The classic wooden schooner Passing Cloud will sail the Great Bear Rainforest in September 2016
Outer Shores will continue to contribute to this conservation mission by showcasing the Great Bear Rainforest, its wildlife, ecology, ancient cultures, coastal communities and emerging conservation economies to guests, as well as preserving the Protocol Agreements it has in place with First Nations, purchasing carbon offsets that contribute to the Great Bear Rainforest Carbon Project, and maintaining its status as a Green Tourism Gold certified company.