Gitdisdzu Luyeks (Kitasu Bay) MPA

Along the coast of Swindle Island, British Columbia, nestled along the Great Bear Rainforest, lie the rich waters of Gitdisdzu Lugyeks (also known as Kitasu Bay). The Bay's nutrient-rich swells provide refuge to a variety of fish, seabirds, and whales. The submerged eel grass meadows and kelp forests serve as the most important herring spawning grounds on the British Columbian coast, as well as a nursery for a myriad of other juvenile fish.

Within the Indigenous territory of the Kitasoo/Xai’xais Nation, Gitdisdzu Lugyeks is also an integral part of the culture, livelihoods, and traditions of the local community. It is known as a spiritual place whose waters and marine life are vital to the Nation's economy, health, and culture.

As stewards of the lands they call home, the Kitasoo/Xai'xais Nation took action to protect these vital waters and advance Indigenous-led conservation in Canada by creating a permanent 33.5 square kilometer marine protected area in the Bay. Gitdisdzu Lugyeks MPA was formally designated and announced by the Kitasoo/Xai’xais Hereditary Chiefs in June 2022. The Nation is currently negotiating with users to select a date for full implementation in 2023.

Gitdisdzu Lugyeks MPA will be managed by the Kitasoo/Xai’xais Stewardship Authority using a combination of traditional knowledge and the latest marine science with hopes that it will provide a blueprint for responsible marine stewardship that incorporates traditional values. Management will follow the guiding priniciples of the Nation: loomsk (respect), sagayt k’uulm goot (interconnectedness), sityaaw (reciprocity), and gugwilx’ya’ansk (intergenerational knowledge).

Having lived on the surrounding lands for thousands of years, the Kitasoo/Xai'xais know the Bay's waters better than anyone. Already on the water every day as part of the Territory's management, the Kitasoo/Xai'xais Guardian Watchmen will monitor and care for Gitdisdzu Lugyeks MPA. The leadership and stewardship of the Kitasoo/Xai'xais Nation will ensure the continuity of their culture and protect the vital biodiversity and marine resources of the Bay for current and future generations.