Six First Nations and Canada Announce Historic 'Mia-yaltwa Ha'lidzogm hoon' Marine Protected Area on BC's Central Coast

On May 22, 2026, six First Nations — Wuikinuxv, Nuxalk, Kitasoo Xai'xais, Heiltsuk, Gitxaała, and Gitga'at — signed a landmark conservation agreement with the Government of Canada and the Province of British Columbia to establish a National Marine Conservation Area Reserve (NMCAR) simultaneously designated as an Indigenous Protected and Conserved Area (IPCA) with the same geographic footprint. Named 'Mia-yaltwa Ha'lidzogm hoon' — meaning 'Realm of the Salmon, Home of the Salmon' in a composite of the six First Nations' languages — the area covers the Central Coast of British Columbia, a region of extraordinary marine biodiversity encompassing critical habitat for Pacific salmon, orca, humpback whales, Pacific herring, Dungeness crab, and diverse seabirds. This represents the first time in Canadian history that an NMCAR and an IPCA share the exact same geographic footprint, creating a dual-protection legal framework that simultaneously affirms Indigenous sovereignty and stewardship rights alongside federal conservation law. The agreement is the result of over two decades of advocacy and negotiation by the six coastal First Nations, who have been stewards of BC's central coast waters since time immemorial. Co-management structures will prioritize Indigenous governance, cultural practices, and long-term ecological health. The new protected area advances Canada's international commitments under the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework (30x30) and represents a model for reconciliation-based marine conservation.