Collaborative investigations of water quality pollution patterns: working with the Kyuquot/Checleseht First Nations in British Columbia

In 2004, large-scale closures to shellfish harvesting were issued in Kyuquot Sound, British Columbia, leaving many in the Ka:’yu:’k’t’h’/Che:k:tles7et’h’ First Nations without an important industry. To respond to the closures, government regulators and the community worked together to produce a pilot Conditional Management Plan (CMP), which expanded the monitoring rights of the community, and now includes joint responsibility and coordination of the plan. Drawing upon co-management and common property theory, this study presents a case in which a geographically isolated community worked with government agencies to increase their participation in lower-level shellfish management activities. Through this, there was an enhancement of the capacity of the community to engage with regulating agencies about water quality sampling and policy agenda setting. Through time and repeated interactions, these early relations may help to develop local and governmental capacity to work cooperatively and collaboratively, perhaps thus moving closer to co-management of shellfish resources.