CEDAR – As Secretary of State John Kerry opens the ‘Our Ocean’ conference in Washington, D.C. an initiative has been proposed to the US State Department to consider a World Heritage Site application that is in process for a ‘cross-border ocean’ shared by the United States and Canada. Canada’s Prime Minister recently invited all Canadians to consider submitting such applications.
“This cross-border WHS application is significant in terms of the Salish Sea’s ‘outstanding universal values’, according to the Salish Sea Trust’s interim Director , Laurie Gourlay. “A World Heritage Site designation would substantially contribute to marine protection, sustainable development and economic benefits across our shared borders, as well as offer co-management opportunities with First Nations”.
On September 15 and 16th the ‘Our Ocean’ conference will focus on key ocean issues we face, including ‘marine protected areas, sustainable fisheries, marine pollution, and climate-related impacts on the ocean’. <http://www.state.gov/e/oes/ocns/opa/ourocean/2016/>
“At the invitation of Canada’s Prime Minister, to all Canadians, the Salish Sea Trust has initiated an application to have the Salish Sea designated a World Heritage Site,” Gourlay stated. “The chance for such applications to be submitted comes up only every decade or so, with Canada last providing such opportunity in 2004.” <http://news.gc.ca/web/article-en.do?nid=1107879&tp=1>
In ending their request to the US State Department Gourlay noted the short UNESCO deadline of January 2017 to submit the World Heritage Site application, urging Secretary of State John Kerry’s “support and interest, and that the Salish Sea Trust is prepared to provide additional information at your request.”
The Salish Sea Trust has been registered as a non-profit society, and has begun a four-month campaign to submit an application that will be reviewed by Parks Canada before being submitted to UNESCO’s World Heritage Site program in late January 2017. Partnership across all sectors and interests is welcome, and more information is posted on the website <www.SalishSeaTrust.ca>
“The Salish Sea Trust has also just launched a Listserve to invite public discussion about the Salish Sea, as well as support for the World Heritage Site proposal,” said Gourlay, “And we are in the process of contacting governments at all levels in the Salish Sea basin.”