West Babine Sustainable Resource Management Plan

and Range Practices Act; Forest Practices Code of British Columbia Act; Waste Management Act;
Water Act; Environmental Assessment Act; and other federal and provincial statutes.
Oil, gas, coal and coalbed methane (CBM) are subject to intergovernmental review. Oil, gas, and
CBM projects are regulated by the Petroleum and Natural Gas Act and Regulations. Large
energy projects are subject to the Environmental Assessment Process.
The Kispiox LRMP provides the following objectives for mineral resources and oil/natural gas:
to encourage new opportunities and development in mining, oil and gas, that provide local
employment and investment;
to maintain or enhance access to Crown land exploration and development of mineral and
energy resources; and
to maintain opportunities for sand and gravel mining.
Table 16: Management Direction for Mineral and Energy Resources
Objective Indicator(s) Target/Measure Management
Considerations
1. To provide certainty
of access for
exploration and
development of subsurface
and
aggregate resources
in consideration of
objectives and
targets for other
resource values.
3.3.5 Fisheries
Area of Crown land
available for
exploration and
development of subsurface
resources.
Applications considered
for exploration and
development of
aggregate and subsurface
resources on
100% of Crown lands
outside of protected
areas. 39
Standard permitting and
approval processes
include consideration of
SRMP objectives and
targets for other resource
values.
3.3.5.1 Value of the Babine River fishery
The Babine River is prized for its high fish values and its contribution to the commercial, sport
and First Nations food fisheries. In recognition of its high values, the river has been designated
as both a Class 1 angling river and a BC Heritage River.
Steelhead provide a world class sport fishery on the upper reaches of the Babine River mainstem
during the late summer and fall. Babine steelhead have a large body size and are very abundant,
both of which make angling on the Babine very desirable. Guided anglers caught an average of
2,439 steelhead annually from 1990 – 1998, with less than 1 per cent of the catch retained
(Gottesfeld et al, 2002). There are three lodges on the Babine River that provide opportunities for
guided angling. One of these is in the West Babine plan area. Recreational (unguided) angling is
also very popular.
39
Includes parks, ecological reserves, protected heritage properties or areas where mining has been prohibited by an order under
the Environment and Land Use Act.
Page 54 March 2004