2018 AVICC-UBCM Resolution Letter

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February 8, 2018        File No.: 0230-20 
 
 
Association of Vancouver Island and Coastal Communities 
525 Government Street  
Victoria,  BC  V8V 0A8 
 
Dear Liz Cookson, 
 
Re: 2018 Resolution -- Request for DFO review of Integrated Geoduck Management Framework 
 
Please be advised that on February 7, 2018 the Islands Trust Executive Committee passed the following 
resolution for the 2018 AVICC Annual General Meeting: 
 
That the Executive Committee directs staff to finalize and forward a resolution with 
backgrounder for consideration at the 2018 Association of Vancouver Island and Coastal 
Communities and Union of BC Municipalities conventions requesting DFO to conduct an 
ecosystem-based study of potential and cumulative impacts of increased geoduck clam 
aquaculture and consider increased monitoring and enforcement. 
 
Please find attached the background information regarding this resolution. 
 
I trust the above is satisfactory, and please do not hesitate to contact me if you require further 
information. 
 
Yours truly, 
 
 
 
Carmen Thiel 
Corporate Secretary 
 
Attach: Resolution and Backgrounder 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Request for DFO review of potential cumulative impacts of increased geoduck    
aquaculture  
WHEREAS Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO) approved the Integrated Geoduck Management 
Framework in 2017 (IGMF);  
AND WHEREAS the IGMF will lead to increased applications for geoduck aquaculture which has the 
potential to negatively impact the marine environment; 
THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that UBCM request that DFO conduct an ecosystem-based study of 
potential and cumulative impacts of increased geoduck clam aquaculture and consider increased 
monitoring and enforcement. 
 
 
Backgrounder 
Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO) approved the Integrated Geoduck Management Framework 2017 
based on research limited to the impact of geoduck clam aquaculture on the wild geoduck clam fishery. 
This approval ended a moratorium on geoduck aquaculture, which will lead to increased applications for 
geoduck aquaculture.   
DFO has advised that applications will be assessed on a license-by-licence basis. There are concerns that 
DFO will not sufficiently consider the potential and cumulative impacts of increased geoduck clam 
aquaculture in the Salish Sea.  
A November 2017 Islands Trust staff review of the available science did not result in an impression that 
there is scientific consensus that the potential impacts of intensive geoduck aquaculture, particularly in 
the intertidal zone, are certain to be minimal. Staff noted that many articles conclude with calls for 
additional research.   The Islands Trust staff report on this topic is available on request.  
Therefore, a DFO ecosystem-based study of 

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