Fish were once so abundant in BC waters that Indigenous elders recall dried salmon being stacked like firewood. But declines on the coast have accelerated over the last century, with marine wildlife cut in half in just four decades. Protecting the Coast and Ocean explores how we can reverse this decline. This meticulous work analyzes and compares the range of Canadian and international legal tools available, providing in-depth case studies to illustrate how each instrument can work in practice. Despite climate change, overfishing, and pollution, this is a convincing demonstration to address species extinction and plan for a resilient ocean.

Stephanie Hewson's profile page

Linda Nowlan's profile page

Georgia Lloyd-Smith's profile page

Deborah Carlson's profile page

Michael Bissonnette's profile page

Stephanie Hewson is a staff lawyer in the Marine Program at West Coast Environmental Law (WCEL). Linda Nowlan is the senior director of the UBC Sustainability Initiative and an adjunct professor at the Allard School of Law. Georgia Lloyd-Smith is a staff lawyer at WCEL in both the Marine Program and the Revitalizing Indigenous Law for Land, Air, and Water Program. Deborah Carlson is the Green Communities Program lead at WCEL and an adjunct professor at the UBC Allard School of Law. Michael Bissonnette is a staff lawyer in the Marine Program at WCEL.