ID: 1637
Presenting Author: Courtney Halvorson
Session: 654 - Culture's Role in Impact Assessment
Status: pending
Gitxaała’s Risk and Impact Assessment, grounded in law, culture, and abundance metrics, strengthens communication and counters bias and disinformation in marine governance.
Gitxaała Nation’s Risk and Impact Assessment (RIA) was created by the Nation for the Nation and provides a credible example of assessment and communication tools grounded in Gitxaała culture, law, and ways of knowing. Rather than asking whether an effect is “significant,” instead the Gitxaała RIA asks whether an activity contributes to abundance and the enhancement of ecosystem function. Rooted in lived experiences and Traditional Knowledge, the RIA uses indicators such as herring spawning events, whales pursuing baitfish, seabird diversity, and other socio-ecological metrics to assess whether abundance thresholds are being met over time. By codifying abundance as the decision threshold, Gitxaała’s methodology shifts assessment practice from mitigating effects toward actively restoring ecosystem vitality. This cultural shift in assessment focus directly counters claims that ecosystem protections harm local economies. Applying this approach to the design and implementation of Indigenous marine conservation provides a counter-narrative to growing political and industry messaging that marine protection threatens jobs and local economies. Integrating Indigenous law, culture, and science with established research on the benefits of Marine Protected Areas, this work demonstrates how culturally grounded methods strengthen communication, expose data bias, support a resilient blue economy, and rebuild public trust.
Courtney Halvorson, Territorial Planner for Gitxaała Nation, supports marine spatial planning and integrated management, bringing expertise in marine biology and Indigenous engagement
Coauthor 1: Jacinthe Amyot