Banks Nii Łuutiksm Conservancy

The Banks Nii Łuutiksm Conservancy area has a long history of use by First Nations groups. Several archaeological sites (fish traps, fish weirs) registered with the BC Archaeological Branch are located in the conservancy. Additional archaeological sites are likely present but archaeological inventories are incomplete. Banks Nii Łuutiksm Conservancy helps protect a historically and currently used area and its associated cultural values, and to provide First Nations with an opportunity to conduct social, ceremonial and cultural uses.

Banks Nii Łuutiksm Conservancy helps protect the areas biological diversity and natural environments by protecting representative coastal flora and fauna, plant communities and animal species at risk, and special features, particularly lowland coastal muskeg (bogs and fens) and bog forests, limestone features, extensive kelp beds, small estuaries, marine invertebrates, and seabird and shorebird feeding and moulting areas. Together with nearby Lax Kul Nii Luutiksm/Bonilla and Gitxaala Nii Luutiksm/Kitkatla conservancies, Banks Nii Łuutiksm Conservancy protects over 48 000 ha of terrestrial and marine habitats on the outer coast. 

Extensive canopy-forming kelp stands occur on the northern and western marine coastline of Banks Island, and provide important habitat for a diverse community of marine invertebrates and fish. The canopy-forming species include giant kelp and bull kelp. Currently, giant kelp is the most important commercially harvested marine plant on the BC coast and is utilized primarily for the herring spawn-on-kelp fishery. Most of the licences for the spawn-on-kelp fishery are communally held by First Nations.