Off-shore oil & gas

The Central Coast First Nations have always been opposed to offshore petroleum, natural gas exploration and development and tanker traffic.

Our Nations are concerned about the considerable potential for adverse effects on marine and inter-tidal resources. Concerns include: damage to marine organisms from petrochemical residues; seismic testing impacts on fish and marine mammals; and the potential for oil spills, which would affect vast sea and shoreline areas and the marine and inter-tidal ecosystems critical to our subsistence and commercial activities. The Cascadia Subduction Zone on the western perimeter of the Central Coast increases the likelihood of such occurrences. Finally, significant employment and manufacturing benefits are not expected to accrue to our Nations from offshore oil and gas.

The Central Coast First Nations currently support the moratorium on off-shore oil and gas exploration and development. This includes opposition to exploration and seismic testing, off-shore oil and gas operations, as well as pipeline development, and tanker and condensate shipping through our territories.