A Coastal Zone Planning Initiative for Prince Edward Island, Canada

by Lawrence P. Hildebrand, Environment Canada, Dartmouth, Canada,
Christopher J. Leach, Environment Canada, Dartmouth, Canada,



Document Type: Proceeding Paper

Part of: Coastal Zone '91

Abstract:

Prince Edward Island is the smallest of the Canadian provinces, situated on the coast of the northwest Atlantic. With no point of land more than 16 km from the sea, the Island can truly be considered a coastal zone. With hundreds of kilometres of coastline and an economy and way of life based on fishing, agriculture and tourism, proper development of the coastal zone is critical. Fortunately to date, the level of industrial development and human habitation has been relatively modest compared to many other coastal areas. However, as coastal aquaculture continues to expand at a rapid pace, as the demands increase to dispose of municipal and industrial wastewaters, as the province becomes increasingly dependent on a good quality fishery, and more and more people look to Prince Edward Island as an ideal vacation spot to enjoy a picturesque and unspoiled setting, the need for more forward-looking planning becomes even stronger. An empirically-based, province-wide planning initiative, using watershed/estuary planning units, is in the process of rationalizing the existing, planned and desired uses of the Prince Edward Island coastal zone.

Subject Headings: Islands | Coastal processes | Agriculture | Watersheds | Water-based recreation | Sea water | Municipal wastewater | Prince Edward Island | Canada

Services: Buy this book/Buy this article

 

Return to search