Sartine Islands Purpose Statement BC Parks 2003

Primary Role

The primary role of Sartine Island Ecological Reserve is to protect internationally important nesting sites and terrestrial habitat for breeding birds, many of which are rare and endangered. Together with Triangle Island Ecological Reserve and Beresford Island Ecological Reserve, it represents the single most important seabird area in Pacific Canada. This highly productive marine region off the northern tip of Vancouver Island is home to an estimated 55% of the world’s population of Cassin’s auklets. Sartine Island itself has the second largest Cassin’s auklet colony in the world. Other migratory seabirds, including common murres, Brandt’s cormorants, tufted puffins, glaucous-winged gulls, pelagic cormorants, black oystercatchers, pigeon guillemots, petrels, albatross and shearwaters utilize the area for critical breeding, nesting, and marine foraging habitat. Given the sensitivity of seabird nesting and foraging sites, this reserve is closed to public access.
In addition to being important to seabirds, the island supports an endemic race of deer mouse and haul-out sites for the endangered northern sea lion.

See the complete PDF file : sartine_ps

Secondary Role

The secondary role is to protect special natural values and features. Extreme weather conditions, isolation, and the physical environment have created an environment that supports plant communities which are both unique in composition and expression. The island is treeless and has few shrubs – it is dominated by a herb layer of dune wildrye grass.
Sartine Island contributes to the representation of the Vancouver Island Shelf Terrestrial Ecosection (VIS) which between Beresford, Sartine, Triangle, Lanz and Cox Islands (collectively known as the Scott Islands), is almost entirely protected. These islands also contribute to the protection of the Vancouver Island Shelf Marine Ecosection (VIS), which is poorly represented in the protected areas system at 5.4%.

Ecological reserves are areas selected to preserve representative and special natural ecosystems, plant and animal species, features and phenomena. The key goal of ecological reserves is to contribute to the maintenance of biological diversity and the protection of genetic materials. All consumptive resource uses and the use of motorized vehicles are prohibited. Sartine Island Ecological Reserve is closed to the public to protect the nesting birds and their habitat.