The proposed research project will explore the question: How can existing mechanisms (National Marine Conservation Area Reserve (NMCAR), Indigenous Protected and Conserved Areas (IPCA), and Management Agreements with Parks Canada in the Southern Gulf Islands (GINPR)) be used to uphold Indigenous W?SÁNE? laws, governance structures, values, and responsibilities within W?SÁNE? territory? Exploring the benefits, limits, and processes for funding, establishment, and enforcement of these mechanisms will help the W?SÁNE? Leadership Council make informed decisions regarding the feasibility and potential negotiation of these agreements within W?SÁNE? territory. Importantly, the research will also help the W?SÁNE? Leadership Council asses how these processes might help further objectives of environmental stewardship and care within W?SÁNE? territory, as informed by W?SÁNE? laws, values, and worldview.