Key Components
Watershed Health – The Placer Mining Regime takes a watershed health approach. It divides the Yukon into approximately 19 watersheds or drainage basins. Separate authorizations will be issued for each watershed to take into account the ecological and topographical differences found within the territory.
Risk Assessment – The management approach is based on assessment of the risk to habitat, the sensitivity of habitat and the severity of effects from placer mining. Habitat is classified based on its suitability for fish rather than whether or not fish are present.
Traditional Knowledge – Both traditional and local knowledge will be used together with scientific knowledge in authorizations.
Enforcement – A strong compliance monitoring and inspection program is essential to the Regime. An "action level" approach will require miners to reduce sediment discharge before standards are exceeded.
Adaptive Management – An adaptive management process will provide a way to improve the Regime over time by learning from the results achieved. This will require monitoring of water quality, aquatic health and industry health.
Last Updated: 4/17/2008