the strait lies between the mainland and vancouver island portions of the mount waddington regional district, a form of regional municipal governance with power over zoning, building and sewer permits and inter-municipal integration. most communities in the region, however, are indian reserve communities of the kwakwaka'wakw peoples which are outside the jurisdiction of regional district governance. the traditional territories of most of the various kwakwaka'wakw peoples overlap in the strait, which is a vital fishery resource and transportation link between their communities.