In British Columbia resource depletion and job loss have brought the question of sustainable development in fishing communities to the forefront of the minds of academics, governments, fishermen and communities alike. Research results demonstrate that one strategy essential for sustainability in this setting is fisheries co-management. Co-management alone, however, will not result in community sustainability. Diversification efforts, within a framework of sustainable community economic development (SCED), are required.The case of Alert Bay, British Columbia supports literature review findings that while co-management and SCED are important strategies for sustainable development, neither are easy to achieve. Efforts to date in this remote fishing village illustrate not only the potential for co-management as a strategy for SCED and sustainable fisheries management, but also the challenges.A framework for evaluating the degree to which communities such as Alert Bay are pursuing sustainable development through CED and fisheries management, and the barriers and opportunities they face, has been developed during the course of this research.