Stephens Island () is an island in Canada, on the British Columbian Coast, to the northwest of Porcher Island, to the southwest of the city of Prince Rupert, and divides Chatham Sound from Hecate Strait. The island was named by Captain Vancouver in honour of Sir Philip Stephens, secretary to the Admiralty from 1763 to 1795.

Qlawdzeet Anchorage, located at the north end of Stephens Island between Hooper Point and Avery Island, is useful for fishers and pilots, and has pilings tucked in behind Dunn Island. This is where Vancouver met Brown on , with a squadron of three vessels, Butterworth, Jackal, and Prince Le Boo.

The island is one of the two main islands (the other is Prescott) that are part of the Ksgaxl/Stephens Island Conservancy.

History The island once contained villages comparable in size to the largest settlements in the Dundas Islands and Prince Rupert Harbour. In addition to the major villages, several smaller shell-bearing sites were found on terraces about above the present shoreline. Two distinct occupation phases have been identified: one dating from approximately 6400-9500 YPB, and another from about 5000-7200 YBP.

Geology Its main geological feature is the Early Cretaceous Stephens Island pluton, which dates to the Albian era (102±8 Ma), and provides the backbone connecting Mount Stephens, at ,Bivouac Mountain Encyclopedia entry "Mount Stephens" BC Names/GeoBC entry "Mount Stephens" at the island's southeast end, to Congreve Hill, at Bivouac Mountain Encyclopedia entry "Congreve Hill" in the northwest. Indian reserves Squaderee Indian Reserve No. 91 is located on the west side of the island's northern part, at BC Names/GeoBC entry "Squadaree 9 (Indian reserve)" on Skiakl Bay at ,BC Names/GeoBC entry "Skiakl Bay" in which there is a small island, Skiakl Island, at .BC Names/GeoBC entry "Skiakl Island"

Off Stephens Island's northern tip is Avery Island at ,BC Names/GeoBC entry "Avery Island" the whole of which constitutes Avery Island Indian Reserve No. 92,BC Names/GeoBC entry "Avery Island 92 (Indian reserve)" Both it and Squadaree IR No. 9 are under the administration of the Metlakatla First Nation.Indian and Northern Affairs Canada, Reserve/Settlement/Village Detail Indian and Northern Affairs Canada, Reserve/Settlement/Village Detail It lies in Qlawdzeet Anchorage which is at .BC Names/GeoBC entry "Qlawdzeet Anchorage" Overlooking that from the south, at the northern tip of Stephens Island itself, is Qlawd Hill at .

Other features and adjoining islands

Other small islands adjoining Stephens Island include Skiakl Island, Philip Island, Parry Island, Arthur Island, and Joyce Island.BC Names/GeoBC 10km radius search around "Stephens Island" entry

Prescott Island is the largest of the small islands around Stephens Island, lying to its southeast between it and Porcher Island at .

See also Stephens Island (disambiguation) Stephens (disambiguation) Mount Stephens (disambiguation)

References