WWF-Canada has been advocating to protect Atlantic Canada’s coastal and offshore waters through our presence on the Maritimes Region Marine Protected Area Network Advisory Committee, and eagerly await more information about how these sites will be a part of Canada’s national network of MPAs.
Megan Leslie, president and CEO of WWF-Canada, says:
“WWF-Canada is pleased to see new proposed MPAs, which will provide havens for cold-water corals and sponges, spawning species, juvenile fish and foraging sites for seabirds. Healthy oceans depend not just on disparate protected sites, but on a network of marine protected areas. While these three sites can offer protection to various parts of the marine environment, Oceans Act marine protected areas manage more of the potential human impacts on the environment, while sites protected under the Fisheries Act can manage only fisheries. WWF-Canada will continue to push nationally for a network of marine protected areas with high protection standards, including a ban on oil and gas activities within all protected areas.”
About the proposed Eastern Shore Islands MPA
The proposed MPA, located on the eastern shore of Nova Scotia, is about 2,000 square kilometres, and contains hundreds of islands, most of which are protected privately or by the province. A diverse patchwork of important habitats including salt marshes, eelgrass beds and kelp beds provide important habitat for many marine species. The area is an important location for spawning Atlantic herring, migrating Atlantic salmon, and for juvenile groundfish such as haddock and Atlantic cod.
The islands provide nesting and foraging grounds for seabirds and shorebirds, including at-risk species such as the roseate tern and harlequin duck.
Considerations: The eastern shore of Nova Scotia is home to numerous coastal communities, supported by activities including lobster harvesting and ecotourism. It will be crucial to involve these local communities in the planning, management and monitoring of the MPA. Marine protection in this area can also link to the incredible effort that has already been undertaken on the eastern shore to protect terrestrial lands.
About the proposed Fundian Channel-Browns Bank MPA
This proposed MPA, is located approximately 120 km south of Yarmouth, N.S. and is made of two geographically separate components covering 7,184 square kilometres. A section was removed from the middle of the proposed MPA, initially conceived as one single area, in order to minimize socioeconomic impacts to the fishing and oil and gas sectors.
The proposed Fundian Channel MPA will protect a unique area of the ocean: the largest gateway to the Gulf of Maine, where cold, nutrient-rich waters flow down from the Labrador current. This site includes significant concentrations of sensitive benthic species such as cold-water corals and sponges.
It is used as a migratory corridor by many species, including basking sharks, as well as being an area of high fish and invertebrate species diversity.
It is also important habitat for groundfish species including Atlantic cod, Atlantic wolffish, spiny dogfish, and is a spawning area for Atlantic cod and haddock.
Considerations: This proposed MPA could have oil and gas activities right outside of its boundaries, which puts at risk the conservation of important features and species. It encompasses the Northeast Channel Coral Conservation Area, already closed to bottom contact fishing.
About the proposed Eastern Canyons Conservation Area
This proposed conservation area is proposed under the Fisheries Act and is located approximately 80 km east of Sable Island, N.S. This site is roughly 36,000 square kilometres, spanning from Shortland and Haldimand underwater canyons on the continental shelf edge out to deeper waters.
The area will protect sensitive coral and deep-sea ecosystems from the impacts of bottom-contact fishing, and the canyons will provide critical habitat for endangered Northern bottlenose whales.
Considerations: Conservation Areas protected under the Fisheries Act are only able to manage impacts to the environment from fisheries. Other human uses, such as shipping or oil and gas activities, are not managed using this tool. To be effective, protection measures need to be able to safeguard against all activities which could harm the sensitive species and habitats the conservation area is trying to protect.
About World Wildlife Fund Canada
WWF-Canada creates solutions to the environmental challenges that matter most for Canadians. We work in places that are unique and ecologically important, so that nature, wildlife and people thrive together. Because we are all wildlife. For more information, visit wwf.ca.
