New Marine Protected Area off Nova Scotia as Canada Celebrates World Oceans Day

OTTAWA, June 8, 2017 /CNW/ - One year ago, the Government of Canada announced its five point plan to increase the amount of protected marine and coastal areas to 5% by 2017 and to 10% by 2020. That is why the Government of Canada is proud to designate St. Anns Bank as a new Marine Protected Area that will provide long-term protection of an important part of our oceans.

The Honourable Dominic LeBlanc, P.C., Q.C., M.P., Minister of Fisheries, Oceans and the Canadian Coast Guard announced the establishment of the St. Anns Bank Marine Protected Area today at the Canadian Museum of Nature. With this year's World Oceans Day theme "Our Oceans, Our Future" in mind, Minister LeBlanc highlighted the strides made for the long-term protection of Canada's oceans.

Located east of Cape Breton Island, Nova Scotia, this Marine Protected Area helps conserve and protect many ecologically and biologically significant features, including important habitats, areas of high biodiversity and biological productivity, and endangered and threatened marine species, including the leatherback turtle. Four management zones have been established within the boundaries of the Marine Protected Area, balancing protection with economic sustainability for the area. The Core Protection Zone represents 75% of the total size of the St. Anns Bank Marine Protected Area, offering the most stringent protection to the areas that need it most. Most human activities, such as commercial fishing, are prohibited within this zone.

As science and consultations continue to guide what kind of protection is needed and where, the progress on our five point plan to achieve our marine conservation targets is proof that Canada is well underway to reaching its targets:

    1. Finish What Was Started: Today's announcement is the third MPA
       designation in less than one year. In November 2016, the Government of
       Canada announced the designation of the Anguniaqvia niqiqyuam MPA in
       Darnley Bay in the Northwest Territories, followed by the Hecate Strait
       Queen Charlotte Sound Glass Sponge Reefs MPA in British Columbia in
       February 2017.Work towards the designation of a national marine
       conservation area in Lancaster Sound in Nunavut, and the Scott Islands
       marine National Wildlife Areas in British Columbia is progressing well.
       Efforts are now being turned towards establishing the Laurentian Channel
       in Newfoundland and Labrador, and the Banc des Américains in Quebec as
       Marine Protected Areas.
    2. Protect Pristine Areas: On May 24, 2017, a new large Area of Interest
       (AOI) was identified off the coast of British Columbia, representing
       approximately 140,000 km(2) of ocean space. The AOI aims to provide
       protection to ecologically and biologically significant areas, including
       underwater seamounts and a ridge of hydrothermal vents.
    3. Protect Areas Under Pressure: Work is advancing to develop MPA networks
       in five priority bioregions, areas delineated by science according to
       their unique ecosystems in Canada's oceans. Areas under pressure from
       human activities will be selected for protection as MPAs from these
       developing networks. MPA networks use various conservation tools to
       achieve conservation objectives within each marine bioregion, connecting
       protection measures to provide a more holistic approach to conservation.
       For example, an MPA network can protect habitats important to life stages
       of species that migrate vast distances, such as spawning, nursing or
       feeding grounds.
    4. Advance Other Effective Area-Based Conservation Measures: Canada has
       established stringent criteria recognizing certain fisheries management
       measures that provide the necessary marine refuge for fish, mammals and
       their habitat and has already identified existing measures that
       contribute to Canada's marine conservation targets. Canada continues to
       work with international counterparts to advance criteria that will be
       used by coastal countries who share our conservation goals.
    5. Establish Marine Protected Areas Faster: The Government of Canada has
       been engaging with partners to discuss how the Oceans Act can be updated
       to facilitate the designation process for MPAs, without sacrificing
       science, or the public's opportunity to provide input.

Quote
"St. Anns Bank is the third Marine Protected Area to be designated in Canadian waters in less than 8 months. Our government's accomplishments in marine conservation come thanks to close collaboration with all levels of government, local communities, Indigenous communities, industry, and environmental non-governmental organizations. Our government is working toward conservation while contributing to the social and economic sustainability of coastal communities. Canada will continue to take a leadership role on marine conservation at the international level as work continues here at home on ocean protection and conservation initiatives."
The Honourable Dominic LeBlanc, P.C., Q.C., M.P., Minister of Fisheries, Oceans and the Canadian Coast Guard

Quick Facts

    --  The St. Anns Bank Marine Protected Area has many ecologically
        significant features, including areas of high biodiversity and
        biological productivity, and provides important habitat to a number of
        aquatic species, such as Atlantic wolfish, Atlantic cod, redfish, white
        hake, witch flounder, as well as sponges and sea pens. The area is also
        an important summer feeding area for the endangered leatherback turtle.
    --  The St. Anns Bank Marine Protected Area provides protection to an
        additional 4,364 km(2) of Canada's oceans, equivalent to around ¾ of
        the size of the Province of Prince Edward Island.
    --  Representatives from First Nations and Indigenous organizations,
        industry, academia, Environmental Non-Government Organizations, and
        provincial and federal government regulators contributed to the
        development of the MPA design.
    --  In November 2016, the Government of Canada announced the Oceans
        Protection Plan, a $1.5 billion strategy delivering the largest
        investment ever made to protect Canada's coasts and waterways. This
        national strategy is creating a world-leading marine safety system that
        provides economic opportunities for Canadians today, while protecting
        our coastlines and clean water for generations to come.

Related Product
Backgrounder: St. Anns Bank Marine Protected Area

Associated Links
Ocean Protection Plan
Meeting Canada's marine conservation targets

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SOURCE Fisheries and Oceans (DFO) Canada