MPA Consultation
Voice your support for the creation of Nova Scotia’s next Marine Protected Area
The Government of Canada has announced three areas of interest (AOIs) as candidates for the establishment of Nova Scotia’s next marine protected area (MPA). These candidates are all offshore banks on the Eastern Scotian Shelf : Middle Bank, St. Anns Bank, and Misaine Bank and the Eastern Shoal. These offshore banks are highly productive areas of relatively shallow water where invertebrates and groundfish are found in high abundance. All three sites contain important habitat for threatened marine species including Atlantic Cod and Atlantic Wolffish. St Anns Bank and Misaine Bank and Eastern Shoal are also home to sensitive cold water corals.
Sadly, Canada is lagging far behind in it’s commitment to protect that oceans. At the 2002 World Summit for Sustainable Development and at the 2004 Convention of Biological Diversity, Canada committed to creating a national network of Marine Protected Areas by 2012, but we’ve done little to establish new marine protected areas. In the Scotian Shelf/Bay of Fundy region, the existing protected areas add up to only one half of one per cent of the marine environment and protect only a fraction of the region’s habitat types and natural diversity.
CPAWS, along with WWF-Canada and the Ecology Action Centre, have been advocating for a well-planned network of MPAs that protects ecologically significant areas. Protected area networks are recognized by scientists as the most important tool for helping ecosystems cope with the pressures of overfishing, industrialization and climate change on our oceans. Nova Scotia has made great progress in protecting significant areas on land, and now steps urgently need to be taken to protect important species and habitats in the ocean.
Make your voice heard
A public consultation period is now underway to select which AOI will move forward to becoming Nova Scotia’s next MPA. The consultation is open to public comments until mid-February 2010. This is your chance to have a say in the future of Nova Scotia’s oceans and we strongly encourage the public to get involved.
To voice your support for increasing ocean protection in our region, download the AOI Consultation Booklet and complete the Feedback Form
or Write a letter directly to Minister Gail Shea at:
The Honourable Gail Shea
House of Commons
Minister of Fisheries and Oceans
Parliament Buildings, Wellington Street
Ottawa, Ontario
Canada K1A 0A6
.