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May 11 2018

DFO MUST PUBLICLY-RELEASE MPA NETWORK PLAN FOR MARITIMES REGION

Published on May 11 2018

(Photo from CBC NS website)

The federal department of fisheries and oceans (DFO) must publicly release the marine protected area (MPA) network plan for Maritimes Region without any further delays. I really can’t underscore this point enough. It needs to happen, and it needs to happen now.

Yesterday, a photo showing what appears to be a MPA network proposal was leaked to the media, but without any of the accompanying scientific documents that explain how these sites were selected, how they achieve conservation targets, or how the government is proposing to avoid socio-economic impacts on industry, particularly the fishing sector.

All we have is a map, with no explanation. And that makes it a very dangerous thing, indeed.

To be frank, I’m surprised this map didn’t leak sooner. Many people have been briefed on the pending marine protected areas network plan. This includes the provincial governments of NS and NB, First Nations, the fishing industry, the oil and gas sector, and other ENGOs, and probably many more.

CPAWS-NS received it’s official briefing in December 2017 and we were expecting the public release of this plan in January. That slipped to February, then March, then April, and now May, without any explanation as to why no announcement.

DFO stated recently that the plan would be released “shortly”, and now, following the leak of the MPA network plan map yesterday, they are saying they are “on the verge” of releasing it. That’s fine, but what they really need to do is to actually release it.

With a version of the MPA network plan map now out there, but without any of the supporting scientific documents, the federal government must act quickly to ensure that the information void that has been created is not filled with innuendo or rumours, but rather with science and facts and good governance. That’s what people expect. And it’s why DFO must release the plan immediately. No more delays.

My very quick scan of the map on the CBC website shows there are a few discrepancies from what DFO presented to CPAWS-NS back in December. For instance, the map appears to show three “Areas of Interest” that have been announced for Maritimes Region, including a site for Sambro Ledges, but there are only two. Similarly, there are some discrepancies in the text of the CBC article as well that don’t match the official briefing that we received, such as how they describe Bras d’Or Lakes. Are these discrepancies because things have changed? Is it because the leaked map is inaccurate? Is it for some other reason? We simply don’t know.

A huge amount of uncertainty has just been added to a situation that already has too much uncertainty. The only remedy for dealing with that is for the government to show its cards; to reveal all of the work that it has undertaken, including the excruciating detail of all the computer runs and all of the data sets. It should clearly communicate the importance of MPAs and protecting marine biodiversity, but also the compromises that were made to avoid impacts on the fishing industry. They also need to communicate what these polygons on the maps actually represent and, perhaps more importantly, what they do not.

They also need to explain how this all fits within the overall strategy to better protect the ocean. The photo from the CBC website looks like it’s a map that represents a final product, but it’s anything but that. This is the start of a process, not the end of one.

Regardless, the map (or rather a version of the map) is now public and the accompanying scientific documents are not. That’s an untenable situation and there’s only one thing for the federal government to do to clear the air. They must release the MPA network plan and share with the public all of the work undertaken over the past few years. And they need to do that right away!

~By: Chris Miller, Executive Director, CPAWS-NS

May 7 2018

NOVA SCOTIA GOVERNMENT SEEMS OUT-OF-TOUCH ON MARINE PROTECTED AREAS

cpawsadmin Blog

Published on May 07 2018

Photo credit: CBC

I’ve been involved with the environmental community in Nova Scotia for more than 20 years, so I’ve seen a lot in my time. Not much surprises me anymore.

But, I must admit, reading through this article posted on the CBC Nova Scotia website was jaw-dropping. The Premier of Nova Scotia makes two extraordinary claims here directed at the federal government.

So, let’s take a closer look at these claims.These include, 1) the NS government has not been consulted about marine protected areas (MPAs), and 2) the federal government is NOT using science to guide its decision making. In diplomatic circles, these are incredible allegations. Absolutely devastating, if true. Yet, these allegations are also easily refuted, if the federal government chooses to do so. I hope they will.

NS government not being consulted??

This is what is said in the CBC article:

“He also used the occasion to chastise the federal Fisheries Department for not consulting first with the province before designating areas as possible protected areas. “I can tell you I was not part of that conversation,” he told the committee. “We could have been an ally. I could be an ally for them, for this panel and for the government.”

I’m really surprised by these comments. The work to establish marine protected areas in Nova Scotia goes back many years and for the Nova Scotia government to claim that it has not been consulted is really quite an extraordinary accusation. It’s also rather confusing.

You see, I’ve been involved with many of the discussions about MPAs in Nova Scotia, and representatives from the provincial government keep popping up at those meetings. For the process to establish St. Anns Bank MPA, the Nova Scotia government was a full participant on the advisory committee that was advising DFO. That process resulted in consensus recommendations about the proposed MPA boundary, zonations, and allowable activities. The Nova Scotia government was not just consulted, but it was an active participant in those discussions. That is recorded within the official Canada Gazette publications found here, which states the following about consulting the NS government: “additional bilateral consultations with the Province of Nova Scotia, First Nations, and the fishing industry were also held over this period.” They then go on to summarize the NS government position from those consultations.

Similarly, CPAWS-NS receives occasional updates from DFO about the MPA establishment process and we’ve found DFO to be very forthcoming with information. As part of those official briefings, DFO will often be transparent and indicate who else they are meeting with about the same topic and it’s been made quite clear to us that DFO has reached out to the NS government on multiple occasions over an extended period of time about the pending MPA plans. It’s possible (probable) that the NS government didn’t like the information that it received – we know that the province wants to open up MPAs to oil and gas exploration– but not liking something and not being consulted are two very different things.

Also, take a look at this. In this other recent CBC article, the Nova Scotia Minister of Fisheries and Aquaculture makes a very specific claim about the pending marine protected areas.

“They have proposed areas of up to 25, almost 26 per cent of all oceans and coastal waters around Nova Scotia. That is a large number, a very large number.”

This quote from the Premier’s own Minister suggests that consultations have indeed taken place between the federal government and the Nova Scotia government about MPAs even though that plan has not yet been released publicly. The Minister says “25, almost 26 percent”, which implies to me that they were briefed to the decimal place about the MPAs; somewhere between 25 and 26, but closer to 26 than 25. How can I reconcile that statement with the claim by the NS government that it has not been consulted? I can’t.

This all sounds more like a problem that’s internal to the Nova Scotia government than one about lack of consultation. If the Premier is not receiving key pieces of information from his departments about the MPA planning process, that’s a concern. But that’s not the problem of DFO and it by no means implies that consultations have not taken place.

The provincial Department of Environment used to be the lead agency for MPAs for the Nova Scotia government, but in recent years that responsibility was moved to the provincial Department of Energy. That’s a curious shuffling indeed, since it means that the department with the most expertise in creating and managing protected areas is not directly reporting to key decision makers internally within government. That’s now the responsibility of a department that also has a mandate to work on oil and gas issues. Perhaps Nova Scotia Environment should be put back in charge and become the lead provincial agency on MPAs again. Maybe then, the Premier’s office would have better access to the information that’s guiding the MPA planning process by the federal government.

I presume DFO has a full record of all the meetings they’ve held with NS government officials, as well as multi-stakeholder meetings where NS government officials were participants. I hope DFO will release that information to set the record straight. It’s much easier for the federal government to prove that those meetings took place than for the Nova Scotia government to prove that they didn’t. That’s just simple logic. And the sooner that happens, the better.

DFO not basing decisions on science, research, or fact??

This is what is said in the CBC article:

“To date, we are not seeing decisions based on science, research or fact,” he told the group during his eight-minute prepared speech. “If the decisions are not going to be based on science, it begs the question, ‘On what will they be based?'”

As with the claim about lack of consultation, I’m also quite surprised to read this statement as well. The marine spatial planning that is underway by DFO is absolutely based on science. And it’s an interesting read. As part of the lead-up to the release of the proposed MPA network plan, CPAWS-NS has been briefed on the science that supports this plan. Many others would also have been briefed, including First Nations, the NS government, the fishing sector, and other ENGOs. DFO is pulling together datasets that go back decades to understand which areas should be selected and how the MPA network plan can be optimized to minimize impacts on the fishing industry while maximizing the conservation benefit. There is detailed and rigorous planning that has been undertaken and it is absolutely based on science. DFO has even put this science through a peer-review process through the Canadian Science Advisory Secretariat (CSAS) and opened-up that process to participation from lots of different people. Yes, I was there, and so too were provincial government representatives. We chatted on the coffee breaks. We had lunch together. We talked about sciency stuff, like what attributes should be included in the models and what targets are needed to represent specific conservation features. The NS government is recorded in those proceedings as a participant. Once again, if this science is not filtering up to the Premier’s Office, that’s a concern, but it’s a problem that’s internal to the NS government and not a reflection of the science being used by DFO in the MPA design process.

While we are on the topic of science, the science is actually pretty clear that our oceans are in trouble (from climate change to overfishing to declining biodiversity to pollution). The science is also pretty clear that nations need to establish effective networks of MPAs to protect biodiversity and to support effective fisheries. That’s why Canada has signed onto the target to protect at least 10% of our ocean by the year 2020 as part of our international obligations. Finding the science that says drilling for oil and gas in MPAs is a good thing for ocean protection is a little harder to find, but apparently the NS government has found it, because if they’re not using science to support their decision-making, it begs the question, on what are they basing such decisions?

~By: Chris Miller, Ph.D.

May 3 2018

A PROTECTED AREA IS NO PLACE FOR OIL AND GAS ACTIVITY

cpawsadmin Blog

Published on May 03 2018

Recent, past and anticipated announcements

If you have been reading the news related to oil and gas recently, you are probably feeling the same way as I imagine the rock crab featured in this blog post is. Discussion of oil and gas within protected areas resurfaced on April 5th, when the Canada Newfoundland Offshore Petroleum Board (CNLOPB) released a Call for Bids on lease areas available for 2018. These areas directly overlap with the Northeast Newfoundland Slope Closure, an area closed to all bottom-contact fisheries due to high concentrations of corals and sponges.

This is not the first time that oil and gas has threatened marine protection in the Maritimes. Almost a year ago, the proposed regulations for the Laurentian Channel Marine Protected Area (MPA) were released and they allowed for oil and gas activity within 80 percent of the area. With support from the public, ENGOs were able to successfully campaign to keep oil and gas out of this MPA. Unfortunately, this may not be the last oil and gas battle that we need to fight. The Canada Nova Scotia Offshore Petroleum Board will be releasing the 2018 Call for Bids off the coast of Nova Scotia and the anticipated lease areas directly overlap with the Western Emerald Banks Conservation Area (formerly known as the “Haddock Box”). The release has been stalled as it is pending federal-provincial review.

Undermining conservation goals and important relationships

There are many reasons why oil and gas activity is not compatible with marine protection. Oil and gas activity completely undermines conservation objectives. For example, the Western Emerald Banks Conservation Area is a fisheries closure that contains important spawning and nursery areas for haddock, spawning areas for Atlantic cod, and populations of winter skate, silver hake, and Atlantic halibut. Oil and gas activity puts these species and their associated habitat at risk. It also undermines important relationships, such as those with the fishing industry. It makes no sense to prohibit certain types of fishing gear, but allow for oil and gas activity. The fishing industry needs reassurance that all types of harmful activity will be prohibited in protected areas, not just certain types of fisheries. Compromising these important relationships is especially concerning given that we are anticipating the release of a network plan for marine protection. As the federal government works toward achieving their international commitment of 10% ocean protection and beyond, building trust with key stakeholders such as the fishing industry, coastal, and Indigenous communities is critical.

A leader in ocean protection?

While we have made good progress in marine protection in recent years, opening ecologically important marine areas to oil and gas undermines these efforts and threatens Canada’s international reputation as an oceans leader. It’s particularly concerning leading up to the G7 summit that Canada is hosting, and has identified ocean protection as a key priority. The Northeast Newfoundland Slope Closure and Western Emerald Bank Conservation Area are both currently being counted towards the 10% target. If oil and gas activity occurs in either or both of these areas, meaningful protection can no longer be achieved and it sets an awful precedent for future protected areas.

Minimum standards for marine protection are needed

Despite all of this bad news, there is some hope. The federal government has established a National Advisory Panel on Marine Protected Area Standards. The Panel is travelling across Canada to gain different perspectives and recommendations on protection standards for marine protection in Canada. These standards are absolutely critical for creating consistency among protected areas in Canada, ensuring that biodiversity is protected, and creating confidence in marine protection initiatives among stakeholders. CPAWS is advocating and hoping that oil and gas activities will be prohibited in all protected areas. I think it’s safe to say that we are not alone in this. Polling by WWF Canada shows that 80 percent of Canadians believe MPAs should not allow oil and gas activities.

Stay tuned as this situation continues to unfold.

Best fishes,

Meghan

April 17 2018

DIVING DEEP IN THE FUNDIAN CHANNEL- BROWNS BANK AREA OF INTEREST

cpawsadmin Blog

Published on Apr 17 2018

In my previous blog post, I discussed a proposed marine protected area (MPA) for a unique archipelago along the Eastern Shore. At the same time that Eastern Shore Islands was announced, Fisheries and Oceans Canada also announced Fundian Channel- Browns Bank as an “Area of Interest” (AOI) for a future MPA. One of the goals of creating MPAs, specifically a network of MPAs, is to select a variety of sites that are representative of the diversity of marine habitat and wildlife in the Maritimes region. By creating MPAs in both nearshore coastal sites, such as the Eastern Shore Islands and offshore sites, like Fundian Channel- Browns Bank we are on the right path to achieving this goal. In this blog post I move westward, and further offshore, about 160 kilometres south of Yarmouth, to explore Fundian Channel- Browns Bank and see why this site is important for protection under the Oceans Act.

Marine life

Fundian Channel-Browns Bank AOI is a 7,184 square kilometre area that is home to some of the largest aggregations of corals and sponges in the Maritimes. There is a diverse array of wildlife, including several depleted species, such as Atlantic cod, Atlantic wolffish, and spiny dogfish. Fundian Channel-Browns Bank is important for cod and haddock spawning and it also serves as a nursery for halibut. On top of that, this site provides an important migratory corridor for animals, such as whales and basking sharks, which are entering and leaving the Gulf of Maine. Together, these make this region a spectacular area of ecological and biological significance. These marine creatures rely on healthy ocean habitat, which is why the MPA is so important.

One reason (of many) for establishing places in the ocean that are free from harmful human activities is to allow for fish to grow, reproduce and recover. By protecting important fish habitat within Fundian Channel-Browns Bank there could be benefits to fish populations and fisheries occurring outside of the MPA. Of course fish and other marine animals swim in and out of the MPA. This means that fish that were able to grow big and healthy within the MPA may “spillover” into areas outside the MPA boundaries. Recently published research that looked at MPAs around coral reefs in the Philippines found evidence for this concept of “spillover”. Their research suggests that fish born in protected areas where fishing is prohibited grow to be larger, healthier and more successful at reproduction.

The marine protected area boundary

The Fundian Channel- Browns Bank AOI encompasses two different areas. The western portion of the AOI is centered on Georges Basin and the other larger component encompasses the Fundian Channel and part of Browns Bank and kind of resembles a shoe, or more accurately a stiletto. You will also notice that the bottom (or the sole) of the stiletto has little pieces carved out of it. This is likely because there are companies that hold oil and gas leases here. This gives the appearance that the proposed MPA boundary was designed to purposely avoid areas of oil and gas potential, regardless of their ecological value. This concerns us. You can take a look at the oil and gas leases that are in this region here. Hopefully, these pieces will eventually be incorporated into the MPA. Oil and gas activity is a threat to marine protected areas and could easily undermine this designation. Throughout the MPA process CPAWS-NS will be working to ensure that oil and gas activities and harmful fishing activities, such as bottom trawling, are not allowed within Fundian Channel- Browns Bank MPA.

Next steps

With the announcement of the AOI for Fundian Channel-Browns Bank, next steps include a consultation process with Indigenous communities, other levels of government, a wide variety of stakeholders and the public. This is an important step for negotiating and developing zones, final boundaries and associated regulations. We hope that you will continue to stay involved throughout this process. Here at CPAWS-NS, we look forward to the pending release of the MPA network plan for Maritimes region “shortly”. There are still many gaps in protection for this region, such as Bay of Fundy and other coastal sites. We will be sure to keep you updated as additional progress is made.

Best Fishes,

Meghan

April 3 2018

EASTERN SHORE ISLANDS: AN OPPORTUNITY FOR DOING COASTAL PROTECTION THE RIGHT WAY

cpawsadmin Blog

Published on Apr 03 2018

(Photo: Alisha Postma, divebuddies4life.com)

As you’ve probably heard by now, Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO) has just announced two areas of interest (AOI) for marine protected areas (MPAs) in the waters surrounding Nova Scotia. These include, Eastern Shore Islands and Fundian Channel- Browns Bank. Creating these MPAs is a crucial step for Canada to fulfill its international commitment to protect at least 10% of our ocean by 2020. At the moment, only 7.75% is considered by DFO to be protected.

For this blog, I’d like to take a closer look at the Eastern Shore Islands, to explore what makes this site so spectacular for conservation and to discuss the importance of working collaboratively with the local community along the Eastern Shore to ensure that this MPA works well and has local support. In the next blog I will dive deeper into the Fundian Channel- Browns Bank AOI.

Continuing the conservation legacy

Nova Scotia has not yet established an MPA in the coastal zone. Our two existing MPAs are offshore sites, St. Anns Bank and The Gully. As a result, the creation of an MPA along the Eastern Shore will be a milestone for ocean conservation in Nova Scotia when implemented. The water surrounding the 500 (that is not a typo) islands, located just off the Eastern Shore, is a great place to start protecting our coastline for many reasons. If you’ve ever travelled along the Eastern Shore, or maybe even been lucky enough to visit one of the islands, you know that this region is simply breathtaking.

In recent years, the Eastern Shore Islands has been the focus of terrestrial conservation efforts. Public lands here have been declared a protected wilderness area and privately owned islands are being protected by the Nova Scotia Nature Trust. In contrast, marine protection is currently lacking. In order for the Eastern Shore Islands to remain healthy and ecologically intact, both the terrestrial and ocean component of the environment need to be properly protected. This area is important for many species which are tied to both the land AND the sea. Luckily, the government has recognized this and the creation of the Eastern Shore Islands MPA will help to ensure that the entire Eastern Shore Islands is protected for years to come.

Eelgrass, lobster and birds oh my!

The Eastern Shore Islands area is home to a variety of marine life. The underlying unique geology and oceanographic processes of this region have shaped and made it like no other coastal region in Nova Scotia. The Eastern Shore boasts a variety of habitats including eelgrass, kelp beds and tidal saltmarshes. These habitats are valuable for an impressive variety of fish and colonial marine birds, including common eiders, Harlequin ducks (Special Concern- SARA) and endangered roseate terns (Endangered- SARA). The Eastern Shore Islands are also important for Atlantic salmon, American eel and commercially important lobster. These waters provide valuable habitat for juvenile groundfish, including Atlantic cod, hake and haddock. An MPA can help to protect these important habitats and species, having benefits for populations both within and outside MPA boundaries.

We have barely scratched the surface in what is known about the habitats and creatures that are found around the Eastern Shore Islands. Throughout the MPA process I will share more about the diversity of marine life that is found among the Eastern Shore Islands. There is still so much to be learned about this magnificent place and a MPA provides a great opportunity for more research and education.

Coastal communities

The health of the ocean in this region is not only important for marine life, but also for the communities that dot this stretch of shoreline: Musquodoboit Harbour, Clam Harbour, Ship Harbour, Pleasant Harbour, Tangier, Spry Harbour, Mushaboom, Sheet Harbour, Port Dufferin, Moser River, Ecum Secum, Liscomb…just to name A FEW. These communities, along with many more, are culturally connected and economically dependent on the ocean.

Lobster fishing is a crucial industry along the Eastern Shore and DFO needs to work collaboratively with the local community on this. There is the potential for win-win scenarios. For instance, if the MPA can stop open-pen finfish aquaculture farms from being established here, but still allow for the existing sustainable lobster fishery, then that is one potential example. Understanding how the MPA can benefit the local community is key. Those conversations are crucial and will be taking place over the coming months.

In addition, local communities have been working hard to develop sustainable tourism opportunities within the Eastern Shore. An MPA could complement the work that is already being done along the Eastern Shore to enhance nature and outdoor-based tourism in this area. This is another example of a potential win-win scenario, but again, only if it’s done right and with local support. CPAWS-NS will be working hard to ensure that the MPA that’s ultimately established along the Eastern Shore is one that works for conservation AND local communities. That’s crucial.

What comes next?

The establishment of a coastal MPA here in Nova Scotia offers a unique opportunity for local communities to take a leadership role in protecting their coastal waters. Community engagement throughout each phase of the MPA process can help to create an MPA that is sustainable in the long-term by effectively protecting the marine environment and supporting the people who live there. The consultation process that will be led by DFO will begin shortly. As the first coastal MPA in Nova Scotia, if done properly, the Eastern Shore can serve as a model for future coastal MPAs in Canada.

Best fishes,

Meghan

March 22 2018

TWO NEW MARINE PROTECTED AREAS PROPOSED FOR NOVA SCOTIA

cpawsadmin Blog

Published on Mar 22 2018

(Photo: Alisha Postma; divebuddies4life.com)

Today is an exciting day for marine conservation! Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO) has just announced two “Areas of Interest” (AOIs) for future marine protected areas off the coast of Nova Scotia. The AOIs include the waters surrounding a unique archipelago of coastal islands, the Eastern Shore Islands and a diverse offshore area, the Fundian Channel-Browns Bank. Now that these sites have been declared as AOIs, they are now officially on the path to (hopefully) become a MPA under the Oceans Act. This is great news and something that CPAWS-NS welcomes. These AOIs are part of the larger, more comprehensive MPA network plan that the government is currently undertaking, and should be releasing fairly soon. In order to protect the diversity of marine life and habitats here in Nova Scotia, and to fulfill Canada’s commitment to protect at least 10% of the ocean by 2020, the announcement of these two AOIs is an important step. DFO also proposes to establish a fisheries closure as well, just east of Sable Island.

With the announcement of the Eastern Shore Islands AOI, Nova Scotia is on the path to establishing its very first coastal MPA. Up until now, this has been a very large gap for Canada’s Ocean Playground. The Eastern Shore Islands are a spectacular archipelago of islands that boasts a variety of marine life and habitats. A substantial amount of work has been done in recent years to protect the islands of the archipelago. With today’s announcement, consideration is now being given toward offering better protection to the coastal waters here as well. The health of this region is not only important for marine life, but for the many communities that dot the shoreline. These communities are deeply connected and dependent on the ocean for livelihood and recreation. If done properly, the establishment of an MPA here could be a win-win for the ocean and local community, particularly if the designation help prevents open-pen fin fish farms from being established here, which are a major threat to the environment and the inshore fishery.

Moving westward, and further offshore, the Fundian Channel-Browns Bank AOI is home to a diverse array of wildlife and habitat, including aggregations of deep-water corals. Up until recently, when Nova Scotia started to protect areas of deep-water coral significance, such as The Gully MPA, there was a common belief that corals were only found in warm, tropical waters. Of course, that is not the case. In addition to being area of significance for corals, the Fundian Channel acts as important habitat for fish, many of which, such as the Atlantic cod, are depleted. As such, it is critical that this area remains off limits to oil and gas activities.

I will be writing a more detailed blog post in the near future that will dive further into these two sites and what makes them so unique, as well as what the next steps for these AOIs are. Today, I just wanted to give you a heads up on the latest MPA happenings here, in Nova Scotia. Thank you for reading and stay tuned for the next blog post!

Best fishes,

Meghan

March 22 2018

Two new “Areas of Interest” announced for marine protection in Nova Scotia

cpawsadmin News

Published on Mar 22 2018

HALIFAX – The Nova Scotia Chapter of the Canadian Parks and Wilderness Society (CPAWS-NS) welcomes today’s announcement by the federal government that it intends on creating two new marine protected areas in the waters surrounding Nova Scotia.

“This is an important step in the right direction,” says Chris Miller, Executive Director of CPAWS-NS. “At the moment, Nova Scotia only has two marine protected areas, which is insufficient to protect the full range of marine biodiversity along our coastline.”

The federal government supports international targets to protect at least 10% of the ocean by the year 2020. Several countries have already met this target, and some have greatly exceeded it. Until recently, Canada has lagged far behind on the creation of marine protected areas.

Today’s announcement means that two new “Areas of Interest” have now been officially identified by Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO); 1) Eastern Shore Islands, and 2) Fundian Channel – Browns Bank.

“These are good sites for conservation,” says Meghan Borland, a marine conservation specialist with CPAWS-NS. “Eastern Shore Islands will be the first coastal marine protected area in Nova Scotia and Fundian Channel – Browns Bank will be the first marine protected area in the western portion of the province.”

Eastern Shore Islands

“The Eastern Shore Islands site contains one of the most extensive archipelagos in eastern North America,” says Miller. “It supports a rich diversity of habitat types including bays and inlets, rocky headlands, tidal salt marshes, kelp beds, and seagrass ecosystems.”

“It also contains important seabird colonies and foraging areas, as well as providing habitat for several species-at-risk, including Atlantic salmon, American eel, Harlequin duck, and roseate tern”, adds Miller.

CPAWS-NS will be looking very closely at the issue of open-pen finfish aquaculture for the Eastern Shore Islands site, to ensure that this incompatible industrial activity is not allowed anywhere within the marine protected area.

“Open-pen fin fish farming is a threat to the inshore fishery along the Eastern Shore and to wild populations of Atlantic salmon”, says Borland. “The proposed marine protected area offers a potential opportunity to ensure that these types of destructive fish farms are not allowed here.”

Communities along the Eastern Shore have been very vocal in their concerns about open-pen fin fish aquaculture, and the impacts it could cause to the local lobster fishery and wild populations of fish. By getting this site right, the Eastern Shore Islands could act as an example for future coastal marine protected areas in Canada.

Fundian Channel – Browns Bank

“Fundian Channel – Browns Bank is a large offshore site that protects known occurrences of cold water corals and sponges,” says Miller. “It contains important habitat for a number of depleted fish species and provides a migratory corridor for whales entering and leaving the Gulf of Maine”.

CPAWS-NS will be working to ensure that the final boundary for the marine protected area includes the most ecologically significant areas, and is entirely off-limits to oil and gas exploration and development, as well as the most destructive types of fishing practices associated with bottom-trawling.

Next steps

Following the official announcement of these two new “Areas of Interest”, Fisheries and Oceans Canada will now begin their consultation process in order to negotiate final boundaries and zonations for the marine protected area, as well as deciding which specific activities will be allowed and which will be prohibited.

“We look forward to working with DFO in the coming months, to ensure that these two new marine protected areas are implemented properly,” says Borland. “That includes using best available scientific information and traditional knowledge, as well as working collaboratively with First Nations, local communities, and key stakeholders.”

DFO is also in the process of developing a marine protected area network plan for the entire Scotian Shelf Bioregion. That plan has not yet been released publicly, but DFO has indicated that a public consultation will be launched “shortly” for feedback on the proposed marine protected area network design. Eastern Shore Islands and Fundian Channel – Browns Bank are part of that plan and CPAWS-NS looks forward to its public release in the near future.

Contact:

Chris Miller, Ph.D.
cmiller@cpaws.org
902-880-0726

Meghan Borland, MMM
mborland@cpaws.org
902-880-3877

Links:

Eastern Shore Islands

Fundian Channel-Browns Bank

March 9 2018

MAKING WAVES IN MARINE PROTECTION

cpawsadmin Blog

Published on Mar 09 2018

If your twitter feed is anything like mine, it is populated by ocean news and stories; some good and some bad. Media such as the video of a diver swimming through a cloud of plastic and debris in Bali or the heartbreaking news of the North Atlantic right whale being on the brink of extinction, can leave you feeling like all hope for the ocean is lost. Scattered throughout these stories of doom and gloom are exciting ocean discoveries like a “super-colony” of 1.5 million penguins, the first ever footage of a cormorant diving for a suckerfish on a whale shark or important announcements of new federal budget allocations that will help to create protected areas in Canada. In this blog post, I will focus on some of the good ocean stories by sharing some recent victories for the ocean, specifically in the form of marine protected areas (MPAs).

As you may already know, countries across the world (including Canada) have committed to protecting at least 10% of their ocean area by 2020. This has led to the creation of several MPAs across the globe. Many countries have gone well above this goal, which is great news for the ocean that is in dire need of protection, now more than ever.

Seychelles

Seychelles recently announced the creation of two new MPAs. These MPAs cover an ocean area of 81,000 square miles; that’s about the size of Great Britain! This is an important contribution to the countries goal to protect 160,000 square miles of their ocean territory by 2022. The country is a group of islands, so its ocean estate makes up approximately 99% of the total area controlled by the country. It is home to a striking diversity of marine creatures. Not surprisingly, the ocean represents an important part of the countries economy. These new MPAs will help to promote the long-term viability of the ocean for both current and future generations.

Chile

Chile announced the creation of new MPAs that will cover a 450,000 square mile area. For comparison, that is about 20 times the size of the landmass of Nova Scotia! These new MPAs will help to protect important spawning areas for fish, migratory corridors for humpback whales and important seabird nesting habitat. With this announcement, Chile has now provided legal protection for 40% of their ocean area. That’s amazing!! With the creation of meaningful protection regulations such as prohibiting mining and industrial fishing, Chile is well on its way to being a global leader in ocean conservation.

Brazil

Until recently, Brazil has lagged behind other countries in terms of MPA coverage, with only 1.5% of its ocean area protected. Fortunately, this could soon change. The Brazilian government has recently opened up public comments and proposals to establish several new MPAs. If successful, this will boost Brazil to 21% ocean protection!

It’s Not All About the Numbers

It’s important to remember that while coverage is important, what really matters is the effectiveness of the MPA, and more specifically, what is and is not allowed within its boundary. In an effort to fulfil international marine conservation targets, countries around the world are racing against the clock to establish MPAs. In several cases, this has undermined conservation efforts. When activities such as oil & gas and harmful fishing methods are allowed in an MPA, these areas are no longer adequately protected. These protected areas are often referred to as “paper parks”- a protected area that may look good on a map but does very little to actually protect marine biodiversity. I hope that as a global community, we can ensure meaningful and proper ocean protection.

Bringing it Back Home

Canada has climbed from 1% ocean protection to 8% in a relatively short period of time. We still have a long way to go, but it is a great start. DFO is working to create several new MPAs on the east coast of Canada, including in Nova Scotia. This will help Canada to catch up to other countries around the world. The world has two more years to meet marine protection goals, so be sure to stay tuned on our twitter and Facebook accounts for more exciting ocean protection announcements. Thanks to CPAWS-NS supporters like you, we can continue to support MPAs and help to create good ocean stories and ultimately a better future for the ocean! Thanks for reading!

Best fishes,

Meghan

February 26 2018

JUST HOW BIG IS OUR GLOBAL FISHING FOOTPRINT?

cpawsadmin Blog

Published on Feb 26 2018

Just How Big is our Global Fishing Footprint?

Before you read this blog post, close your eyes and try to imagine an ocean teeming with life. Picture a diversity of marine fish, big and small, swimming through healthy ocean habitat. Unfortunately, there are very few places remaining on Earth where the ocean still looks like that. The ocean has been degraded and faces many threats, including from overfishing.

Mapping Global Fishing Efforts

Recently, researchers, including some from Dalhousie University, have revealed the massive global footprint of industrial fishing. Prior to this research the global footprint of fishing was poorly understood. This is largely due to the lack of transparency within the fishery sector. Fishing is a very competitive industry and often fishers will only share catch information when required. By using more advanced forms of data collection, including satellite information, researchers were able to map industrial fishing activity across the entire globe. Global Fishing Watch produced this interactive map in partnership with University of California Santa Barbara, National Geographic Pristine Seas, SkyTruth, Dalhousie University, Stanford University, and Google. For the first time, it depicts when and where fishing occurs at a global scale. The findings from this research suggest that industrial fishing activity is occurring in more than half of the ocean’s surface. According to the Global Fishing Watch, that is 4 times the area used for terrestrial agriculture production! Our too often “out of sight, out of mind” thinking has allowed fishing to progress to a point which is far from sustainable. Fortunately, this research also revealed that despite the widespread and extensive nature of global fishing efforts there are significant regions of the ocean that are not heavily fished. Without adequate protection and effective management, I imagine that it will not be long before these areas are exploited too.

A Closer Look at the Map

This map is an important tool for better understanding and managing our global fisheries and global ocean as a whole. While this map sheds light on the overwhelming amount of industrial fishing happening in the ocean, it does not share information on the type of fishing method being employed by each vessel. This is an important component of the environmental sustainability of a fishery. The degree of environmental impact of a fishery can vary between fisheries and even between vessels. To give you an example, BBC Earth released a video that showcases two different methods for harvesting scallops, dredging and handpicking. While both commercial fisheries, handpicking scallops has much less of an impact on the environment than dredging, a fishing method which completely devastates ocean life and habitat in its path. In order to gain a comprehensive understanding of fishing activity on a global scale and how to best manage it, knowing the type of fishing taking place is important. Luckily, a researcher at Dalhousie University highlighted that this software does have an algorithm that allows it to extrapolate what type of fishing a vessel is engaged in. You can request to download the data here. Finally, as with any research, there are gaps as a result of limitations in data availability. For example, this map does not include vessels that do not have tracking capabilities and areas where there is poor satellite data. This means that there is probably more fishing occurring across this globe than what this map reveals.

Small Actions Can Have a Big Impact

Let’s go back to the picture that you created in your mind at the beginning of this blog post. There are many ways that you can contribute to restoring fish stocks to the picture that you imagined. In order to do this it is important to “think global and act local”. After reading this blog and the embedded articles, you have acquired general knowledge surrounding the state of the world’s fisheries- it’s not bright. Allow this knowledge to inform your daily choices, like those you make at the seafood counter at the grocery store. At the grocery store you have the opportunity to vote for a brighter future for the ocean with your dollar. Try to select fish that were harvested sustainably and avoid seafood products that lack traceability information such as where and how it was caught. Navigating the seafood market can be extremely difficult, even for fishery experts but there are some resources such as OceanWise, SeaChoice and Monterey Bay Aquarium Seafood Watch that can help you to explore sustainable seafood options. Finally, by supporting the work that environmental organizations do to protect the ocean and its resources, you are helping to promote a healthy ocean that is viable for future generations. One way you can do so is by showing support for the creation of marine protected areas and better methods for managing the oceans. You can let politicians know that this matters to you by writing a letter.

Thank you for reading. Here’s to hoping for a brighter future for our fish friends.

Best fishes,

Meghan

January 19 2018

CPAWS welcomes land purchase for Blue Mountain – Birch Cove Lakes Regional Park

cpawsadmin News

Published on Jan 19 2018

HALIFAX – The Nova Scotia Chapter of the Canadian Parks and Wilderness Society (CPAWS-NS) welcomes today’s announcement by the Halifax Regional Municipality that it has acquired eighty hectares of land in support of Blue Mountain – Birch Cove Lakes Regional Park.

“This is an important milestone for the protection of Blue Mountain – Birch Cove Lakes,” says Chris Miller, Executive Director of CPAWS-NS. “It is the first official land purchase for the regional park by the Municipality and something that the public has been waiting for going back decades”.

Blue Mountain – Birch Cove Lakes is a near-urban wilderness in Halifax, located less than 10 kilometres from downtown. It contains over a dozen wilderness lakes and extensive intact forests and is a popular destination for outdoor recreational activities, including hiking, canoeing, and biking.

The provincial government has already protected 1,767 hectares of public land at Blue Mountain – Birch Cove Lakes as a legally-protected wilderness area. Today’s announcement by the Halifax Regional Municipality means that the long-promised adjacent regional park is now starting to take shape.

“The property that was acquired is really quite special,” says Miller. “It includes the entire shoreline of Hobsons Lake, as well as headwater lands for Kearney Lake and a series of small wetlands and streams. This part of the Blue Mountain – Birch Cove Lakes wilderness also supports some of the nicest stands of older forest in the wilderness, including pockets of older hemlocks, yellow birch, and spruce.”

The commitment to protect the Birch Cove Lakes as a regional park goes back as far as the 1970’s. After amalgamation, the City included a lot more detail about the protection of the Birch Cove Lakes within the HRM regional plan, approved in 2006, but the City has struggled to acquire the necessary lands for the park to happen. In 2016, a development proposal threatened the Birch Cove Lakes regional park, but HRM regional council rejected that development proposal and directed staff to proceed with land acquisitions in support of the wilderness park. During that review, regional council received over 1,400 written letters from the public in support of the regional park.

Halifax Regional Municipality has indicated that it is continuing efforts to acquire additional lands for the regional park.

“That’s welcome news,” says Meghan Borland, a conservation campaigner with CPAWS-NS. “Additional properties are needed to make the park complete, particularly properties on Susies Lake, Quarry Lake, and Fox Lake. We look forward to additional land purchases in the near future.”

CPAWS-NS congratulates Halifax Regional Municipality on the successful land acquisition and the work they have done behind-the-scenes to make this land purchase possible.

“One of the challenges with the Birch Cove Lakes is the lack of public access, which makes it difficult to establish a proper system of backcountry trails. The trails that are there now are informal, ad hoc, and in many cases, poorly designed and drift onto private lands,” says Miller. “The purchase of the lands at Hobsons Lake creates an opportunity to provide a proper access point for the regional park and to ensure that a system of trails is developed that reduces impacts on the environment while also providing the public with access to this incredible wilderness.”

“When I first started campaigning to protect the Birch Cove Lakes, many years ago, the governments of the day were still trying to trade away public lands to private interests to solve political problems,” says Miller. “There were a few really close calls. Now things have come full circle and the governments are acquiring private lands for the public good. This gives me hope.”