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The Gully Area
The Gully is the largest marine canyon on the east coast of North America.
The Gully is unique among canyons of the Eastern Canadian margin because of its great depth, steep slopes and extension far back onto the continental shelf.
The Gully is located two hundred kilometres offshore the coast of Nova Scotia, and about 350 km from Halifax.
The canyon floor ranges from 200 metres in depth (4 times the height of the MacKay Bridge over the Halifax Harbour between Dartmouth and Halifax) to over 2500 metres (almost than 50 times the height of the bridge).
The Gully MPA is 80 kilometres long (this is almost the distance between Sackville and Truro Nova Scotia). At its mouth, the Gully canyon is 50 kilometres wide.
The Gully is believed to have been formed by erosion some 150,000 to 450,000 years ago when meltwater poured down from retreating glaciers.
The Gully is large enough to shape ocean currents along the Scotian Shelf. The steep slopes of the canyon help to direct flow both onto and off the Scotian Shelf.
The Gully Marine Protected Area (MPA) comprises 2,364 square kilometres. DFO is working to establish a national system of MPAs under the authority of the
Oceans Act and the Gully is the second area designated a MPA.
Marine Life
Sloping canyon walls and different bottom types provide a range of habitats for numerous species. Seabed habitats range from barrens to areas teeming with brittle stars, crabs and other bottom dwellers. Inhabitants of the water column span the food chain from microscopic organisms to top predators like swordfish.
The Gully is home for many fascinating and mysterious marine animals such as deep-diving northern bottlenose whales, glowing lanternfish and cold-water corals.
One hundred and thirty at risk northern bottlenose whale inhabit the deepest part of the Gully year round. These deep-diving whales gather over the deepest parts of the canyon where they take turns to feed on squid. These whales typically stay underwater for up to an hour in search of squid.
The Gully/Sable Island area is the most important habitat for both cetaceans (whales and dolphins) and pinnipeds (seals) on the Scotian Shelf. Fourteen species of marine mammals are attracted to the Gully by the abundant food supply.
The Gully contains the highest known diversity of coral in Atlantic Canada with 21 species identified to date. Rare deep-water corals cling to boulders along the slopes of the Gully. Some of these slow-growing animals are suspected to be hundreds of years old.
The lanternfish, named for its bioluminescence or ability to glow, is abundant in the middle layers of the Gully water column.
Migratory species feed in the Gully and store up energy before continuing on their journeys. Many fish, mammals and birds spend only a brief time in The Gully before carrying on to other parts of the region.
Large pelagic species like swordfish and tuna visit The Gully during their shelf edge migration.
For more information on ocean conservation activities across the country, visit the DFO webpage:
http://www.dfo-mpo.gc.ca/canwaters-eauxcan/index_e.asp
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