Marine Protected Areas

Overview:

The designation of marine protected areas will contribute to the sustainable management of Canada's ocean ecosystems, and will complement provincial and community-based conservation strategies. The Department of Fisheries and Oceans (DFO) will include ocean stakeholders in its approach to establishing and managing marine protected areas. The department will adopt a "learn-by-doing" approach. This will allow for pilot projects to provide practical guidance to the development of a network of protected areas. The program will be adaptable to regional issues and circumstances.

Under the Oceans Act:

• A marine protected area (MPA) is an area of the sea that can be designated for the conservation and protection of marine resources and marine habitats. Such areas can be established for the purposes of:
  • conserving and protecting commercial and non-commercial fishery resources, including marine mammals, and their habitats;
  • conserving and protecting endangered or threatened species and their habitats;
  • conserving and protecting unique habitats;
  • conserving and protecting areas of high biodiversity or biological productivity.

• Zones may be established, and specific measures may be prescribed, consistent with the purpose of the designation.

• Emergency marine protected areas can be established where a marine resource or habitat is or is likely to be at risk. The emergency marine protected area can last up to a maximum of 90 days.

The Oceans Act provides that the Minister of Fisheries and Oceans will lead and co-ordinate the development and implementation of a national system of marine protected areas on behalf of the Government of Canada.

A Collaborative Approach – The Discussion Paper:

DFO will continue to involve the public in determining how marine protected areas will be established and managed. The first step in the implementation of the marine protected areas initiative of the Act was the release of a discussion paper, in February 1997, that sought public input and comment on a proposed approach to the establishment and management of MPAs.

The discussion paper provided a general overview of what marine protected areas are, the types of marine protected areas provided for in the Act, and a general proposal on how the Department of Fisheries and Oceans could establish and manage marine protected areas.

Comments were received from the public over a three-month period. This input is now being incorporated into a more detailed process document on how the department will establish and manage MPAs.

A National Approach to MPAs

The federal government departments, including DFO, Canadian Heritage, Environment Canada and Natural Resources Canada, are co-operatively developing a national approach to marine protected areas that reflects the important coordinating role of the Oceans Act in ocean conservation and protection.

For more information, please contact:

Helen C. Joseph
Marine Protected Areas National Coordinator
Marine Ecosystems Conservation Branch
200 Kent Street
Ottawa, Ontario
K1A 0E6
Tel: (613)990-7389
Fax: (613)990-2379