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MASSET, Queen Charlotte Island, B.C. –Randy Kamp, Parliamentary Secretary
to the Honourable Loyola Hearn, Minister of Fisheries and Oceans, and Guujaaw, President
of the Haida Nation announced today that they have signed an agreement to work together
on developing the Bowie Seamount as a Marine Protected Area (MPA). This agreement
moves the process of designating the area, also known as Sgaan Kinghlas,
one step closer as Canada’s second Marine Protected Area under the Oceans Act
on the Pacific Coast of Canada.
"By agreeing to work together, the Haida Nation and Canada’s New Government are
showing how partnership is the best way to protect our precious environment," said
Mr. Kamp.
The Council of the Haida Nation has already designated Sgaan Kinghlas (Supernatural
Being Looking Outward) as a Haida Protected Area.
"Out of sight will no longer mean out of mind," said Guujaaw. "Sgaan
Kinghlas represents a shift in recognizing the need for respect and care
for the Earth. This is a very important guidestone in turning around the trends
that have been leading to the depletion of life in the sea."
The agreement allows Fisheries and Oceans Canada to proceed with formally designating
the seamount as a Marine Protected Area under the Oceans Act. It reflects
the common desire of both the government and the Council of the Haida Nation to
work together on planning and management of the Marine Protected Area.
A zone-based approach to managing the proposed Marine Protected Area has been
developed in cooperation with the Haida, stakeholders and environmental organizations.
This is an example of a successful partnership among government, First Nations,
fishing organizations, the science community and environmental groups.
As Bowie Seamount is a shallow water area, located far from the
coast, it has been described as an "isolated island of biodiversity" in the deep
ocean. Scientific studies have shown that ocean currents transport warmer, nutrient-
and plankton-rich costal water into the North Pacific and Bowie, making it one of
the most biologically rich seamounts in the world.
Marine Protected Areas are important conservation and protection tools to preserve
Canada’s ocean and ocean resources. Other MPAs include Endeavor Hydothermal Vents,
250 kilometres southwest of Vancouver Island, which represent some of the most exciting
geographical areas in the world; Sable Gully, on the Scotian shelf; Eastport and
Gilbert Bay off Newfoundland; as well as Basin Head off Prince Edward Island and
Musquash Marsh in the Bay of Fundy. Fisheries and Oceans Canada continues to work
with stakeholders to develop cooperative management strategies to ensure the objectives
of protecting the areas are met.
Background information on Bowie Seamount:
Further background information:
http://www.pac.dfo-mpo.gc.ca/oceans/mpa/bowie_e.htm
Backgrounder: The Bowie
Seamount
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FOR MORE INFORMATION:
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Deborah Phelan
Communications
Fisheries and Oceans Canada
604-666-8675 |
Russ Jones
The Council of Haida Nation
250-559-4468 |
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NR-PR-07-10E |
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