Feasibility Study for the Proposed Southern Strait of Georgia National Marine Conservation Area Reserve

Background on National Marine Conservation Areas

Kelp forests provide important habitat for fish © Parks Canada

The conservation of marine environments is taking on global significance. In response to this, the Government of Canada began a National Marine Conservation Areas (NMCA) program within the Parks Canada Agency, with the approval in 1986 of a National Marine Conservation Areas policy. The Canada National Marine Conservation Areas Act, passed in 2002, sets out a framework for the establishment and management of a system of national marine conservation areas.

The National Marine Conservation Areas system plan divides Canada's Pacific, Arctic and Atlantic Oceans and Great Lakes into 29 marine regions. Parks Canada's goal is to represent each of these distinct marine regions with a national marine conservation area.

Several marine areas across Canada are being studied as potential additions to the national marine conservation areas system. The intent of this system is to conserve and present representative samples of Canada's rich and diverse marine heritage.

To date, there are two operating sites within the NMCA program:

• Fathom Five in Ontario
• Saguenay – St. Lawrence in Quebec

Tthe Government of Canada is working on establishing five new national marine conservation areas by 2008. In addition to the southern Strait of Georgia study area, other proposals are:

• the waters adjacent to Gwaii Haanas National Park Reserve and Haida Heritage Site, British Columbia.
• the waters surrounding the Îles de la Madeleine, Gulf of St. Lawrence, Quebec
• western Lake Superior, Ontario
• a fifth proposal, to be identified.

For more information:

• What is a National Marine Conservation Area Reserve?
• National Marine Conservation Areas System
• Map of National Marine Conservation Area System
• How are new National Marine Conservation Areas identified and established ?
• How are National Marine Conservation Areas managed?
• National Marine Conservation Area Policy
• 2002 Government of Canada Action Plan