Marine National Parks: Preserving Canadian Marine Biodiversity

Canadian marine national parks, or national marine conservation areas, are government-demarcated regions in the seas and oceans around the country. These are areas of increased conservation and environmental protection. They contain different animal species that are sometimes rare or threatened. They are managed by government structures, generally in collaboration with indigenous peoples traditionally established in the region.

Marine protection in Canada

More than 14% coastal and marine areas of the country are protected and conserved. Like terrestrial parks, a planning framework has been developed for marine areas. One of the three programs in Canada's Oceans Protection Plan are Canada's National Marine Conservation Areas (NMCAs).

The objectives of marine protection in Canada

Parks Canada has extended its scope of action to the country's waters for environmental reasons. This national agency understands the need to protect marine ecosystems and the natural habitats of their fauna. Several threatened or endangered species also benefit from the refuge provided by these protected places. Canadian marine parks are also used for scientific research: thanks to regular measurement, experts are then able to establish sustainable management policies.

NMCAs

The five national marine conservation areas are managed with the objectives of protecting and conserving representative marine ecosystems. The authorities also ensure that marine resources are used in an ecological and sustainable manner. These are the Fathom Five Marine National Park, the Gwaii Haanas National Marine Conservation Area Reserve and Haida Heritage Site, the Lake Superior National Marine Conservation Area, the Saguenay-Saint Marine Park -Laurent and the Tallurutiup Imanga national marine conservation area.

These areas benefit from an aquatic ecosystem management system to study their structures, as well as to protect species and their natural habitat. This system also makes it possible to identify the impact of invasive species and to develop management plans if endemic species or their habitat are endangered.

The terrestrial ecosystem management system was set up to be able to monitor the evolution of biodiversity, but also to reduce human impact on the environment. The fisheries management plan makes it possible to monitor populations by setting, among other things, commercial and recreational fishing limits.

They all contain restricted areas of high protection. Although many industrial activities are prohibited, several recreational activities are authorized. Most of these areas therefore remain accessible to the public. These are possible destinations for green tourism and environmental discovery.

Fathom Five Marine National Park

It is the smallest (approximately 100 km²) and oldest of Canada's marine conservation areas. It is located in the heart of the Great Lakes, in the Georgian Bay of Lake Huron, near Bruce Peninsula National Park. The protection of the environment and marine biodiversity are its main objectives. Management programs are also in place to regulate human and commercial activities at Fathom Five.

Fathom Five has at least two important natural features. These are the remains of a flooded forest and the underwater extension of the Niagara River Escarpment.

Gwaii Haanas National Marine Conservation Area Reserve and Haida Heritage Site

Gwaii Haanas is a national park reserve and Haida heritage site. It presents an impressive natural diversity both on land and in its waters. In addition to its environmental importance, it is also culturally and historically critical. Nature is in fact deeply linked to the culture of the Haida people who have occupied it for more than 12,000 years.

The National Marine Conservation Area Reserve is immediately adjacent to Gwaii Haanas and the Haida Heritage Site. It extends over approximately 3500 km². It has been created and managed collaboratively since January 2010 by the Haida and the federal government. This area is also a primary feeding ground for the humpback whale, a protected species. There are at least two marine regions of interest: Hecate Strait and the Queen Charlotte Platform.

Lake Superior National Marine Conservation Area

As its name suggests, this area is representative of the Lake Superior marine region. It is one of the largest protected water areas in the world, with an area of more than 10,000 km². It has been jointly managed by the governments of Canada and the province of Ontario since its creation in 2015. It is the first Canadian area to be designated a national marine conservation area.

It is made up of lake beds, their waters and coasts as well as those of the islands it contains. There are more than 70 species of fish there. Elements subject to increased protection efforts in this region are trout spawning grounds and peregrine falcon mating grounds.

The Saguenay-Saint-Laurent Marine Park

This marine park has an area of approximately 1,250 km² and covers part of the St. Lawrence River and the Saguenay Fjord. Its creation dates from 1998, following requests from the population of Quebec. This park has the uniqueness of containing only water: it aims to protect and conserve the aquatic ecosystem and the belugas in particular. The park area is in fact located on a large part of the habitat of this threatened species in the St. Lawrence.

This park is representative of the marine region of the St. Lawrence River Estuary. It is located at the mouth of the Saguenay Fjord, in the province of Quebec. Its geographical position is between the Atlantic Ocean and the Great Lakes.

It has been jointly managed by the Quebec and Canadian governments since their agreement in 1990. This management is carried out by Parks Canada and the Société des Établissements de plein air du Québec.

The Saguenay-Saint-Laurent Marine Park has a remarkable underwater topography. With the confluence of the two rivers, the oceanic phenomena that take place there are special. The marine centers of interest in this area are the Head of the Laurentian Channel (marine protected area) and the tides. Studies are currently being carried out to expand its surface area with the aim of protecting even more species.

Tallurutiup Imanga National Marine Conservation Area

This area is the ancestral region of the Inuit and covers an area of approximately 108,000 km². It is very rich in biodiversity. Tallurutiup Imanga is managed collaboratively by the Canadian government and the Inuit.

Its territory is frozen for a large part of the year. The species that live there have adapted to these extreme conditions and are often endemic. This area was selected to become an NMCA because it is considered an ecological driver of the Eastern Arctic region. It is therefore essential to preserve its ecosystem and the ecological processes on which their survival depends.

The Tallurutiup Imanga national marine conservation area is therefore an ecological research and monitoring area. Among the biodiversity it shelters, there are several threatened species. These are the beluga, the narwhal, the bowhead whale, the walrus and the polar bear.

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