Celebrating 20 Years of the Musquash Estuary Marine Protected Area
This year we are celebrating a major milestone for protecting New Brunswick’s ocean, the 20th anniversary of the Musquash Estuary Marine Protected Area (MPA). Just 20 kilometers southwest of Saint John, the Musquash Estuary is the first and only Marine Protected Area in New Brunswick and the Bay of Fundy.
How did the Musquash Estuary get protected?
The journey to protect Musquash started with a passionate group of local community members. The Musquash Estuary was set to be developed as an industrial park, but the community came together to encourage the protection of the natural and community benefits of the area.
The Musquash Estuary MPA is an important example of what happens when many people come together. Local conservation organizations, a fishermen’s association, provincial and federal governments, and community members all played a key role in protecting the Musquash. Leading the charge was the Conservation Council of New Brunswick’s Fundy Bay Keeper at the time, David Thompson.
All of their hard work led to the Fisheries and Oceans Canada officially designating the Musquash Estuary as a Federal Marine Protected Area (MPA) on December 14, 2006.
Connecting the ocean to the land
Just years before in the late 1990’s, our CPAWS NB Executive Director, Roberta Clowater, began the work to encourage the provincial government to protect the wilderness in the Loch Alva forests and headwaters that flow into the Musquash Estuary. Loch Alva was established as a protected area by the Province of New Brunswick in 2003. Protecting the land and freshwater in the area strengthened the protection of two connected habitats.
Local landowners partnered with the Nature Conservancy of Canada (NCC) to donate their land to support conservation efforts. The story of Musquash shows the powerful impact communities can have when they come together to protect the natural spaces they value. Thanks to decades of collaboration and stewardship, this unique area remains one of the Bay of Fundy’s most important coastal habitats.
Estuaries don’t exist in isolation. An estuary is where freshwater from rivers and streams mix with saltwater from the ocean. Musquash is a part of a larger picture. Protecting the wetlands and forests that feed the estuary helps fish and other wildlife move between these habitats. It also supports the local food web.
The Musquash Estuary is more than just a marine protected area – it is interwoven in habitats that flow and breathe together, that are now protected. Like a puzzle, different pieces come together to create a bigger, connected picture. While each piece is important on its own; they are stronger together. Each government plays their part in the total conservation picture.
The best part? The Musquash MPA and surrounding protected land is an example of what can be done across New Brunswick to protect the nature we love and the natural areas we all need.
Coming up next:
In our next blog on the Musquash we’ll talk about why it’s so important and what’s next for conservation in the Bay of Fundy. Stay tuned for Part 2 coming soon!
