What exactly is an MPA anyway?

MPAs all over the world take different forms, regulating and banning activities to varying degrees using all sorts of strategies. According to the experts in the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN), an MPA needs to be legislated, permanent, clearly defined geographically (it needs to have boundaries), and effectively managed to conserve biodiversity long-term. In Canada, this definition would fit best to MPAs that are legislated through the Oceans Act or the Canada National Marine Conservation Areas Act.

Canada currently has 11 formally legislated MPAs dispersed across its ocean regions, though these MPAs protect less than 1% of Canada’s ocean. Oceans Act MPAs are carefully designed and regulated to eliminate or minimize the impacts of human activities to biodiversity and ecosystem health. Most Oceans Act MPAs use a zoning strategy—where some areas of the MPA have restrictions on most kinds of development, fishing or shipping  to prohibit activities that could negatively impact the ecosystem, while other areas are open to selected activities, like commercial hook-and-line fisheries and the transit of commercial ships. Even Canada’s most formal MPAs are a careful balance of socio-economic interests and conservation goals.

Canada is Party to the United Nations Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD), committing to protecting 10% of marine and coastal areas by 2020. The CBD requires that Canada reach the target through MPAs or “Other Effective area-based Conservation Measures” (OECMs). This may mean that not just Oceans Act MPAs count toward Canada’s 10%, but other areas that are effective in conserving biodiversity may count as well. In December 2017, Canada reported 51 marine refuges, representing 4.78% of ocean areas, as OECMs contributing to the 10% target. These marine refuges were primarily existing fisheries management areas, regulated by the Fisheries Act to protect fish, mammals, and habitats. Unlike Oceans Act MPAs, marine refuges are less able to regulate non-fishery activities and might be less able to protect biodiversity and ecosystems.  Deciding what counts toward the 10% target is a challenge facing MPA decision-makers, planners, and scientists around the world. With the Advisory Panel recommending that MPAs adopt strong standards of protection by prohibiting harmful industrial activities, Canada can take steps toward ensuring that MPAs are truly protecting oceans from significant threats.

Over the past six months, the Panel heard from stakeholders, including scientists, government representatives, non-governmental organizations, Indigenous councils, industry associations, and more, from across the country to consult on the guiding principles for MPA standards in Canada. The Panel made other important recommendations, including a need to strengthen relationships between the government and Indigenous peoples, respecting protected Indigenous and treaty rights; a need to improve clarity and transparency in MPA planning; and a need to reduce complexity in the approach to planning MPA networks.  CPAWS-NB supports the Panel in these recommendations, and hopes to work effectively with the federal government, provincial government, and Indigenous governments in planning MPAs for the Bay of Fundy and the Gulf of St, Lawrence.

Add your voice to our e-letter campaign! Tell the provincial government representatives of New Brunswick that protecting nature on land and at the coast is important to you. 

Read the CPAWS news release welcoming the call for strong marine protection standards here.

For more information, read the full report from the National Advisory Panel here.

Header photo by Peter Reimer