Canada’s newest area of protected ocean in the Northwest Territories is an Arctic haven for marine mammals, Arctic char and other aquatic species that are vital to Inuvialuit people living along the Beaufort Sea.
Earlier this month, Fisheries and Oceans Canada announced the designation of a 2,361-square-kilometer patch of coastal waters for special protection. The area is called Anguniaqvia niqiqyuam, or Darnley Bay. Located at the western entrance to the Northwest Passage, Anguniaqvia niqiqyuam is an exceptionally productive ecosystem. Along with polar bears, seals and various fish and bird species, the area also hosts over 40,000 beluga whales every summer – more than one quarter of the world’s total population.
“It’s a spectacular place,” said Chris Debicki, in an interview with The Globe and Mail. Debicki is the project director for Oceans North Canada, a campaign co-led by Pew Charitable Trusts, an environmental advocacy group. “It’s habitat that’s not only important for marine species but, by extension, for the community.
This announcement marks the creation of Canada’s ninth Marine Protected Area, and the second in Arctic waters. It’s only a small step toward Canada’s overall commitment, which is to designate 10 percent of its ocean expanse for protection by 2020. Even after Wednesday’s addition, the current total adds up to less than 1.4 percent.
Mr. Debicki noted that groups representing the Inuvialuit people of the western Arctic played a large role in helping set the boundaries of the protected area. “Traditional knowledge was able to fill in research gaps and identify significant areas of habitat,” he said. “It signals a new approach to conservation in the Arctic where the community role is integral and where harvester input is really important.”
Closer to home, the Bay of Fundy has one area of protection, the Musquash Estuary Marine Protected Area. The protection of this estuary along the Bay of Fundy was realized through the work and collaboration of many groups, including the Conservation Council. Much like Anguniaqvia niqiqyuam, community knowledge and involvement was central to the successful protection of the important waters of the Musquash Estuary. Recently, there has been a renewed interest in seeing more protected area work in the Bay of Fundy. Fisheries and Oceans Canada is expected to release a draft network plan in the spring of 2017 to spell out its plan for Marine Protected Area development in the Scotia-Fundy region.