National Marine Conservation Areas (NMCAs) is aParks Canada programme responsible formarine areas managed forsustainability and containing smaller zones of high protection. They include theseabed, thewater itself and anyspecies which occur there. They may also includewetlands,estuaries,islands and othercoastal lands.[1] They are protected fromdumping,underseamining, as well asoil andgas exploration and development, which may damage the aquatic or terrestrial ecosystems in the conservation area. However, not all commercial activities are prohibited in these zones. Shipping, commercial and sport fishing, and recreational activities are allowed.[2][3]
In 1996, Nature Canada[4] developed its Marine Conservation Program in recognition that marine ecosystems were as affected by human activity as terrestrial ecosystems. At that time, Canada's National Parks Act[5] was designed to guide conservation and protection only on land. So that year, Nature Canada began advocating for new legislation that would enable the creation of national marine conservation areas.[6]
As of 2020[update], established NMCAs and NMCA Reserves protect 14,846 km2 (5,732 sq mi) of waters, wetlands, and coastlines, representing five of the 29 identified marine regions with studies underway for protected areas in three additional regions.[7]
| Name | Photo | Location | Established | Area (2017) | Marine region | Description |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fathom Five National Marine Park † |  |  Ontario45°19′N81°38′W / 45.317°N 81.633°W /45.317; -81.633 (Fathom Five National Marine Park) | 20 July 1987 | 114 km2 (44 sq mi) | Georgian Bay | The marine counterpart to the adjacentBruce Peninsula National Park, Fathom Five is named for a line inShakespeare'sThe Tempest. The first marine unit in the national parks system preserves a unique aquatic environment and several small islands includingFlowerpot Island. The unusually clear waters and numerous shipwrecks on theshoals ofGeorgian Bay make the park a popular destination forscuba divers.[8]: 189 |
| Gwaii Haanas NMCA Reserve & Haida Heritage Site (Reserve) | .jpg) |  British Columbia52°0′N131°12′W / 52.000°N 131.200°W /52.000; -131.200 (Gwaii Haanas National Marine Conservation Area Reserve) | 11 June 2010 | 1,500 km2 (579 sq mi)[9] | Hecate Strait,Queen Charlotte Shelf | Along with the National Park Reserve of the same name, Gwaii Haanas protects an area extending from the ocean floor of theHecate Strait andQueen Charlotte Basin to the mountains of theHaida Gwaii. The marine reserve preserves theHaida people's traditional use of the waters while protecting the area fromoil exploration and commercial fishing.[8]: 299 As a Reserve, it is a proposed NMCA, pending settlement of Native claims, but managed as a park unit in the interim. |
| Lake Superior NMCA |  | Ontario 48°26′N89°13′W / 48.433°N 89.217°W /48.433; -89.217 (Lake Superior National Marine Conservation Area) | 1 September 2015 | 10,880 km2 (4,201 sq mi) | Lake Superior | Adjacent to the United States'Isle Royale National Park and severalOntario provincial parks, Lake Superior NMCA forms part of the world's largestfreshwater reserve.[10] |
| Saguenay–St. Lawrence Marine Park† | .JPG) |  Quebec48°4′N69°40′W / 48.067°N 69.667°W /48.067; -69.667 (Saguenay–St. Lawrence Marine Park) | 8 June 1998 | 1,245 km2 (481 sq mi)[11] | St. Lawrence Estuary | Located at theconfluence of theSaguenay andSt. Lawrence rivers and adjacent to Quebec's "Saguenay Fjord National Park" (a provincial park), Saguenay–St. Lawrence protects a portion of theSt. Lawrence estuary, a common feeding ground for marine mammals such as the endangered St. Lawrencebeluga whale. |
.svg)
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link){{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)