Question Period Note: Marine Conservation Targets in the Maritimes Region

Marine Conservation Targets in the Maritimes Region

We anticipate announcing designation of the Eastern Canyons Marine Refuge under the Fisheries Act as early as the spring of 2022, to protect important and sensitive corals and coral habitat, including a large deep-water ‘frontier area’, off eastern Nova Scotia.

The proposed Eastern Canyons Marine Refuge would add 43,976 km2, or 0.76 per cent, to national Marine Conservation Target of 25 per cent ocean protection by 2025.

We are also continuing to work with partners and stakeholders on the Fundian Channel-Browns Bank and Eastern Shore Islands Areas of Interest for potential designation as Oceans Act Marine Protected Areas by 2025.

• The Maritimes Region has three Oceans Act Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) and six Fisheries Act Marine Refuges in place, and has developed a draft Marine Conservation Network Design to guide long-term spatial conservation in the Scotian Shelf-Bay of Fundy Bioregion (which aligns geographically with the Maritimes Region).
• In March 2018, the Department announced the Fundian Channel-Browns Bank and Eastern Shore Islands Areas of Interest (AOI) for potential Marine Protected Area designation under the Oceans Act, as well as the Eastern Canyons area for potential Marine Refuge designation under the Fisheries Act. These areas will contribute to the department’s plan to conserve 25 per cent of Canada’s oceans by 2025.
• Marine spatial planning is being advanced in coordination with the draft Marine Conservation Network to ensure a balanced and participatory approach to marine planning and conservation in the Scotian Shelf-Bay of Fundy Bioregion.
• The proposed Eastern Canyons Marine Refuge is being advanced for site designation by Spring 2022 under the DFO Sensitive Benthic Areas Policy, in order to address risks to corals, coral habitat, and other vulnerable benthic features from bottom-contact fisheries. Site designation will also protect a large ‘frontier area’ in deep water off the shelf break; a ‘frontier area’ is an area without history of fishing in Canadian waters, include waters deeper than 2000 m, and have little if any information on the benthic features and any fishing impacts on such features.
• Engagement and consultation was completed with regional Indigenous Communities, Indigenous Organizations, Province of Nova Scotia, affected bottom contact, communal commercial and commercial fishing industry groups, representatives of Environmental Non-Government Organizations (ENGO), and other potential non-fishing interests that may utilize the area. A Technical Advisory Group comprising of key groundfish industry representatives, and representatives from the rights holders and other stakeholders groups listed above, provided support and informed the site design process.
• The Marine Refuge will be established using a fisheries closure (Variation Order initially followed by Conditions of License for next year) to eliminate bottom contact, communal commercial and commercial harvesting in the area, with additional management and monitoring measures to be implemented, as required. The primary bottom contact fisheries to be impacted are Redfish trawl and Atlantic Halibut longline. The Region has worked with Indigenous partners, industry, and other stakeholders to design the site in a manner that upholds the conservation objective while aiming to minimize and unnecessary impact on fisheries.
• The first meeting of the multi-stakeholder Advisory Committee for the Fundian Channel-Browns Bank Area of Interest was held in June 2021. The second meeting was held in December 2021 to discuss the draft ecological risk assessment for the site. The Advisory Committee includes representation from the Province of Nova Scotia, the Mi’kmaq of Nova Scotia and other regional First Nations, the fishing industry, and a range of other interests.
• The Eastern Shore Islands Area of Interest process is currently paused while awaiting a departmental decision regarding the commitment made by Minister Wilkinson in 2019 for an independent community liaison process to address the polarized nature of community concerns. In the interim, the Region is engaging with the local fishing industry on a broader range of management topics, including collaborative science and research opportunities, fisheries management and marine conservation. A draft ecological risk assessment is ready for external expert review once the department signals that it is ready to proceed.
• The Maritimes Region has developed a draft bioregional Marine Conservation Network Design based on more than a decade of science research and analysis, socio-economic data collection and analysis and engagement with a broad range of experts and interests. The first draft Network Design was completed in 2017 and is currently undergoing targeted engagement with partners and stakeholders until March 31, 2022. The aim is to complete the Marine Conservation Network Plan, in alignment with the broader Marine Spatial Plan by 2024, to support long-term spatial conservation planning, including Canada’s marine protection commitments for 2030.

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