Canada unveils marine protection standards amid push to conserve 25% of oceans

Nia Williams
·2 min read

By Nia Williams

(Reuters) - Canada on Wednesday finalized conservation standards for marine protected areas that cover more than 14% of its oceans, by banning industrial activities including waste disposal, trawling the sea floor for fishing and natural resource extraction.

The regulations are part of Canada's goal to conserve 25% of its oceans by 2025, and come a day after the federal government and First Nations announced progress on establishing what will be the country's largest Marine Protected Area (MPA) located 150 km (90 miles) off the west coast of British Columbia.

Canada is bordered by three oceans - the Pacific, Arctic and Atlantic - and has the longest coastline in the world.

Speaking at the fifth International Marine Protected Areas Congress in Vancouver, federal ocean and fisheries minister Joyce Murray said Canada is also exploring other marine areas for future protection, including parts of James Bay in the far north of Ontario and Quebec, and Arctic areas in the territory of Nunavut.

"Oceans are as crucial to our survival as the air we breathe and if we truly want to protect the planet, we must protect the oceans," Murray told a news conference.

The new proposed MPA off the west coast of Vancouver Island, known as the Tang.ɢwan – ḥačxwiqak – Tsig̱is MPA, moved forward this week after Canada and local First Nations signed a memorandum of understanding to cooperatively manage the area.

The area covers 133,019 square km (51,360 square miles), roughly half the size of New Zealand, and is home to 46 towering underwater mountains and all of Canada's known hydrothermal vents, rare deep-sea hot spots that support unique marine species.

Canada and First Nations have been working on protecting the area since 2017, when measures to prevent certain fishing activities were put in place. Designating it an MPA would expand protection to the unique seafloor features.

"These underexplored ecosystems, three kilometres beneath the ocean surface, are likely home to marine life found nowhere else in the world," said Kate MacMillan, Ocean Conservation Manager for the Canadian Parks and Wilderness Society.

(Reporting by Nia Williams in British Columbia; editing by Jonathan Oatis)

  • Up next
  • Up next
  • Up next
  • Up next

Latest Stories

  • Home Hardware is having a huge sale on garden & lawn essentials — save on lawn mowers, fertilizer and more

    Now through April 24, save on everything you need for spring gardening at Home Hardware.

  • Prison Architect 2 is denied release until September 3

    Double Eleven and publisher Paradox Interactive have delayed Prison Architect 2 by four moths to work on technical issues.

  • We found Taylor Swift's iconic red lipstick favorites from over the years

    The singer's signature bold picks have included Pat McGrath, CoverGirl and Chanel.

  • Amazon advertising chief steps aside for new role

    Amazon.com's advertising chief Colleen Aubrey, who has held that role for nearly three years, is moving to a new undisclosed position at the company. Spokeswoman Kristin Mariani said Aubrey's new position would be announced later. Aubrey is also a member of the elite "S-team," which advises CEO Andy Jassy and has worked in the advertising unit for over 11 years.

  • Stock market today: Wall Street limps toward its longest weekly losing streak since September

    NEW YORK (AP) — Wall Street’s latest losing week looks to be coming to a relatively quiet close on Friday. U.S. stocks are drifting in mixed trading after oil prices briefly surged overnight on worries about fighting in the Middle East. The S&P 500 was 0.5% lower in afternoon trading and on track for its third straight losing week. That would be its longest such streak since September, before it broke out into a record-setting romp. The Dow Jones Industrial Average was up 207 points, or 0.6%, as

  • Overnight visitors to the Kent coast could face tourist tax

    A Labour council in a holiday hotspot is considering imposing a tax on tourists who stay overnight.

  • Women doing long jail sentences failed by ‘system designed for men’

    Exclusive: ‘In lots of women’s prisons, you will come off remand and be sentenced and be put on a wing among prisoners with sentences that vary from a month to longer,’ woman serving life sentence says

  • Man United overhaul under Ratcliffe extends to new technical director

    MANCHESTER, England (AP) — British billionaire Jim Ratcliffe continued his overhaul at Manchester United by appointing Jason Wilcox as technical director on Friday. Ratcliffe has assumed control of United's failing soccer operations since February when he secured a 25% stake in the storied club. A new CEO has been hired and a sporting director is also on his wanted list. Wilcox, who United said would start immediately, is seen as a key appointment ahead of Ratcliffe's first summer transfer windo

  • Caught between Israel and Iran, Jordan clings desperately to stability

    After Iran’s unprecedented missile and drone attack on Israel on April 13, Jordan finds itself caught between the two enemies. Friday morning's suspected Israeli strikes in central Iran have intensified fear that the country could be dragged into an escalation against its will. Having been historically neutral in the two countries’ decades-old struggle, the Hashemite kingdom is now seeing its delicate balancing act threatened. It’s a balancing act years in the making. Jordan, long obsessed with

  • Wilmot Roots sells out of trees

    In celebration of Earth Day, the Township of Wilmot offered a free tree giveaway program called Wilmot Roots for the second year in a row. This community initiative is the result of a donation of funds from Enova Power Corporation to help reforest the township. With the ongoing organizational support of the volunteer-based Let’s Tree Wilmot group, the township offered over 300 free trees to residents this spring. Chris Catania is the township’s director of community services and said the program

  • Man sets himself on fire outside Trump trial in New York

    Just minutes before jury selection finished, a man set himself on fire outside the court

  • Historic day for Kahnawake in Ottawa

    The sun shone and optimism ran rampant amongst the Mohawk Council of Kahnawake contingent last Wednesday on Parliament Hill for the signing of a document with the federal government that will put the community on an equal footing in government negotiations. Mohawk Council of Kahnawake Grand Chief Kahsennenhawe Sky-Deer and Indigenous Rights and Research lead Ross Montour were on hand to sign the historic document with federal Crown-Indigenous Relations Minister Gary Anandasangaree in the West Bl

  • Federal government announces increased firefighter tax credit

    The federal government has announced it will be increasing tax credits and providing additional funding and support for volunteer firefighters. There are over 90,000 volunteer firefighters in Canada who put their lives on the line every single day. Many of them have to pay out of pocket to cover expenses associated with the life-saving services they provide. Right now, they get a tax credit of $3,000 to cover those expenses. In a pre-budget announcement last week, the federal government confirme

  • Magnificent Seven Stocks To Buy And Watch: Nvidia Stock Dives Below Key Level

    Magnificent Seven stocks, including AI leader Nvidia, are among the best stocks to buy and watch in today's stock market.

  • Katz group blames real estate, pandemic for years-long delay of Ice District's urban village

    An urban village at Ice District in central Edmonton — 2,500 residential units and a public park — is now expected to take at least three years longer to build than previously planned. Construction was slated to start this year as part of Phase 2 of the OEG (formerly Oilers Entertainment Group) master plan to develop the land around Rogers Place. Tim Shipton, executive vice-president of OEG, appealed to city council at a public hearing April 2, outlining the obstacles the development was facing.

  • Contrary local opinions on the 2024 federal budget

    The latest federal budget has been released and, to no one’s surprise, the government and the official opposition are at odds. The 2024 document goes after the country’s highest earners with new taxes to help offset billions in new spending designed to enhance the country's housing supply and social supports. Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland's budget outlines how the Liberals plan to allocate $39.2 billion in net-new spending, while upholding what they call fiscal gua

  • Emma Raducanu’s winless run against top-10 goes on after defeat by Iga Swiatek

    Emma Raducanu has been knocked out of the Stuttgart Open by world No 1 Iga Swiatek in the quarter-finals after a straight-sets defeat.

  • Person who was on fire outside Trump's hush money trial is rushed away on a stretcher

    NEW YORK (AP) — A person who was on fire in a park outside the New York courthouse where Donald Trump’s hush money trial is taking place has been rushed away on a stretcher. The fire was extinguished Friday shortly after a jury and alternates had been seated in Trump’s criminal case. A person could be seen lying on the ground on fire. People then rushed over to douse the person with a fire extinguisher and try to bat the flames away. Emergency responders then rushed the person away on a stretche

  • 20 Countries with the Highest Cancer Survival Rates in the World

    In this article, we will be taking a look at the 20 countries with the highest cancer survival rates in the world. If you do not want to learn about the cancer treatment in the US, head straight to the 5 Countries with the Highest Cancer Survival Rates in the World. Navigating the Terrain: The […]

  • Woodstock Police investigating racist grafitti

    The Woodstock Police Force is seeking information about inappropriate graffiti in downtown Woodstock. In a media release on April 17, the force said it is currently investigating what it described as a “disturbing incident” that occurred over the April 12 weekend. “Unknown perpetrators defaced the wall of Harvest House with racially derogatory graffiti,” the release said. “This inexcusable act goes against the values of inclusivity and respect that we uphold in Woodstock.” While not detailing th