In our Dare to be Deep series, CPAWS and Mountain Equipment Co-op are introducing 12 exceptional marine sites that we hope to see protected.
Today we take you to the heart of the Gulf of Saint Lawrence, to a unique marine environment with an archipelago rich in history and maritime culture: the Magdalen Islands.
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Photo Credit: FX Delemotte
Why is this site so important?
The Magdalen Plateau spans several thousand kilometers of relatively shallow water, which averages a depth of 80 meters. As a result, it’s the warmest body of salt water in Canada, and attracts species that are rare or absent elsewhere at this latitude.
At the centre of the plateau lies the Magdalen archipelago, a unique and complex group of islands, sand dunes, and lagoons. These habitats are essential breeding grounds for seabirds, and home to the only known colonies of piping plovers, horned grebes, and roseate terns in Quebec. Many other species of shorebirds and sea ducks use the region as a stopover along their migration routes.
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Photo: Jérôme Spaggiari
The islands have been inhabited for thousands of years, and the population of roughly 13,000 people depends largely on the health of the marine environment. Harvesting and processing seafood, along with tourism, are the principal economic sectors. Species of interest are lobster, snow crab, scallops and fish including Atlantic herring, Atlantic mackerel, American plaice and redfish.
What are the threats to the site?
Fish stocks in the region are diminishing, and overfishing has caused near (in some cases, total) disappearance of species. Significant efforts to replenish them have been unsuccessful, hindered by global changes and alteration of sustainable functioning marine ecosystems and food chains. A further consequence of large-scale use of fossil fuels and a contributor to the difficulty in restoring fish stocks is acidification of the oceans.
The Gulf of Saint Lawrence is also sought after for its energy. Studies with known environmental consequences, including intense seismic surveys, have been conducted to assess the oil and gas potential beneath the Gulf’s floor. Exploratory drilling is currently underway at the site of Old Harry, a location in Newfoundland that’s only 80km from the Magdalen Islands. A catastrophic spill like the one in the Gulf of Mexico would obviously have a major negative impact on the ecosystems and coastal communities of the Gulf of Saint Lawrence. Even the daily operations of an oil rig – noise, inevitable leaks and accidental spillage of toxins – present significant risks that need to be assessed and regulated prior to authorizing such a project.
Protecting the site: What CPAWS is doing
The Canadian and Quebec governments have been in talks with local communities about establishing a marine protected area since 2004. That’s right, it’s been 8 years! However, on December 5, 2011, Ottawa and Quebec reached an agreement on a joint two-year study to learn more about this 16,500 square kilometer marine environment and to evaluate the opportunities and difficulties involved in the creation of a marine protected area. A website has also been created to encourage dialogue and make information available. We believe the success of this project depends on as many people as possible understanding the region’s situation. The creation of a marine protected area in the Magdalen Islands is a unique opportunity to manage the area, and each person has an important role in the preservation of its maritime riches.
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Photo: Yves Martinet
While the study is underway and a marine protected area in the Magdalen Islands (and hopefully a network of protected areas on a larger scale) is being assessed – we believe it would be absurd to go ahead with the offshore exploitation of hydrocarbons. That’s why CPAWS Quebec and other groups formed the St. Lawrence Coalition, whose goal is a moratorium on oil and gas exploitation in the entire Gulf of Saint Lawrence.
With local partners like the Magdalen Islands ZIP Committee and the help of programs like MEC’s Community Contributions, CPAWS Quebec will continue to raise awareness of the importance of marine protected areas. This effort will be pursued in a transparent and respectful manner, while CPAWS acts as a liaison between the various stakeholders. Raising awareness is a crucial part of the process, as it promotes a sense of community ownership in the initiative while optimizing the marine protected area on all levels: biodiversity, environment, social, and economic.
What you can do
Despite recent progress, less than 1% of Canada’s marine environments are protected, and they are suffering from increasing environmental damage. It’s important to act fast. CPAWS has launched a campaign to convince the federal government to create 12 new marine protected areas by the end of 2012. For information on these 12 sites, please visit the CPAWS 12 by 12 web page or see the infographic by the Globe and Mail.
The Magdalen Islands is one of these 12 sites. By supporting our campaign, you’re showing your commitment to protecting this exceptional site and contributing to its preservation. MEC is offering the chance to win prizes to those who sign the petition.
For the latest news from CPAWS and the unique Magdalen Islands marine area, Like us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter. To learn more about the Magdalen Islands project, please visit CPAWS Quebec.
Jérôme Spaggiari is Conservation Coordinator at CPAWS Quebec. This article was prepared in collaboration with Yves Martinet, Director of the Magdalen Islands ZIP Committee.
Filed under: Activities, Community, Sustainability Image may be NSFW.
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Image may be NSFW.Clik here to view.
