Canada’s Progress: Protecting Vulnerable Marine Ecosystems in the Deep Sea

Canada was instrumental in building consensus for the 2006 United Nations General Assembly Resolution on Sustainable Fisheries (Resolution 61/105). The Resolution was a watershed moment in the history of high seas fisheries as it provided a roadmap to identify and protect vulnerable marine ecosystems (VMEs), at the same time allowing responsible fisheries to continue.

Since then, Fisheries and Oceans Canada has made significant progress identifying and protecting VMEs, as well as promoting this new approach within regional management organizations and at the global level. In particular, Canada has made it a priority to identify vulnerable marine ecosystems within the Northwest Atlantic Fisheries Organization (NAFO) Regulatory Area.

Highlights of Actions since 2006 to Identify and Protect VMEs on the high seas:

• Canada has been leading efforts at the Northwest Atlantic Fisheries Organization (NAFO) to identify vulnerable marine ecosystems in the NAFO Regulatory Area and taking action to protect them, such as:
  • conducting ground-breaking deep-sea research – the largest study of its kind – using cutting-edge technologies such as multi-beams and remotely operated and autonomous underwater vehicles as far down as 3,000m below the sea;
  • closing 12 coral and sponge concentrations and 6 seamount areas in the Organization’s Regulatory Area off the coast of Newfoundland and Labrador;
  • outlining coral and sponge encounter provisions;
  • delineating historical fishing areas and implementing an Exploratory Fishery Protocol for new fishing areas;
  • establishing guidelines for the assessment of the impacts of bottom fishing activities on vulnerable marine ecosystems ; and
  • establishing a body of fisheries managers and scientists to provide advice on vulnerable marine ecosystems to NAFO on an ongoing basis.

Highlights of Actions to Identify and Protect Sensitive Benthic Areas within Canadian Waters

• Canada is implementing the Sustainable Fisheries Framework (SFF), which was published in 2009.  It includes the Policy for Managing the Impacts of Fishing on Sensitive Benthic Areas. This policy supports fisheries management measures that mitigate or avoid impacts of fishing on sensitive areas of the seafloor where benthic habitat communities and species are found.
• In 2007, Canada’s offshore shrimp and groundfish harvesters instituted a voluntary closure in a 12,500 km² area off the coasts of Baffin Island and Newfoundland and Labrador to protect coldwater corals.
• Canada has closed a number of areas off its Atlantic, Pacific, and Arctic coasts to bottom contact fishing to protect coldwater corals and unique sponge reef ecosystems. The department is continuing to work with stakeholders to explore further mitigation options to address potential fishing impacts on sensitive benthic areas.

An Integrated & Ecosystem-Based Approach:

Much effort takes place within Canadian waters to protect vulnerable marine ecosystems, sensitive benthic areas, and to create marine protected areas.

Creating marine protected areas is one among many management tools that contribute to the improved health, integrity and productivity of our marine ecosystems.

DFO also works to protect sensitive benthic marine habitat and species in a variety of ways, including requiring modifications to fishing gear, gear restrictions, and restricting fishing in certain areas or at certain times.

Read more about DFO’s Policy for Managing the Impacts of Fishing on Sensitive Benthic Areas.

DFO considers all ocean activities that may have an impact on sensitive marine areas, not only commercial fisheries. We work through various statutes, including the Fisheries Act, Oceans Act and the Species at Risk Act, which contain measures for protection.

As well, Canada was actively involved in work at the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations that led to the 2008 adoption of the International Guidelines for the Management of Deep-sea Fisheries in the High Seas. The Department puts great importance on these guidelines, as they provide a detailed guidance that countries and RFMOs can use to manage deep sea fisheries in the high seas.

Scientific Research to Support Vulnerable Marine Ecosystems:

A DFO remotely operated vehicle retrieves a cold-water coral sample from the deep-waters of the Sable Gully in 2007.
Photo Credit: DFO

DFO scientists are part of a global movement to generate scientific evidence that can support our efforts to better protect our common oceans. Their work, along with those of other Canadian science institutions, forms the basis of Canada’s policy development to protect our oceans for the future.

Multiple research projects related to vulnerable marine ecosystems are now ongoing at Canadian science stations and with international partners.

Canada remains a champion of sustainable fisheries and will continue to provide strong global leadership in protecting vulnerable marine ecosystems. Our work is not finished.