Marine Protected Areas

Program Overview

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Canada's Commitment to Marine Protection MPAs under the Oceans Act Program Overview, Goals and Objectives Code of Practice Developing a National System of Protected Areas for the Marine Environment
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Canada's marine ecosystems are vast and diverse, supporting many different activities. Marine Protected Areas under the Oceans Act must, therefore, satisfy a range of needs in a variety of jurisdictional settings. As a result, the Program uses a flexible approach to the design and management of these areas. The National Framework for Establishing and Managing Marine Protected Areas provides the general approach to MPAs across Canada. Specific program details concerning the conservation, protection and use of the marine environment and its resources will be developed and implemented at the DFO regional level.

Management plans for individual MPAs will be developed with involvement of local resource users, and interested and affected parties. They will set forth details on such issues as partnering responsibilities, funding arrangements, jurisdictional coordination, zoning, protection standards, regulations, permissible activities, enforcement, monitoring and research, and public awareness. MPAs will differ from one another; some may be strict no-take zones while others may be sustainably managed zones. This type of flexible approach is needed in order to meet the range of conservation and protection requirements of MPAs.

To ensure that MPAs are part of a comprehensive initiative to protect the health and function of marine ecosystems, they should be developed and established within the context of integrated management planning. Such planning considers the protection of each area in light of both environmental and socio-economic effects.

Objective

To conserve and protect the ecological integrity of marine ecosystems, species, and habitats through a system of Marine Protected Areas, as per the Oceans Act.

Goals

• To proactively conserve and protect the ecological integrity of each MPA site.
• To contribute to the social and economic sustainability of coastal communities by providing for uses which are compatible with the reasons for designation.
• To further knowledge and understanding of marine ecosystems.

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