Hawke Channel Closure
- Location
- Newfoundland-Labrador Shelves Bioregion (Newfoundland and Labrador)
- Approximate Size (km2) contribution to Marine Conservation Targets
- 8,837 km2
- Approximate % coverage contribution to Marine Conservation Targets
- 0.15%
- Conservation Objective
- Conserve benthic habitat and Atlantic cod
Ecological Components of Interest
Hawke Channel Closure
Species of regional importance: Atlantic cod
- Why it is important: Atlantic cod is a culturally iconic species that supports recreational and commercial fisheries in Newfoundland and Labrador.
Habitat that is important to biodiversity conservation: the bottom habitat in the area.
- Why it is important: The bottom habitat in this area overlaps an Ecologically and Biologically Significant Area (EBSA) that supports diverse populations of groundfish and other benthic species. For example, the habitat is an important snow crab fishing ground.
Prohibitions
The ecological components of interest are effectively conserved through the following prohibitions:
Bottom trawl, gillnet, and longline.
Other Considerations
No human activities that are incompatible with the conservation of the ecological components of interest may occur or be foreseeable within the area.
Environmental Context
The closure overlaps a significant portion of the Labrador Margin Trough EBSA.
This area supports a high diversity of groundfish populations, including commercially important species such as Greenland halibut. By protecting the bottom habitat, this closure also protects depleted species such as Atlantic wolffish.
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