Discover the St. Anns Bank Marine Protected Area
St. Anns Bank Marine Protected Area was first established in 2017. St. Anns Bank is located off the eastern coast of Unama'ki, the Mi'kmaw name for Cape Breton. It is a remarkable place, that protects many marine species.
Transcript
The St. Anns Bank Marine Protected Area, or MPA, is a remarkable place. It's located off the eastern coast of Unama'ki, the Mi'kmaw name for Cape Breton, along the coast of Mi'kma'ki, or Nova Scotia.
The MPA extends from the coastal waters off Scaterie Island to the deep waters of the Laurentian Channel.
In 2017, this area was legally protected by the Government of Canada to support long-term conservation of marine biodiversity.
Ryan Stanley, Aquatic Science Biologist, Fisheries and Oceans Canada
“So, protecting the St. Anns Bank Marine Protected Area gives us the opportunity to protect a variety of habitats all in one place. The depths within this area range from 20 to 200 metres, and cross a variety of different substrate types. And it is this diversity of depths and substrates that has an associated diversity of flora and fauna. So the St. Anns Bank Marine Protected Area is a great example of the habitat on the eastern Scotian shelf.”
The Mi'kmaq of Nova Scotia were the first people to inhabit Unama'ki.
Near the end of the last ice age, sea levels were lower, and Mi'kmaw ancestors used the once dry landscape and fished in the surrounding waters.
Now with the St. Anns Bank submerged, the area is still an important food, economic and cultural resource for the Mi'kmaw today.
The St. Anns Bank MPA helps to protect many marine species, like sea pens, snow crabs and wolffish that live in the area.
A variety of whales and turtles also travel through the area each year.
Bruce Hatcher, Chair of Marine Ecosystem Research, Cape Breton University
“This is a place where anybody that has a scuba tank and sports diving certification can actually go and experience the place first hand. Can dive to the seabed, can sit there and watch what's going on.”
The area is important to coastal fishing communities, and harvesting continues in parts of the MPA.
DFO works with the Mi'kmaq of Nova Scotia, scientists, and coastal communities to monitor and manage the MPA, so it can continue to protect species and their habitats for many generations.
To learn more, visit our website.
Related links
Page details
- Date modified: