Protection of B.C. marine area welcomed

By: David Suzuki Foundation


VANCOUVER – Today’s major announcement of a new Marine Protected Area (MPA) off coastal British Columbia “is a welcome sign that government is willing to address conservation issues however, more marine protected areas are needed if the government wants to realize its commitment to healthy oceans,” says Bill Wareham, the David Suzuki Foundation’s senior conservation specialist.

Ten years in the making, the newly protected area of Bowie Seamount was announced this afternoon by the Federal Ministry of Natural Resources, the Haida Nation and the World Wildlife Fund of Canada. It covers 1,600 square kilometers off the northwest coast of Haida Gwaii. It was described as a ‘collaborative effort’ and a ‘conservation ‘milestone’ in the protection of Canada’s Oceans.

Mr. Wareham, who was on hand for today’s announcement, called the move a positive one, adding that the ongoing test will be whether government continues to build on the accomplishment to establish a system of protected areas representing the many different types of ecosystems and unique conservation needs in Canada’s oceans.

“The Bowie Seamount marine protected area took ten years of negotiations to establish. Government must find a way to designate these areas at a much faster pace,” says Wareham.

“We reap many economic, social and cultural benefits from our oceans. These benefits will be lost if we don’t take a more serious approach to managing our oceans in a responsible fashion.”

Canada’s marine environments support some of the most fascinating and important ecosystems and species on the planet.

For more information, contact:

Bill Wareham, Sr. Marine Conservation Specialist, (604) 740-4318

Lisa Hoffe, Communications Specialist, (604) 732-4228, ext. 278

source: David Suzuki Foundation