A big welcome to the newest Marine Protected Area (MPA) — Tang.ɢ̱wan – ḥačxwiqak – Tsig̱is — off the coast of BC!
August 1, 2024 – by Carlos Acuña, senior conservation campaigner
The abyssal plains of the deep sea floor are often viewed as vast, dark, empty spaces. But the deep sea far off the BC coast couldn’t be more different. Dotting the flat seascape are geologic wonders such as seamounts and hydrothermal vents teeming with abundant otherworldly marine life!
Located 150 km west of the coast of Vancouver Island, deep in the ocean, is a unique and spectacular underwater world. The Tang.ɢ̱wan – ḥačxwiqak – Tsig̱is MPA (TḥT for short) will protect a network of hydrothermal vents (think deep sea geysers or hot springs releasing superheated and mineral-enriched water) and seamounts (ancient volcanic mountains that can tower higher than Whistler Mountain). These biological hotspots provide habitat, shelter, food, spawning grounds, and nurseries for wildlife. It truly is a “Deepsea Oasis.”
Canada’s first MPA, Endeavour Hydrothermal Vents, which protected 5 vents and 97 km2 since 2003, is now part of this new MPA that spans over 133,000 km2.
Indigenous-led Conservation
The name for this new MPA is three words from the Haida, Quatsino, Nuu-chah-nulth and Pacheedaht Nations.
- Tang.ɢ̱wan: a Haida word meaning deep ocean (pronounced “Tung – Gwun”)
- ḥačxwiqak: a Nuu-chah-nulth and Pacheedaht word meaning deepest part of the ocean (pronounced “huch/khwi/kuk”)
- Tsig̱is: a Quatsino word referring to a monster of the deep (pronounced “tsee-geese”)
It’s easier to pronounce than it seems! If you need some more help, listen to the pronunciation.
This incredible area will be co-managed by the Nuu-chah-nulth Tribal Council, Council of the Haida Nation, Pacheedaht First Nation, Quatsino First Nation and the Government of Canada. In the spirit of reconciliation, it will be managed using both science and traditional knowledge and uphold First Nations rights to governance.
Weird and Wonderful Wildlife
The area is home to some of the weirdest and most wonderful creatures on the planet:
- Dumbo octopuses are a group of deep sea octopuses that flap ear-like flippers on their heads to move around, much like Dumbo the elephant in the famous Disney movie.
- Tubeworms are unlike almost any other creature on the planet. Instead of getting their energy from sunlight , they rely on bacteria that are able to produce energy from the mineral rich water expelled from hydrothermal vents.
- Sea pigs are actually types of sea cucumbers, named for their pinkish colour. They use their tubelike feet to walk along the sea floor while they feed on organic matter that sinks down from shallower waters.
- Last year, scientists discovered a seamount covered in a million skate eggs in the MPA. The ancient volcano is spouting warm fluid, providing little-known species of skates with an ideal nursery. Scientists believe the geothermal heat helps incubate the eggs and speeds up development.
The deep sea is a dark and mysterious place — under-mapped and under-explored. We have only begun to scratch the surface of what lives here. Who knows what other amazing creatures will be found in the future?
Upholding Strong Protection is a must
Canada’s new MPA protection standard will prohibit oil and gas exploration, development, and production, disposal at sea of waste, and most importantly for this area specifically, mineral exploration and exploitation and the use of bottom-trawl gear. With the growing need for rare minerals to power electric vehicles, deep sea environments are under threat from an industry that would tear apart wildlife-rich seamounts. This environment is also especially vulnerable to bottom trawling which uses heavy weighted nets dragged on the seafloor to indiscriminately capture any and all sea life, including rare protected species and habitat-forming corals and sponges.
Protection of these important and rare ecosystems would not be possible without the support of the public who signed petitions, wrote letters, and participated in consultations. Thank you also goes out to First Nations leadership and elected officials for helping secure legal protections. And finally, thanks are given to the scientists, communicators, and marine planning professionals from Federal and Indigenous governments, non-profit organizations, and universities such as those at the Northeast Pacific Deep-sea Exploration Project (NEPDEP). They explored and discovered these amazing places, conveyed their importance to the world, and worked tirelessly behind the scenes conducting the much needed technical work to make this new Marine Protected Area a reality.
This Is Only The Beginning
The MPA work doesn’t stop with designation. The Haida, Quatsino, Nuu-chah-nulth and Pacheedaht Nations and the Government of Canada must now work to form a management board. An advisory committee, with conservation groups like CPAWS-BC, will also be established. Together, they will create a management plan to make sure we know the MPA is protecting the ecosystem, which means monitoring, enforcement and management of human activities. We will be there to help ensure this special part of the ocean is strongly protected.