canada Archives - CPAWS British Columbia

canada

October 28 2021

CPAWS Report Finds BC’s Marine Protected Areas Need Urgent Strengthening

Carlo Acuña News canada, marine protected areas

For more information, please contact:
Rippon Madtha
Communications Manager
rippon@cpawsbc.org
604-685-7445 (x23)

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

October 28, 2021

CPAWS Report Finds BC’s Marine Protected Areas Need Urgent Strengthening

More than 60% of BC’s marine protected area waters are not effective at protecting biodiversity. Canada needs to implement its minimum standards to effectively safeguard biodiversity and fight climate change.

Unceded Coast Salish Territory / Vancouver, BC – Today, the Canadian Parks and Wilderness Society (CPAWS) released The MPA Monitor, a first-of-its-kind assessment of the quality of Canada’s marine protected areas (MPAs). Using The MPA Guide, a scientific tool to evaluate MPA protection, CPAWS analysed the five MPAs which make up five per cent of the Pacific Ocean in BC. Over 60% of BC federal MPAS do not have the strong, high-quality protections in place that support thriving ocean life and healthy communities.

According to a 2018 study published in Marine Policy, MPAs are one of the most effective tools to restore habitats, rebuild biodiversity, and help species adapt to climate change, but only when they are strongly protected and effectively managed. In 2019 Canada announced it had protected almost 14% of the ocean, exceeding the international goal of 10% by 2020. It has since committed to build on this to protect 25% of the ocean by 2025 and 30% by 2030, in line with global scientific consensus needed to effectively protect marine biodiversity.

“SG̱aan Ḵinghlas-Bowie Seamount MPA is an excellent example of an effective MPA on the west coast, scoring as strongly protected under The MPA Guide,” says Kate MacMillan, CPAWS-BC’s acting Ocean Conservation Manager. “But not all MPAs are created with high-protection. We need to see protection measures in BC MPAs improved, such as prohibiting bottom trawling in the Scott Islands marine National Wildlife Area.”

First Nations, conservation groups and community members have sounded the alarm of poor quality ocean protection in Canada for years. In 2019, in response to these concerns, Canada committed to establish minimum protection standards for all new federal MPAs that would prohibit bottom trawling, oil and gas, mining, and dumping. Canada also committed to eventually review existing MPAs against those minimum standards. However, two years later, we are still waiting for action.

The MPA Guide was developed by an international team of experts to allow for a global assessment of MPA standards. CPAWS is the first organization to assess Canada’s federal MPAs against both The MPA Guide and the minimum protection standards. CPAWS found that implementing the minimum protection standards would provide a critical basic level of protection and improve Canada’s scores under The MPA Guide framework. With minimum standards in place, two BC MPAs would move from incompatible to weakly protected, and another two BC MPAs from weakly to strongly protected.

“Canada continues to increase marine protection on the BC coast with planning for a large Offshore Pacific MPA west of Vancouver Island and an MPA network for the north and central coasts,” adds MacMillan. “We need to make sure these MPAs implement Canada’s minimum standards to effectively conserve ocean life and prevent them from being no more than ‘paper parks.’”

Visit www.cpaws.org/oceanreport to read the full version of The MPA Monitor.

-30-

Background

The MPA Guide: A Framework to Achieve Global Goals for the Ocean provides a novel science-based framework to consistently plan, establish, and track MPAs and their outcomes for both biodiversity and human well-being.
Evidence shows that at least 30%, and as much as 70% or more, of ecosystems need to be conserved to reverse nature’s decline and safeguard a healthy planet for people and nature. This is consistent with CPAWS’ long-standing goal of protecting at least half of Canada’s ocean, public land and fresh water.
A recent paper summarizes the benefits of effective and strongly protected MPAs, including increasing fish biomass by 600% and helping to mitigate climate change and its effects. Research recently published in Nature calculated that protecting 30% of the ocean in strong MPAs could help to restore ocean ecosystems as soon as 2050, with significant economic benefits.
MPAs can produce financial returns of up to 10:1 on every dollar invested and create as many jobs per million dollars as most industrial sectors but only if they are effectively protected and well resourced. Effective MPAs also have more positive well-being outcomes for people than negative ones.

Media Kit

For more information, please contact:
Rippon Madtha
Communications Manager
rippon@cpawsbc.org
604-685-7445 (x23)

About CPAWS-BC:

The CPAWS British Columbia chapter (CPAWS-BC) works to protect wilderness in every corner of BC and deep into the ocean. We have been defending BC since 1978, and are dedicated to keeping BC’s natural environment thriving forever. Nature is BC’s best hope.

CPAWS-BC’s office is located on the ancestral and unceded territory of the səl̓ílwətaʔɬ (Tsleil-Waututh), Sḵwx̱wú7mesh (Squamish), and xʷməθkʷəy̓əm (Musqueam) Nations.

Visit: cpawsbc.org | Follow: @CPAWSbc

August 13 2021

CPAWS-BC Welcomes Important Step for a New National Marine Conservation Area Reserve

Carlo Acuña News canada, national marine conservation, nmca

For more information, please contact:
Rippon Madtha
Communications Manager
rippon@cpawsbc.org
604-685-7445 (x23)

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

August 13, 2021

CPAWS-BC Welcomes Important Step for a New National Marine Conservation Area Reserve

Protected area aims to boost biodiversity and mitigate climate change impacts on coastal communities

Unceded Coast Salish Territory / Vancouver, BC – The Canadian Parks and Wilderness Society – British Columbia (CPAWS-BC) congratulates the Kitasoo/Xai’xais, Nuxalk, Heiltsuk, and Wuikinuxv First Nations, Parks Canada and Government of BC for formally beginning the process to establish a new National Marine Conservation Area together.

The announcement marks the start of a feasibility assessment for a new marine protected area. The area being assessed covers 14,200 square kilometres of some of BC’s most productive and intact marine ecosystems that border the Great Bear Rainforest, including some of the largest kelp forests in BC.

“The creation of a new National Marine Conservation Area Reserve (NMCAR) off the central coast of BC would protect iconic, important, and vulnerable species, such as herring, salmon, and orcas,” says Ross Jameson, Ocean Conservation Manager for CPAWS-BC.

Today’s important announcement acts on the longstanding and aligned vision between Canada and the partnered First Nations partners to protect nature and safeguard the health of the ocean for generations to come. First Nations on the Central Coast have been stewards of these lands and waters for millennia. Most recently this includes developing world-leading marine-use plans, acting as First Responders to catastrophic oil spills, partnering with the federal and provincial government to develop what will be the world’s largest MPA network, and earlier this week announcing a new Fisheries Resources Reconciliation Agreement with Fisheries and Oceans Canada.

Recent declines in herring and crab have led to the First Nations taking important steps to protect these species and reduce commercial fishing pressure, to ensure long term sustainability. Marine protected areas, like the proposed NMCAR, have long been recognized as a critical insurance policy for ecosystems and species. MPAs are one of the most effective conservation tools to protect and rebuild populations of marine life. “By removing or reducing all known threats and stressors, MPAs act as refugia for marine life and in doing so improve the long-term health and sustainability of species and habitats that coastal communities and commercial fisheries rely on,” adds Jameson.

The establishment of an NMCAR in the region is yet another investment in the prosperity of the region. Recent studies have shown that by protecting biodiversity and increasing sustainability, marine protected areas can produce a return of $10 for every $1 invested and create thousands of jobs directly and indirectly.

“This NMCAR will benefit both coastal communities and the ecosystems that support them, creating jobs for Indigenous Guardians, increasing recreation and tourism opportunities, rebuilding fisheries, and creating a strong and sustainable conservation economy,” said Jameson.

Canada has committed to protecting 25% of its ocean by 2025, toward 30% by 2030 in line with global scientific recommendations to restore ocean health. Co-governed protected areas, like the proposed NMCAR will play a critical role in achieving these targets in an equitable and just manner.

“This announcement shows great wisdom and fortitude in putting the future of our communities first by furthering important nature commitments. We look forward to working towards a resilient future with Indigenous, provincial, and federal governments by furthering conservation here in BC,” said Jameson.

-30-

For more information, please contact:
Rippon Madtha
Communications Manager
rippon@cpawsbc.org
604-685-7445 (x23)

About CPAWS-BC:
The Canadian Parks and Wilderness Society (CPAWS) is Canada’s only charity dedicated to the protection of public land, freshwater and ocean with a strong national and regional presence across the country. Working in a way that respects the sovereignty and leadership of Indigenous nations, we are focused on conserving nature to respond to the dual crises of accelerated biodiversity loss and climate change. With almost 60 years of success, we are Canada’s leader in conservation and have played a lead role in protecting over half a million square kilometers. Our vision is that at least half of land, freshwater and ocean in Canada is permanently protected to sustain nature and people for current and future generations.

Visit: cpawsbc.org. | Follow: @CPAWSbc