You may have heard of the Great Bear Sea Marine Protected Area (MPA) Network, which is an inspiring project by coastal Indigenous nations and the federal and provincial government to protect vast swaths of ecologically rich ocean in the north and central coast of BC. It will be the first MPA network in Canada, and the largest Indigenous-led MPA network in the world, and it will address the concerning declines in marine life on the Pacific coast.
The first new site in the Great Bear Sea MPA Network is now out for public consultation: the governing partners are conducting a feasibility assessment for the Central Coast National Marine Conservation Area Reserve (NMCAR). This area is home to coral and sponge reefs, kelp forests, and eelgrass beds which support a diversity of fish and marine species. It is inextricably tied to the culture of the Indigenous nations who have lived and stewarded the area since time immemorial. Coastal communities in the region rely on healthy marine ecosystems for food security, income and employment, recreation and ecosystem services (like coastal protection and carbon sequestration).
At the end of this feasibility assessment phase, the governing partners will determine the boundary for the protected area and make a recommendation on whether establishing an NMCAR in the area is feasible and desirable.
There has been opposition to the Great Bear Sea MPA Network from industrial and commercial resource sectors, so it’s important that we make sure the governing partners know that Canadians support a strong protected area in the Central Coast.
Please send a letter to Parks Canada’s Pacific NMCA Establishment Team to let them know you support establishing a Central Coast NMCAR.
We encourage you to personalize your letter and tell the government why protecting the BC Central Coast matters to you.
Photo: Markus Thompson