Oceana Canada applauds new Arctic marine protection announcements
Press Release Date: August 1, 2019
Today, the federal government, along with the Nunavut government and the Qiqiktani Inuit Association, announced the first step in the creation of a long-term protected area in Canada’s High Arctic Basin – the new Tuvaijuittuq Marine Protected Area. They also announced the completion of the Tallurutiup Imanga National Marine Conservation Area.
In response to this announcement, Josh Laughren, Oceana Canada’s Executive Director, issued the following statement:
“We are very pleased that with today’s announcement, important protections have been put in place to strengthen the conservation and management of marine habitat in the Arctic.
We congratulate the Prime Minister, Ministers Wilkinson and McKenna, the Nunavut government and the Qiqiktani Inuit Association, for their significant accomplishments, which will help protect important cultural and ecological areas through the creation of the Tuvaijuittuq Marine Protected Area and the completion of the Imanga National Marine Conservation Area.
These actions are critical steps toward rebuilding abundance, safeguarding unique habitats and species and restoring our oceans to health, which will benefit coastal communities for generations to come.
Canada has increased its protected coasts and oceans from less than one per cent in 2015 to 14 per cent today. This is tremendous progress in four years and sets a strong foundation for the continued work to protect habitat needed to ensure healthy oceans.”
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For more information, please contact:
Kathleen Munro, Kathleen.munro@pilotpmr.com; 416-462-0199
About Oceana Canada
Oceana Canada was established as an independent charity in 2015 and is part of the largest international advocacy group dedicated solely to ocean conservation. Canada has the longest coastline in the world, with an ocean surface area of 7.1 million square kilometres, or 70 per cent of its landmass. Oceana Canada believes that Canada has a national and global obligation to manage our natural resources responsibly and help ensure a sustainable source of protein for the world’s growing population. Oceana Canada works with civil society, academics, fishers, Indigenous Peoples and the federal government to return Canada’s formerly vibrant oceans to health and abundance. By restoring Canada’s oceans, we can strengthen our communities, reap greater economic and nutritional benefits, and protect our future.
