Close X
Saturday, September 21, 2024
ADVT 
National

B.C. waters now home to Canada's largest marine protected area

Darpan News Desk The Canadian Press, 11 Jul, 2024 02:32 PM
  • B.C. waters now home to Canada's largest marine protected area

First Nations along British Columbia's coast have announced with the Canadian government the designation of the country's largest marine protected area.

A statement from Fisheries and Oceans Canada says the ecologically unique ocean area is located about 150 kilometres off the west coast of Vancouver Island.

It says the area spanning more than 133,000 square kilometres covers "extraordinary seafloor features," including more than 47 underwater mountains, known as seamounts, and all of the confirmed hydrothermal vents in Canada.

The department says the deep-sea vents are "biological hotpots" that support rare and unique species that are both "remarkable and culturally important."

The new designation makes it the largest marine protected area to be recognized under Canada's Oceans Act in partnership with the Council of the Haida Nation, Nuu-chah-nulth Tribal Council, Pacheedaht First Nation and Quatsino First Nation.

Fisheries and Oceans says the area was first identified for protection in May 2017, leading to measures preventing bottom-contact fishing activities.

In 2023, the First Nations and the Canadian government signed a memorandum of understanding on how to collaboratively manage the new protected area.

The name of the area, Tang.Gwan — hacxwiqak — Tsigis, consists of a Haida word meaning deep ocean, a Pacheedaht word meaning deepest part of the ocean and a Quatsino word referring to a monster of the deep, the department says.

"Today we are taking a giant step forward in protecting Canada's oceans," Fisheries and Oceans Minister Diane Lebouthillier wrote in a statement Thursday. 

"The designation of this MPA brings us halfway to our goal of conserving 30 percent of our oceans by 2030."

MORE National ARTICLES

Canfor to close sawmill, curtail pulp production citing B.C. policy changes

Canfor to close sawmill, curtail pulp production citing B.C. policy changes
Canfor has announced it is permanently closing its Polar sawmill in Bear Lake, B.C., shutting a production line at its Northwood Pulp Mill in Prince George, and suspending its "planned reinvestment" in Houston, B.C.

Canfor to close sawmill, curtail pulp production citing B.C. policy changes

Immigration ministers to meet in Montreal over cuts to temporary visas

Immigration ministers to meet in Montreal over cuts to temporary visas
Federal and provincial immigration ministers will converge in Montreal Friday to puzzle out how to shrink the number of temporary residents in Canada while maintaining economic growth and the integrity of the overall system. 

Immigration ministers to meet in Montreal over cuts to temporary visas

Senior pepper sprayed in North Van

Senior pepper sprayed in North Van
Police in North Vancouver say they've arrested a suspect who allegedly pepper-sprayed an elderly woman and tried to steal her phone in January 2023. R-C-M-P say the attack took place under the guise of a Facebook Marketplace exchange in which the woman was trying to sell her phone.

Senior pepper sprayed in North Van

Fatal house fire north of Kamloops

Fatal house fire north of Kamloops
One person is dead and another was taken to hospital after a house fire in the Blackpool area, about 115 kilometres north of Kamloops. A statement from the Thompson-Nicola Regional District says the home was fully engulfed when firefighters responded to the blaze yesterday. 

Fatal house fire north of Kamloops

Arrest of 12 year olds in Port Moody

Arrest of 12 year olds in Port Moody
Police in Port Moody say two 12-year-old boys have been arrested and released with conditions after they allegedly assaulted a girl at a SkyTrain station. Police say they were notified on Tuesday of a video circulating in the community depicting an assault at the Moody Centre station the day before.

Arrest of 12 year olds in Port Moody

B.C. creates a special homicide unit as gangs involved in 46 per cent of murders

B.C. creates a special homicide unit as gangs involved in 46 per cent of murders
British Columbia is forming a specialized gang-related homicide investigation team, saying gangland murders now make up almost 50 per cent of the killings in the province. Data from the Ministry of Public Safety says gang-related homicides have climbed from 21 per cent of all killings in the province in 2003 to 46 per cent last year.

B.C. creates a special homicide unit as gangs involved in 46 per cent of murders