National Marine Conservation Areas in Canada
By Juliana, Social Media and Content Assistant
Picture your local neighbourhood park in your mind. Does this park have an area for locking up bikes or vehicle parking? A spot for the play structures, and a separate spot for benches and picnic tables? Is there a reduced speed limit nearby? A typical park will have different zones for special uses, and often co-created with the community around it in mind.
A National Marine Conservation Area (NMCA) is like a park for the ocean.
An NMCA is a protected region in the ocean and coastlines dedicated to safeguarding marine environments. Like a national park, provincial park, or eco-reserve, an NMCA has zones for different uses making sure animals and their habitats are protected. One zone could be for recreational fishing, another for scientific research, and one for shipping traffic. In the shipping zone there also could be speed limits and rules about idling engines.
Here’s what NMCAs can do:
- Create jobs in eco-tourism, conservation, and research
- Protect marine ecosystems while supporting sustainable use
- Prohibit waste disposal, bottom trawling, oil extraction, and mining exploration
- Protect large areas of important marine habitats
NMCAs are designed by working with local and regional communities, Indigenous Nations, and stakeholders to protect key areas while still allowing important activities like shipping, tourism, research, and fishing. They don’t shut things down—they make sure activities happen responsibly.
NMCAs In Canada
There are 5 NMCAs in Canada at different stages of the NMCA process:
1. British Columbia: Gwaii Haanas National Park Reserve, National Marine Conservation Area Reserve and Haida Heritage Site
“Amid lush rainforest islands and seas rich with wildlife, Gwaii Haanas harbours rare sites of carved poles and longhouses, making this park culturally important to the Haida people who co-manage cooperatively manage the region with Parks Canada.” – Parks Canada
2. Ontario: Lake Superior National Marine Conservation Area
“Home to more than 70 fish species and 50 shipwrecks, Lake Superior is one of the world’s largest protected freshwater areas and offers outdoor activities ranging from fishing and swimming to snowshoeing and surfing.” – Parks Canada
3. Ontario: Fathom Five National Marine Park
“Fascinating limestone flowerpots, pristine freshwater, lush cliff-edge woodland, serene backcountry campsites, historic lightstations and exciting scuba-sites make Fathom Five National Marine Park an awe-inspiring Great Lake escape.” – Parks Canada
4. Quebec: Saguenay–St. Lawrence Marine Park
“Watch whales and learn about the fascinating mammals and their habitat. The Saguenay–St. Lawrence Marine Park is recognized as one of the best places in the world for whale watching.” – Parks Canada
5. Nunavut: Tallurutiup Imanga National Marine Conservation Area
“Explore this breathtaking Arctic landscape where narwhals live side by side with thousands of seabirds in an area adjacent to vibrant Inuit communities and majestic fjords and glaciers.” – Parks Canada
Safeguard Hudson Bay
Canada has an opportunity to safeguard Hudson Bay through the creation of an NMCA.
Parks Canada identified this area as a priority for marine protection due to its unique southern arctic ecosystem with Canada’s largest concentration of beluga whales.
This designation could help maintain and enhance local livelihoods, bolster the region’s tourism industry, create new jobs and bring infrastructure investments while maintaining safe, clean habitat for bears, belugas and birds.
Balance in the Bay
The Port of Churchill is gearing up for a substantial expansion through the Churchill Port Plus project.
This means more ships, more noise, more collisions, and as a result, more risks for the animals who call it home. An NMCA is one way to protect this vital region — supporting wildlife, healthy ecosystems, and local communities for generations to come.
You can speak up.
Speak up for nature by signing a letter in support of an NMCA.
You can educate yourself on NMCAs.
Take education into your own hands and learn why balance in the bay matters.
This blog was made possible through the generous support of the National Audubon Society. We’re grateful for their partnership, collaboration, and shared commitment to protecting the lands, waters, and wildlife we all cherish.
About CPAWS
CPAWS has been a national leader in marine protection for over 20 years. We work alongside Indigenous partners and local communities to advocate for stronger, better-connected marine protected areas that respect cultural values and protect ecosystems.
Learn more about our national ocean protection work here.
About Western Hudson Bay
Western Hudson Bay is a crucial wildlife habitat, home to large populations of polar bears, beluga whales, and birds. CPAWS Manitoba is advocating for a National Marine Conservation Area (NMCA) in the region to protect these species and their environment, while securing cherished regional cultures, ways of life for Indigenous peoples, and opportunities for sustainable livelihoods. NMCAs limit harmful activities like deep sea drilling and trawling, while allowing things like sustainable tourism and fishing. Establishing an NMCA in Hudson Bay would safeguard wildlife, protect local ways of life and promote long-term economic opportunities.
Learn more here.