WCEL Submission to the Standing Committee on Fisheries and Oceans regarding its Marine and Coastal Protection study (Brief & Summary)

Overfishing, destructive fishing practices and the increase in industries like shipping, offshore oil and gas, and ocean infrastructure have driven significant declines in Canada’s marine ecosystems. Fish stocks are suffering, seafloor disturbance is damaging habitat and ecosystems, and bycatch is threatening species survival – all of this exacerbated by climate change. 

There is scientific consensus that protecting 30% of the coast and ocean globally would allow us to avoid catastrophic climate change, conserve marine life, and secure the essential ecosystem services that the ocean provides.

Our submission outlines the many benefits that marine protected areas (MPAs) can provide if properly established and managed, including:

• Helping marine ecosystems recover from industrial impacts like overfishing, habitat destruction, pollution and underwater noise.
• Buffering against climate change impacts by promoting greater biodiversity, thus increasing resistance and recovery to climate stress.
• Protecting the fisheries economy by protecting habitats and giving fish space to recover, thus rebuilding stocks and increasing catches.
• Increasing tourism revenue to coastal communities.
• Creating new jobs including in MPA management, monitoring and enforcement, and tourism.
• Supporting food security and human health, through rebuilding and sustaining abundant fish stocks.
• Providing opportunities for co-governance, which has been proven to result in better conservation outcomes over the long term and protecting culturally important areas and species.