Advancing protections for up to 780,000 sq km of important ocean habitat across the Canadian Arctic
Oceans North has worked with community partners to advance over 350,300 sq km (6.1% of Canada’s exclusive economic zone) of marine protections over the last 12 months. Whilst delays from COVID slowed down MPA announcements, Oceans North has advanced other MPAs towards protections.
Today, approximately 14% of Canada’s coastal and ocean ecosystems are protected through a combination of federally declared Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) and Other Effective Area-Based Conservation Measures (OECMs). To meet Canada’s ambitious plan to protect 25% of its EEZ by 2025 and 30% by 2030, an additional 11% of Canada’s EEZ – 630,000 km2 of ocean habitat – must be protected over the next four years. The Becht Foundation will continue to support Oceans North in its work towards protecting up to 780,000 sq km, towards the national protection targets, focusing on the establishment of 6 new areas in Canada’s Arctic and Atlantic regions and improving protections in existing marine areas.
