Canada Launches Its First Marine Protected Area; Preserves Wide Variety Of Animal Species (Video)

As the global warming severely affects the Earth, more country leaders are concerned about how they would protect their respective countries. Lowering of greenhouse gas emissions, carbon and so much more is taking place today. Now, Canada is protecting its oceans as it launched Beaufort Sea's Darnley Bay as a marine protected area.

The Darnley Bay area of the Beaufort Sea is located near Paulatuk, N.W.T. It has been set aside to preserve several habitats and Arctic marine species. The new site is called the Anguniaqvia Niqiqyuam Marine Protected Area and reaches about 2,400 square kilometers. The protected area status prohibits activities within the area. It has been prevented activities that could damage, disturb and destroy the living organisms.

The department of Fisheries and Oceans, Cal Wenghofer, said that "It's a general prohibition so it prohibits any activities that will impact marine organisms or habitat in the area." He added that the protection is necessary because they have found a number of species in the location.

Experts said that the Darnley Bay area is very important ecologically. The site is highly productive and gives habitat to a number of species such as beluga whale, eels, Arctic char, polar bears and several bird species. Also, the location serves as a home to the only thick-billed murre bird colony found in the western Canadian Arctic.

In a report by Radio-Canada International, activities will be limited having an exception for some that are "vital for the long-term prosperity of the local community, such as navigation activity and dredging for the purpose of resupplying goods to the community."

The federal government said that it is Canada's first marine protected area that prioritizes specifically on indigenous traditional knowledge.

The movement was praised by the environmental group Oceans North Canada of the Pew Charitable Trusts. The group said that the language used prohibits gas and oil exploration and commercial fishing in the area. However, people of Paulatuk are still allowed to fish and hunt, according to CBC News.