Building On Success

In 1999, the Eastport Peninsula Lobster Protection Committee (EPLPC) approached Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO) to propose the creation of a new Marine Protected Area under the Oceans Act.  A 1997 Joint Project Agreement between the EPLPC and DFO had already established a lobster management area that included two areas of prime lobster habitat closed to fishing – Round Island in Newman Sound, and Duck and Grassy Islands across Morris Channel from Burnside.

The EPLPC members felt that establishing a Marine Protected Area (MPA) would support the conservation work they had already begun and help them implement further conservation measures to conserve lobster stocks and help sustain a stable and valuable fishery. 

In 2002, representatives from DFO and EPLPC joined with other stakeholders to establish a steering committee, co-chaired by DFO and the EPLPC, to guide the ongoing evaluation of the proposed site. The evaluation process involved various ecological and socio-economic studies, as well as extensive consultation with local and regional stakeholders identified had an interest in, or were likely to be affected by the designation of protected areas in the waters around the Eastport Peninsula. 

Studies and consultations ascertained that the Area of Interest met criteria set out in the Oceans Act for the creation of an MPA.  A Regulatory Intent document was developed for the purpose of discussion, with input from the steering committee, as well as local and regional stakeholders, all levels of government and interested non-governmental organizations.

The final process of drafting the legislation to create the Eastport Marine Protected Areas was done by the Department of Justice in close consultation with DFO to ensure that the original intent of the Steering Committee was accurately represented.  The regulations were pre-published in the Canada Gazette on June 18, 2005 for public feedback. On October 11, 2005, the Minister of Fisheries and Oceans announced the designation of the Eastport Marine Protected Areas.   Click here to see the complete text of the Eastport MPA regulations.

The map below shows the lobster management area boundary and the two closed areas (Duck Islands and Round Island) which are now designated as Marine Protected Areas. 

This map is a thumbnail.  Just double left-click on it to see a larger version.

Information related to the Eastport MPA and the MPA process in general.