Fisheries and Oceans Canada, in conjunction with Parks Canada Agency and Environment Canada, is leading MPA network design in the Western Arctic Bioregion. This bioregion covers the Inuvialuit Settlement Region (ISR) as well as the Kitikmeot region of Nunavut. This work will be supported by the Beaufort Sea Partnership MPA Network Working Group.
MPA Network design is a planning and data gathering exercise to identify areas of importance within the bioregion. It will also be used to validate and update existing Traditional and Local Knowledge that has been documented in the ISR Community Conservation Plans, Nunavut Coastal Resource Inventory reports, and other TK studies, as well as identify new areas of significance not previously recorded.
The outcome of this project is the identification of priority areas within the Western Arctic Bioregion, which include ecologically and culturally significant areas identified in consultation with community members, elders, HTC’s, science colleagues, as well as federal and territorial partners.
No new MPA’s will be proposed or created during the course of this planning exercise. The purpose of the network design is to identify an appropriate ocean management tool for each priority area with the goal of balancing conservation goals with sustainable resource use and development.