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Where
do MPAs Exist in Canada?
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| A
map of four pilot MPAs on the British Columbian coast. Click
image to enlarge. |
Four
pilot MPAs have been implemented to provide Fisheries and Oceans
an opportunity to learn and test different methods of identifying
and assessing MPAs, legally designating them, and managing them.
Once these "trials" have been evaluated, the pilot MPAs
may or may not become official under the Oceans Act. This will depend
on the outcomes of consultations with local communities, First Nations,
stakeholders and the public.
Gabriola
Passage
Known
for its abundance and diversity of marine life, Gabriola Passage
is located in B.C's Gulf Islands, a region of industrial activity
and development. It is marked by Gabriola Island, Valdes Island,
Breakwater Island, and the Flat Top Island Group. To date, a total
of 230 species have been identified in the area, including algae,
sponges, mollusks, sea stars, crustaceans, worms, fishes and marine
mammals. Many tidal pools exist along the Gabriola Island portion
of the Passage, providing important shelter for a variety of marine
life found in the region.
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Individual
underwater photos taken at Gabriola Passage. Click
image to enlarge.
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Through
the creation of photomurals, the Vancouver Aquarium is working to
promote an emotional appreciation for the underwater habitats of
British Columbia. Studies have shown that conservation attitudes
are fostered initially by emotional responses and only subsequently
by factual knowledge.
For
those who do not dive in British Columbia, it is difficult to have
a clear, visual understanding of the different habitats that lie
beneath our local waters.
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A photomural of
Gabriola Passage constructed from inidivual pictures above.
Click image to enlarge. |
Photographing
local underwater habitats can be very difficult, as the waters are
often dark and murky. These two factors can make it practically
impossible to take an expansive photograph or video illustrating
the geography and biological richness of BC's underwater world.
In order to overcome the visibility problem, the Aquarium's research
divers have begun photographing areas piece by piece and constructing
larger photomurals from the individual photographs. This project
has been aided by a grant from the Vancouver Foundation and by an
evolving relationship with the Center for Digital Imaging and Sound
(CDIS).
Race
Rocks
Located
17 kilometres southwest of Victoria, Race Rocks marks the most southerly
part of Canada's Pacific coast. Named for its strong tidal currents
and rocky reefs, Race Rocks boasts whales, sea lions, seals, birds
and an astounding diversity of underwater life. Race Rocks is also
home to the second oldest lighthouse in Western Canada.
Endeavour
Hydrothermal Vents
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| A
chimney-like black smoker at the Endeavour Hot Vents. Click
image to enlarge.
Credit: Verena Tunnicliffe
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At
the bottom of the sea, cracks in the ocean floor move away from
each other and new oceanic crust emerges. Cold seawater seeps down
into the crust and is heated by molten lava underneath the ocean
floor. Once hot, it shoots out through chimney-like black smokers,
reaching as high as 300 metres.
The
Endeavour Hot Vents Area is located at the bottom of the ocean floor,
2,250 meters below sea level, 250 kilometres southwest of Vancouver
Island as part of the Juan de Fuca Ridge system. The Endeavour hydrothermal
vents are home to incredibly abundant and diverse life forms, 12
of which exist no where else on Earth.
Bowie Seamount
Created
by volcanic activity, seamounts are underwater mountains. Even though
most people are unfamiliar with seamounts, they are in fact one
of the most common geological features on the seafloor. Located
approximately 180 km west of the Queen Charlotte Islands in the
Northeast Pacific Ocean, Bowie Seamount is by far the shallowest
seamount in Canadian waters. From a bottom depth of nearly 3,100
metres, Bowie Seamount rises to within 25 metres of the ocean surface.
Because
the peak of Bowie Seamount comes so close to the surface, it is
home to a rich biological ecosystem. It is like an "oasis"
in the deep open ocean that surrounds it. A variety of fish and
seabirds, as well as larger animals such as the Pacific sleeper
shark, wolf eels, squid, octopus, northern fur seals, Stellar sea
lions and many whales and dolphins congregate around Bowie.
Sources:
Vancouver Aquarium Marine Science Centre, Fisheries and Oceans Canada
Next:
How Else are Marine Environments Protected
in Canada and British Columbia?
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