Oceans Act Marine Protected Areas (English, French, FGDB/GDB)

View metadata and access the original English/French FGDB/GDB file: Oceans Act Marine Protected Areas.

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FGDB/GDB

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Publisher-reported update

2026-03-27

Marine protected areas (MPAs) are one among a number of spatial management tools, and are defined as areas that are established for the long-term, and managed through legal or other effective means, to achieve the long-term conservation of nature with associated ecosystem services and cultural values. Currently, Fisheries and Oceans Canada has a number of MPAs designated under the Oceans Act and Areas of Interest for new MPAs at various stages of progress towards designation. These areas are ecologically significant, with species and/or features that require special management consideration. An Oceans Act MPA can be established for any of the six conservation purposes outlined in the Act: • The conservation and protection of commercial and non-commercial fishery resources, including marine mammals, and their habitats; • The conservation and protection of endangered or threatened marine species, and their habitats; • The conservation and protection of unique habitats; • The conservation and protection of marine areas of high biodiversity or biological productivity; • The conservation and protection of any other marine resource or habitat as is necessary to fulfill the mandate of…

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