The St. Lawrence Estuary Marine Protected Area Project

Purpose

To ensure the conservation and long-term protection of marine mammals that live year-round in the St. Lawrence Estuary or only at certain times of the year and of their habitats and food resources.

Importance of the St. Lawrence Estuary for marine mammals

The St. Lawrence Estuary is a major feeding ground for numerous species of marine mammals because of high concentrations of forage species such as krill and capelin. Every year, many cetaceans, including many large whales, migrate to the estuary to feed and build up their energy reserves in preparation for the breeding season.

The Estuary is also a essential habitat for the beluga whale and the harbour seal, both of which reside there year-round. As a result of the high diversity and density of marine mammal species in the St. Lawrence Estuary, the proximity of observation sites and the relatively calm waters, it is one of the best marine mammal observation sites in the world.

The status of marine mammals

A dozen marine mammal species are found in the Estuary either regularly or occasionally, usually on a seasonal basis. Nearly half of them are considered to be endangered species according to the Committee on the Status of Endangered Wildlife in Canada (COSEWIC).

Cumulative threats for marine mammals in the St. Lawrence Estuary

• Presence of persistent toxic substances in the food chain
• Disruption of necessary of activities (such as feeding)
• Exposure to noise
• Risk of collisions with boats and ships
• Risk of oil and chemical spills
• Unintentional isolation of harbour seal pups from their mothers caused by resort vacationers and riverside residents
• Deterioration of marine mammal habitat and food resources
• Accidental death of harbour seals by sport-hunting of other seal species
• Entanglements in fishing gear
• Potential commercial exploitation of their essential food resources
• Exposure to infectious and parasitic diseases

Visit Whales on-line*, a link to a non-governmental Web site, to learn more about marine mammals living in the St. Lawrence and what threatens them.

Proposed boundaries for the St. Lawrence Estuary Marine Protected Area Project

The MPA, approximative 6000 km², will cover the beluga's summer distribution range and most of the areas where the St. Lawrence Estuary harbour seal population is found, as well as significant feeding areas for the blue whale. Considering the Estuary and the Gulf of St. Lawrence , the area selected corresponds to the region where pressure on marine mammals is greatest. The MPA is adjacent to the Saguenay–St.   Lawrence Marine Park . It does not include the marine park territory, but is complementary to it.

For a larger view, you can download carte_map.pdf (640 ko) free of charge. This is an Adobe® Acrobat® document.

Preferred principles for the establishment and management of the St. Lawrence Estuary MPA

• Integration of the precautionary principle with regards to planning, decision-making and management.
• Respecting federal and provincial authorities and jurisdictions and as well as aboriginal rights.
• Involving of the other legal stakeholders.
• Harmonizing of marine mammal protection efforts with those of the Saguenay–St. Lawrence Marine Park.
• Adaptive management

Completed Steps

• Selection of the St. Lawrence Estuary as a Marine Protected Area (MPA) project
• Completion of two studies regarding the biophysical and socio-economic profile of the area
• Identification and evaluation of the threats to marine mammals
• Development of management measures to counter or mitigate these threats
• Consultation with the federal departments and organizations interested in the project
• Meetings with Québec gouvernement ministries and organizations (in progress)
• Information sessions with Aboriginal authorities
• Information sessions with territory managers (MRCs)
• Public consultation