Report of the Public Consultations on the Review of the Management Plan

marinepark.qc.ca

Report of the public consultations on the Review of the Management Plan

Report of the public consultations on the Rewiew of the Management Plan

Saguenay St. Lawrence Marine Park

September 2008 Legal deposit Bibliothèque et Archives nationales du Québec, 2008 ISBN 978-2-550-54022-9 (print version) 978-2-550-54023-6 (PDF)

Saguenay St. Lawrence Marine Parc

Table of Contents

Summary V

Introduction 1

Public Consultation Program 2 III Objectives 2

The Three Phases in the Program 2 Informing the Public 2 Gathering the Comments 2 Presenting the Results of the Consultations 3 1. A Vision for the Saguenay-St. Lawrence Marine Park 5 2. The Marine Park, an Exceptional Natural Environment 7 3. The Marine Park, “Crossroads of Peoples, Wellspring of Resources” 9 4. The Marine Park, a Model of Participatory Management 10 5. The Ecosystems and State of Health of the Marine Park 12 6. Sustainable Use of Resources 14 7. Zoning Plan for the Marine Park 18 8. Land and Sea Discovery Sites and Experiences 26

Conclusion and Information 29

Saguenay St. Lawrence Marine Parc

Summary

As part of the review of the management plan of the Saguenay-St. Lawrence Marine Park, more than 500 copies of the public consultation document were distributed from mid-December 2007 to mid-March 2008. The document could also be consulted on the marine park’s website. Public meetings were held, where information was provided and the public could express their views, at La Malbaie, Rivière-du-Loup, Saguenay (La Baie district) and Les Escoumins. Approximately 230 persons attended these meetings, which were held in the afternoon and evening.

Below is a summary of the briefs and comments received during the period of public consultations. It contains the main concerns and recommendations expressed by groups and citizens, either in person or in writing. In V all, 28 briefs and written comments were submitted on behalf of 30 groups, and 24 were submitted by individuals, for a total of 52 documents.

A Vision for the Saguenay-St. Lawrence Marine Park Although most of the groups and citizens share the future vision proposed for the Saguenay-St. Lawrence Marine Park, others maintain that the vision contains objectives that are too general in nature and that lack indications as to the means that will be used for reaching those objectives. Furthermore, the management plan should take into account the Report sur l’état du parc marin, a report on the state of the park that raises important management issues. Some of the interested parties deplore the fact that the proposed vision of the marine park in 15 years is not a promising outlook full of hope but an assessment of actions that have been carried out. Others say that they are very enthusiastic with regard to the clear indications given for the direction that the marine park will take over the coming years.

Numerous comments and suggestions were also received regarding means that will be used to increase the visibility of the marine park beyond its territorial limits. Some people believe that it is essential that community groups work together to accomplish this. Developing the reflex of welcoming and encouraging members of the community to visit the various sites by lowering fees for the local population, for example, is an excellent way of ensuring that the community takes ownership once again of the discovery sites and takes part in “putting the marine park on the map”. They maintain that “the people are the best ambassadors for the community”.

The Marine Park, an Exceptional Natural Environment With regard to the boundaries of the marine park and its co-ordination zone, numerous briefs made reference to the possibility of increasing the area covered by the marine park. It was suggested that as a marine conservation area the park should better represent the natural marine region of the St. Lawrence Estuary by extending its boundaries to the southern part of the estuary to cover both shores of the St. Lawrence. The new boundaries should also include the entire portion of the Saguenay River upstream from the present boundary, near the town of Sainte-Rose-du-Nord, as well as the Baie des Ha! Ha!, areas which are representative of the marine ecosystem of the Saguenay Fjord. In addition, it was suggested that the territory covered by the park be extended to the boundaries of the Charlevoix region, as far as Petite-Rivière-Saint-François. Everyone is in agreement that the area of the marine park must be increased for better protection of the unique ecosystem that the Saguenay and St. Lawrence rivers represent.

Several comments were to the effect that the consultation document presented the features of the marine park too briefly, without focusing on the uniqueness of the ecosystem and impacts sustained by it: no mention is made of the negative consequences that certain activities have on the natural environment. Consequently, a more detailed and more scientific description of the marine environment and the stress factors, including an Report of the public consultations on the Review of the Management Plan

inventory of the human activities that have an impact on the area, should be included in the management plan of the Saguenay-St. Lawrence Marine Park. A presentation of the impacts and present state of the park’s components would provide an accurate picture of what needs to be done in the future and would prevent mistakes made in the past from being repeated.

The Marine Park, a Model of Participatory Management It was pointed out that the jurisdiction of two levels of government means that a large number of players are involved in managing activities that take place over the park’s territory (government departments, organizations, etc.). These bodies do not all act consistently in terms of the mandate and objectives of the marine conservation area. The management plan should ensure greater cohesion between the participants for a more VI effective administration of the park. Along the same lines, the desire for more sustained collaboration can be seen in comments on the system of participatory management. Although this type of management means that certain representatives of groups in the co-ordination zone are involved in directions taken in managing the marine park, it does not necessarily mean that citizens and park users have an active role. In that sense, users such as groups of fishermen and hunters, coastal residents, kayakers, tour boat operators, conservation groups and environmental groups should form one overall group that would become more involved in park management; that way, at least one community group would take part in implementing actions. All are in agreement that the marine park team needs to determine its strategy in close consultation with groups in the community.

Several suggestions were made with regard to the action proposed “to develop and implement a strategy for generating revenue and creating business partnerships with players in the community”. One group proposed that a marine park cetacean research fund be set up, which would be financed by an increase in commercial fishing licence fees.T he research fund would be used to fund various projects and would come with application conditions, deadlines for the presentation of projects and a decision making committee made up of experts from the marine park and other institutions.

On the other hand, it was mentioned that users should not have to pay fees to fund marine park activities since they are already asked to finance equipment or infrastructures (marinas, for example). It should be up to higher authorities, particularly the provincial government, to invest in the long term to ensure adequate funding for the marine park, to cover both its day-to-day operations and implementation projects.

The Ecosystems and State of Health of the Marine Park A number of groups and citizens brought up the fact that it is vital that we keep in mind that the marine park’s primary mandate is to protect ecosystems. This requires constant environmental monitoring to assess whether human activities such as commercial fishing, ice fishing and summer sport fishing are detrimental.H owever, it would appear that the scientific monitoring carried out in the park is relatively poor.C onsequently, a complete scientific program needs to be put into place to monitor the state of the ecosystems, with financial support from the fishermen and associations that operate within the Saguenay-St. Lawrence Marine Park.

Adequately funded research programs that meet the park’s needs, especially programs focusing on the protection of marine mammals and the species that make up their primary food supply, such as krill, capelin, smelt, and herring, would enhance the marine park’s knowledge of its ecosystem, and it would be in a better position Saguenay St. Lawrence Marine Parc

to protect it and develop an appropriate way of managing it. Scientific monitoring and a more active hand in protecting the marine area would increase the awareness of fisheries authorities and fishermen of the fragile nature of these resources and the importance of sound harvesting practices.

Furthermore, several briefs point out that pleasure craft sewage stations are inaccessible. Sewage discharge regulations have been adopted, but much remains to be done to make the recovery system operational, especially since presently only the marinas at the far ends of the marine park are equipped with sewage stations. The briefs insist on the need to form a committee composed of the marinas and the various government departments involved to conduct a feasibility study and come up with an implementation timetable. The priority proposed to “intervene with the government departments responsible for municipal wastewater treatment programs to promote the installation of proper facilities” should therefore be applied as quickly as possible. VII Sustainable Use of Resources A number of participants stated that they were concerned about the intensive use of the St. Lawrence River for transporting goods, the increase in vessel traffic in general, and infrastructure development projects that are on-going or being studied. Commercial navigation activities are a major issue when it comes to environmental risks, with all the risks of accidents and spills that they imply. Considering the fragile nature of the marine park, groups are questioning whether commercial enterprises that are likely to have damaging consequences for the marine population can really co-exist with the park.

The increase in vessel traffic in an area highly frequented by beluga whales clearly seems to run counter to the mandate of improving the level of protection of marine species in the marine park. Some people maintain that studies have clearly demonstrated the biologically detrimental impact of vessel traffic on cetaceans and the noise generated by boats. The statement in the consultation document that “…while the impact of vessel traffic on whales has not been clearly demonstrated, crowds of boats around a whale or a group of whales is one potential source of stress” is not a true reflection of the current state of knowledge. Parks Canada must stop granting mooring permits for the Baie-Sainte-Catherine Quay to send a clear message that conservation of the beluga is a priority. Moreover, it was suggested that authorities outside of the marine park be called upon to support the application of regulations by setting a good example and by reminding other marine users of the park of the proper rules of conduct. In addition, numerous comments were submitted on the importance of having patrol units in the various sectors of the marine park to improve the capacity to intervene and to reach a wider population.

Some participants voiced the opinion that Fact Sheet #8 on the sustainable use of resources contains a major flaw in failing to mention the environmental impacts of fishing on the marine park’s ecosystem (scallop dredging, digging for soft shell clams and sea urchins, etc.). Recreational and commercial fishing are a priority issue since they are a threat to a number of fish species and to the protection of certain marine ecosystems. They suggest that the principles and practices of fisheries management be adopted and applied in the marine park by the proper authorities, i.e. Fisheries and Oceans Canada and the Quebec Ministère de l’Agriculture, des Pêcheries et de l’Alimentation, and that fishing activities be monitored to prevent abusive harvesting practices. Again, the implementation of patrol units was mentioned in comments with regard to the harvesting of resources by commercial fisheries. Report of the public consultations on the Review of the Management Plan

Zoning Plan for the Marine Park Numerous comments were received with regard to Fact Sheet #9, which deals with the zoning plan for the marine park. Although some maintain that the involvement of local populations in the conservation of ecosystems that they are familiar with and in close contact with on a regular basis can be achieved with a land use planning and management tool such as the marine park zoning plan, others say that they disagree with the new zoning project if it doesn’t include tighter regulations and a restriction on vessel traffic.

The majority of groups and citizens believe that zoning is a management tool whose application must serve to meet the objectives outlined in the management plan for the marine park. It must regulate human activities with the aim of improving the protection of ecosystems, habitats and species. Furthermore, it was brought up that at the present time management mechanisms for fisheries do not include specific monitoring in the marine VIII park. This is a major shortcoming that should be addressed to ensure that these fisheries are sustainable.

The general impression is that the zoning plan is in harmony with the conservation plan and most of the ecologically significant sectors seem to be well protected.H owever, comments were made regarding several sectors that need to be revisited, including the perimeter of Batture aux Alouettes. During the summer months, this area is heavily frequented by belugas, who require a high level of protection over a wider area.

Zoning at the mouth of the Saguenay River has been problematic for many years because it is an area where vessel traffic conflicts with marine mammals, primarily the beluga, a species at the heart of this sector. One solution to the problem would be to create separate home ports for marine tour operators. Activities using motorized craft would be confined toT adoussac, whereas the Baie-Sainte-Catherine Quay could be the departure point for non-motorized excursions and sailboats. That way, motorboat traffic off Pointe Noire could be avoided.

The upper estuary is a important habitat for female belugas and their newborn calves – a veritable nursery. This area is vital to the recovery of the beluga population and should be better protected. One suggestion was that the daily visits by tour boats be banned from this area, and even the entire upper estuary, to ensure that a quality habitat is maintained for marine mammals.

Furthermore, a number of persons mentioned that although colour coding is a good way to identify the different levels of protection in the marine park on paper, it is difficult for pleasure boaters to locate the various zones when at sea. Positioning is less accurate on the water than on land, especially when the weather conditions are in the least bit unfavourable. It would therefore be a good idea to provide a legend on the final zoning map that would more clearly indicate the location of sectors 5e, 5f and 5g to clarify the boundaries of each zone and prevent any misunderstandings. At the present time, the scale of Map #2 is such that the boundaries of these sectors are not clear. As for Sector 5g, it was suggested that its western boundary be modified to allow boats to travel from the south channel through a narrow channel that leads to the north shore, without having to go around the eastern tip of the reef off Île Blanche. This Île Blanche passage would eliminate a detour of nine nautical miles (nearly 17 km) for boats travelling from Rivière-du-Loup or from Îles du Pot à l’Eau-de-Vie that want to cross over from the south channel to the north channel. Saguenay St. Lawrence Marine Parc

Several comments were made on the anchoring ban in certain sectors. The groups and citizens affected are strongly in favour of public education to promote a better attitude among users of the natural environment, but do not think that an anchoring ban is the way to go. Some of the sectors affected by the ban are vital areas where recreational boaters anchor or navigate, for safety reasons, among others. The St. Lawrence has few anchorages and few marinas. Anchorages such as those at Îles du Pot à l’Eau-de-Vie are essential for the safety of recreational boaters.

Several major partners voiced their concerns regarding marinas and the fact that visitors need easily accessible dock spaces and a safe environment. Yet, they note that pleasure boaters who come to the marine park are confronted with major restrictions. For example, the Rivière-du-Loup marina is only accessible at high tide, the Les Grandes-Bergeronnes entrance channel becomes dangerously sanded up, and the breakwater at the L’Anse-Saint-Jean marina does not provide proper protection from west winds and north winds. The manage- IX ment plan must be modified to allow several rip rap projects that are an unavoidable aspect of the expansion of marinas that are left to their own devices, including those at Anse-de-Roche, Anse-à-Benjamin and Anse-Saint- Jean, located in the Saguenay Fjord. These projects are vital to the growth of a type of maritime tourism that is environmentally friendly in terms of the ecological capacity of the marine park and the fact that there is a growing number of sailboats coming to the park.

Banning the use of personal watercraft over the territory of Saguenay-St. Lawrence Marine Park led to numerous comments in the briefs submitted. All are in agreement that protection of the environment is the primary concern, but a closer look needs to be taken at the marine park’s eventual ban: does the park want to ban boats or regulate boating behaviour (limit speed, reduce noise, etc.)?

On the one hand, groups and citizens point out that recreational boating is a major activity in the marine park but one that unfortunately affects the marine environment in various ways. It has been shown that recreational boating can disturb certain species, including marine mammals. The immediate reactions of animals when disturbed have been observed, including their reactions to the speed of boats, how close they approach the mammals, sudden changes in speed and direction, etc. The impact of noise on cetaceans is also a concern because sounds are a highly important way for aquatic animals to communicate and detect prey. Some people believe that certain types of watercraft therefore do not belong in the marine park.

On the other hand, others believe that park administrators are making a serious mistake in banning personal watercraft over the park’s entire territory. They point out that the part of the Saguenay River between Tadous- sac and L’Anse-Saint-Jean is the only waterway between the city of Saguenay–Lac-Saint-Jean (City of Saguenay and City of Alma), with its population of over 200,000, and the St. Lawrence River, the largest seaway in North America. They wonder about the motives behind the marine park administrators’ desire to ban the use of these craft: is it really the personal watercraft or the drivers’ behaviour that is problematic?

The groups and citizens opposed to the ban all agree that there should be a ban on disruptive behaviour, such as racing, rapid and repeated accelerations in the same spot, going too close to kayaks or canoes, but not the banning of all motorized personal watercraft. One also has to remember that personal watercraft are turbo- propelled and there are more and more boats that use this type of propulsion. The type of personal watercraft banned needs to be clarified: personal watercraft (PWC) referred to as “family” PWCs (as opposed to sport PWCs) are now considered to be safe recreational boats when operated properly. The groups and citizens in favour of allowing personal watercraft in the marine park stress the importance of promoting awareness and prevention as users enter the park to avoid disruptive boating behaviour. It would be wise to prevent such conduct by educating the local population and recreational boaters on the methods and regulations for approaching marine mammals. Report of the public consultations on the Review of the Management Plan

With reference to the importance of educating the population on prevention, numerous comments were submitted on the effectiveness of such a measure. Some people believe that with protection plans that are well prepared and well presented to the public, marine park staff would be capable of educating users and making them aware that they must respect the park’s ecosystems. Prevention, education, information and recommendations are effective levers, as seen by the positive results achieved at Tadoussac. Numerous groups say that they too are in favour of public education to promote a better attitude among users of the natural environment in the Saguenay-St. Lawrence Marine Park.

Land and Sea Discovery Sites and Experiences Several groups and citizens say that they are satisfied with the actions proposed for discovery experiences at the marine park. They say that up until now a clear action plan was missing with regard to interpretation and X education activities at the park. However, several comments were made on the importance of working closely with community groups involved in interpretation and education. Again, it was mentioned numerous times that the marine park needs to encourage actions at the community level to make local populations more aware of the reality of the marine park and to promote a sense of ownership.

The approach proposed by marine park officials with respect to the implementation of education and awareness programs is therefore highly appropriate. The application of protective measures is based on such an approach and repressive measures should be a last resort. Moreover, some environmental groups have expertise in the area of public information, awareness and education. It was recommended that partnerships be developed with these associations, and that the two levels of government be called upon to implement a greater number and greater diversity of facilities and activities to help the marine park carry out its mission.

Several concerns were raised as to the need to make each discovery site unique and original. Some people commented that we will have to ensure that each site represents a specific theme that is representative of the sector involved and avoid overlapping from one site to the next or from one region to the next. New sites developed must complement existing sites and not be redundant. For example, the Anse-à-la-Croix site has features that are also found at Anse-Saint-Étienne (sawmill) and Petit-Saguenay (quay). It was also suggested that new discovery sites be developed at Cacouna and Baie de l’Isle-Verte. Saguenay St. Lawrence Marine Parc

Introduction

The report of the public consultations on the review of the management plan of the Saguenay-St. Lawrence Marine Park describes how the consultations were conducted. It contains the comments and briefs received during the information meetings, and those submitted by mail and email.

The main objective of the consultations was to inform members of the public and have them take part in the review of the management plan for the marine park. Canadian and Quebec government administrators have 1 made their joint proposal known and have given the population the opportunity to express their concerns, knowledge, ideas and suggestions.

The present report is a factual account of the opinions expressed over the course of this consultation exercise. The positions of the governments with regard to the recommendations and comments received will therefore be expressed in the new management plan for the marine park. Report of the public consultations on the Review of the Management Plan

by emailing their request to [email protected]. Public Consultation In addition, the document was available on the marine park’s website.

Program A total of 500 copies of the consultation document were dis- Objectives tributed between mid-December 2007 and mid-March 2008. The objectives of the public consultations were the following: Other communication tools • to inform the public of the review of the management In addition to the invitation that was sent with the consultation plan; document, the following communication tools were used to • to encourage the public to give their point of view on the reach individuals and groups interested in taking part in the 2 vision, issues and actions proposed; consultation process: • to promote a climate of trust and respect by using a • an initial press release sent to all media across Quebec; constructive process that would bring out the various • a second press release (a reminder) sent to all media in points of view; the marine park’s co-ordination zone; • to create fruitful and enduring relations between Parks • an ad published in four regional weekly newspapers in Canada, the Quebec Ministère du Développement du- the co-ordination zone; rable, de l’Environnement et des Parcs, and the various • information on the marine park’s website (www.parcma- parties involved in the process; rin.qc.ca). • to promote the harmonious integration of the marine park in the regional community. Gathering the comments Interested parties were able to express their comments in The Three Phases in the Program person or in writing from December 10, 2007 to March 21, The public consultation program consisted of three phases: 2008. informing the public, gathering the comments and presenting the results of the consultations. Public meetings Meetings open to the public were held in the following muni- Informing the public cipalities: January 29, 2008 in La Malbaie; January 31, 2008 A planning committee was set up to review the management in Rivière-du-Loup; February 5, 2008 in Saguenay (La Baie plan approved in 1995. It was made up of professionals from district); and February 7, 2008 in Les Escoumins. Approxi- Parks Canada and the Quebec Ministère du Développement mately 230 persons attended the meetings, which were held durable, de l’Environnement et des Parcs (MDDEP), who in the afternoon and evening. prepared a consultation document that presented the main issues relating to the review of the management plan.

Making the consultation document available to the public Copies of the public consultation document were mailed to various individuals and organizations with a letter inviting them to take part in the consultation meetings and to submit their comments. The mailing list was drawn up by the staff at the marine park. It included groups and persons involved in conservation, the environment, culture and heritage, education, outdoor recreational activities and tourism.

Any other interested individuals or groups could also obtain a copy of the document by calling the marine park office or Saguenay St. Lawrence Marine Parc

present report. The citizens and groups that submitted briefs and comments are the following:

Citizens: Gaston Asselin, resident of Saint-Siméon Marc-André Asselin, resident of Saint-Siméon Colette Bazinet, resident of Quebec City Gérald Bouchard, resident of Saint-Siméon Albert Bouliane, mayor of Baie-Sainte-Catherine Bernard Brassard, pleasure boater Luc Brassard, pleasure boater Sébastien Cloutier, oceanography master’s student, Institut 3 Representatives of the marine park met with representatives des sciences de la mer de Rimouski, UQAR of the Essipit Innu First Nation on January 23, 2008. Manuela Conversano, oceanography master’s student, Institut des sciences de la mer de Rimouski, UQAR In addition, about 15 employees of the marine park took part Timothy R. Dewart in a meeting held specifically for them on December 12, 2007, Luc Foisy, resident of Lévis to provide them with information and hear their comments. Jean Gagnon, resident of Lévis André Gilbert, resident of Sacré-Cœur Briefs and comments Pierre Harvey, representative of a group of pleasure boaters A total of 28 briefs and written comments were submitted on from the Côte-du-Sud region behalf of 30 groups and 24 were submitted by individuals, for Réjean Labrie a total of 52 documents. Élise Marquis, resident of Cacouna Gérard Michaud, resident of Cacouna Presenting the results of the consultations Benoît-Robin Lessard, resident of the city of Saguenay The present report contains the main comments that were Claude Pineault and Geneviève Caron Pineault, residents of submitted orally or in writing during the consultation pro- Sacré-Cœur cess. Most of the groups that submitted briefs also explai- Yvan Roy, resident of Cacouna ned their mission and gave examples of their collaboration Donald Tremblay, representative of seal hunters, Les with the marine park. Certain groups and individuals also Escoumins explained the reasons that motivated them to take part in Chris Turcot, seasonal resident of Tadoussac the consultations. Such information is not contained in the Fernand Villeneuve, resident of Tadoussac

Organizations: Association des plaisanciers La Barque City of Saguenay Comité de développement économique de Petit-Saguenay in collaboration with the municipalities of Petit-Saguenay and Baie-Sainte-Catherine Comité côtier Les Escoumins à la rivière Betsiamites Comité de l’environnement de Chicoutimi Comité Zip Saguenay Communauté métisse du Domaine du Roy et de la Seigneurie de Mingan Corporation de diffusion de l’archéologie de la Côte-Nord (Centre Archéo Topo) Report of the public consultations on the Review of the Management Plan

Corporation de la réserve mondiale de la biosphère de For easier reading and referencing of the numerous submis- Charlevoix sions received, we have grouped them according to the fol- Corporation PARC Bas-St-Laurent lowing themes: École Croisière Mercator 1. A Vision for the Saguenay-St. Lawrence Marine Park Essipit Innu First Nation Council 2. the Marine Park, an Exceptional Natural Environment Group for Research and Education on Marine Mammals 3. the Marine Park, “Crossroads of Peoples, Wellspring of La Haute-Côte-Nord regional county municipality Resources” Marina de la Chaudière inc. Municipality of Sacré-Cœur 4. the Marine Park, a Model of Participatory Management Municipality of Tadoussac 5. the Ecosystems and State of the Health of the Marine Native Alliance of Quebec Inc. Park Nature Québec 6. Sustainable Use of Resources Office du tourisme et des congrès de Rivière-du-Loup 7. the Zoning Plan for the Marine Park Parc municipal et récréotouristique de Notre-Dame-des-Neiges Promotion Saguenay 8. Land and Sea Discovery Sites and Experiences Saguenay Port Authority Saguenay Squadron Society for a Bridge over the Saguenay Société Duvetnor ltée Société pour la nature et les parcs du Canada (Quebec chapter of the Canadian Parks and Wilderness Society) St. Lawrence Economic Development Council Transports Québec, Direction de la Côte-Nord

Saguenay St. Lawrence Marine Parc

It is the opinion of the Société pour la nature et les parcs 1 A Vision for the du Canada (SNAP), Quebec chapter of the Canadian Parks and Wilderness Society, that the vision proposed 1 should have brought more hope and paved the way for impro- Saguenay St. Lawrence ving the state of the park. This group states that the vision is more an assessment of the present situation than a stimulating Marine Park outlook for the future. The vision simply presents the marine park’s mandate and the means presently being used for implementing it: “…will protect unique marine ecosystems…”, According to Nature Québec, the objectives outlined for “…will apply […] the precautionary principle…”, “… will the marine park are general and in the form of management use scientific research…”, “…will remain one of the best lo- directions or results expected within 15 years, and don’t take cations…”, “…will still be made up of exceptional seascapes 5 into account all the management issues raised in the Rapport and coastal landscapes…”, etc. In other words, the message sur l’état du parc marin [report on the state of the marine that we get from the vision is that we hope that in 15 years we park] that is in the process of being completed. No indications will be at the same point as we are today. A vision for the future are given as to what actions will be taken to reach the objecti- should be more than that. ves. With no clearly identified indicators or follow-up process, it is difficult to understand how the marine park’s success in The Corporation de la réserve mondiale de la meeting its objectives will be measured. They recommend: biosphère de Charlevoix enthusiastically supports the proposed vision for the future since it gives clear indications • that the final management plan take into account the Rap- as to the type of objectives that the Corporation would like to port sur l’état du parc marin, reformulating the vision if see for the future and to share with local communities. The necessary; group notes that the vision states that the marine park could • that objectives be set and management indicators be de- become “…a potential candidate for UNESCO World Heritage termined that can be easily measured, with timetables for Site status”. Since the Corporation believes that it would be carrying out work indicated in the management plan; beneficial that the marine park work towards obtaining such a • that an accountability form be an integral part of the final prestigious designation, it would like the park to develop ties management plan to ensure an annual follow-up of its im- with their group; their own status as World Biosphere Reserve plementation; could help promote the achievement of common objectives in terms of sustainable development, conservation, scientific • that preservation of the biodiversity of the Saguenay- research and education. St. Lawrence Marine Park should depend largely on the identification, regulation and elimination of present and As for the statement in the proposed vision for the future potential sources of pollution and human disturbances “…perpetuates a harmonious relationship between humans that have an impact on the park, the co-ordination zone and the sea and the contribution of local and First Nations and the broader ecosystem. Below are several additional communities”, the Municipality of Tadoussac stated that measures they propose: the local communities and First Nations have always relied on • that a register of present and potential sources be the sea and the surrounding area for their livelihood: hunting, drawn up; digging for soft shell clams, and fishing from the banks, on the • that the plan to prevent and fight against pollution of St. Lawrence River and in the fjord. Over time, their needs the marine park be updated; have changed and these activities have become recreational, a • that an intervention strategy be determined with way of enjoying themselves while taking advantage of what the the government departments and groups involved; sea and the wildlife have to offer, things that city dwellers envy that we have so close at hand. When you look at all the bans • that priority actions be identified in terms of ecolo- that are mentioned, will today’s fishermen, hunters and clam gical restoration. diggers be able to perpetuate these ancestral traditions and remain grateful to the sea for the products it provides? Report of the public consultations on the Review of the Management Plan

The Municipality of Tadoussac is concerned about the will reach a ceiling. There is a real need to work together on disappearance of these traditional activities in the area around regional development. Moulin à Baude. They believe that this maritime population should be able to perpetuate these traditions. We wouldn’t Along the same lines, the Comité Zip Saguenay stated want to look at the sea in 15 years time and say “that it is only that it is undeniable that the face of the Saguenay River and beautiful”, forgetting that not that long ago it was a source of thus that of the marine park will have to evolve over time, food for our ancestors. The Municipality does not believe that hence the importance of players in the community working the fact that a very small percentage of the local population together on a common vision for development of the bodies of uses the resources of the sea will create a shortage of those water involved. This vision must continue to serve the overall resources. The marine park should protect the ancestral interests of the region and, while respecting present and activities of all the people residing in the area, whether they future uses, take into account the protection and presentation 6 are Aboriginal or not. of the biodiversity of an ecosystem that is unique in the world. The Comité would like to be especially involved in Furthermore, the Municipality of Tadoussac would this collaborative process. That is why it will check with its like the marine park to request that Environment Canada industrial partners located in the marine portion of this body and Fisheries and Oceans Canada re-evaluate the toxicity of water to ensure that their vision of how their operations of shellfish in the Moulin à Baude area, at the outlet of the will evolve is concordant with the vision proposed by the river, in order to re-open this area to harvesting. This was an marine park, and then define ways to maximize collaboration important activity for the town just ten years ago. and park visibility.

In addition, with regard to the statement “…will be recognized Lastly, the Office du tourisme et des congrès de as a model of cooperation and community involvement, while Rivière-du-Loup shares the marine park’s harmonious at the same time exercising an influence that goes beyond park vision of protecting the marine ecosystems and banks of the boundaries” the Municipality is concerned about the relations St. Lawrence Estuary and the Saguenay Fjord. To preserve the between the marine park and the community, primarily the species, seascapes and coastal landscapes, the Office emphasizes population of Tadoussac, the most affected and by far the the importance of preserving Îles du Pot à l’Eau-de-Vie, Île least targeted, that are needed to preserve the relationship of aux Lièvres, Île aux Fraises and Île Blanche within the marine the community with the natural environment. They suggest park. Marine park discovery experiences, improvement of the that the marine park encourage local populations to visit network of discovery sites and the development of activities and develop a sense of ownership of land discovery sites by at sea will thus be carried out in harmony with the plant and holding “open house” activities or, even better, by having free animal life and the environment. admission for local residents. The more they value them, the more they will become good ambassadors for the park. This would subsequently increase the park’s visibility beyond its boundaries. The Municipality also proposes that two representatives of the town of Tadoussac sit on the marine park’s co-ordinating committee.

The Corporation de diffusion de l’archéologie de la Côte-Nord also expressed its concerns as to the import of the two statements quoted above. They feel that the vision proposed by officials at the marine park is more than commendable. Yet, one ingredient is missing: collaboration with the community. The word consultation has never been synonymous with collaboration. The Corporation firmly believes that if the host populations and groups do not develop the reflex of welcoming visitors, tourism on the North Shore Saguenay St. Lawrence Marine Parc

• ice fishing is very popular in the area (Rivière-du-Loup, 2 The Marine Park, Isle-Verte), therefore it would be possible to reach a large number of people and educate them on the importance 2 of ecosystem conservation since they would also be park an Exceptional users; • the American eel is a species that frequents the southern Natural Environment part of the park and eel fishing is commonly practiced. Furthermore, the American eel has recently been added When the marine park was created, a section of exceptional to the federal list of species at risk; marine ecosystems representative of the St. Lawrence Estuary • the Rivière-du-Loup marina attracts a good number and the Saguenay Fjord was given the status of protected of boats that travel close to the belugas and that, in my marine area. Nature Québec noted that the park extends as opinion, should have to comply with the zoning plan as 7 far as the middle of the river since initially hunting and fishing do boats travelling in the present marine park. were to be banned in the protected marine area. However, in their opinion, as a result of changes in legislation allowing regulated hunting and fishing, there is no longer any reason for the park to not cover the two banks of the river to ensure the total protection of that section of the estuary. Consequently, they point out: • that the Saguenay-St. Lawrence Marine Park is a marine conservation area that should better represent the natural marine region of the St. Lawrence Estuary by extending its boundaries to the southern part of the estuary.

Given that the marine park’s objective is to protect marine ecosystems in the St. Lawrence Estuary and that protection of the beluga was the original reason for creating this protected marine area, Élise Marquis suggests that the boundaries of the marine park should extend as far as the south shore for a The Comité de l’environnement de Chicoutimi number of reasons: proposes that the area covered by the marine park be extended • this would mean that the park would encompass the to ensure the proper protection of the unique ecosystem found island environment, an area of high tourist traffic; in the Saguenay River and St. Lawrence River. • since it is frequented by the beluga, this area must be • The new boundaries should include the entire portion protected and patrolled because of the numbers of pleasure of the Saguenay River upstream from the present boun- craft travelling in the area and the possible construction of dary, near the town of Sainte-Rose-du-Nord, as well as a liquefied natural gas terminal atC acouna. The project is the Baie des Ha! Ha! – two areas that are representative on hold at the present time, but is a very important point of the Saguenay Fjord marine ecosystem, that are an inte- to consider; gral part of it and that are inseparable from it. This modi- • extension of the boundaries of the park would further fication of the marine park boundaries would correct the justify having a visitor reception centre at Trois-Pistoles past error of having excluded these territories because of and the Baie de L’Isle-Verte discovery site; the presence of industries, which was done despite the • the Maliseet Nations at Rivière-du-Loup and Cacouna fact that environmental groups fought for inclusion of the could prove to be good partners for the marine park; territories now proposed by the Comité. • the participatory management formula would be further enhanced, because people on the south shore would become much more aware of the importance of this practically unique park; Report of the public consultations on the Review of the Management Plan

Including industries that are found in the area (such as Port river between the Chute à Caron dam and the Saint-Fulgence de Grande-Anse and the port facilities at Port-Alfred (Rio spit. Although outside of park boundaries, protection of these Tinto Alcan)) can only have positive impacts. At a time when habitats is a priority to ensure the survival of sport fishing. everyone maintains that they are applying the concepts of After having consulted with other partners, the Comité is not sustainable development, extension of the marine park will no ruling out any scenarios, including studying the possibility that longer be the alarming scenario that was the case in the past. this section of the river be included within new boundaries of Co-existence should be possible and tolerated. The presence of industries within the boundaries of the park even represents a the Saguenay-St. Lawrence Marine Park in the near future. good illustration of the application of sustainable development and shows that the harmonious co-existence of industry, Nature Québec mentioned that few details are given with tourism, recreation and conservation is not simply theoretical. regard to the uniqueness of the ecosystem and the human Furthermore, including the industries will give them a sense impacts on it, although Fact Sheet #4 of the consultation 8 of responsibility, will make them full partners, will make them document presents a quick summary of the characteristics of aware of the marine park’s concerns and will mean that they the park. Although Fact Sheet #5 deals with historic relations will contribute to the funding of certain activities. between humans and the park, they noted that no reference was made to the negative consequences of some of these activities Furthermore, the City of Saguenay put forward the fol- and their impact on the natural environment. Consequently, lowing resolution: they recommend: • the City of Saguenay requests that the Saguenay- • that the management plan provide a more detailed and St. Lawrence Marine Park authorities, as part of the more scientific description of this exceptional marine review of the park’s management plan, assess the environment and the stress factors affecting it where possibilities and terms for modifying the boundaries intervention is necessary; of the park to include the Baie des Ha! Ha! and other • that the impact of past and present activities in the park be parts of the Saguenay River; documented and linked to the present state of the park’s • this assessment would include all the analyses needed natural components and to the resulting conservation for the City of Saguenay to understand the impacts of a challenges, for example: hunting the beluga versus the change in boundaries; present state of the beluga population, industrialization • the fact that the City of Saguenay is requesting an and contamination of fjord sediments by industry, assessment of the modification of the park’s boundaries recreational fishing and unregulated commercial fishing, in no way constitutes acceptance on its part of any growing commercial navigation involving dangerous resulting modifications, and the City wishes to be goods, etc. consulted during the assessment process. In reference to the vision where it is stated that the marine The Corporation de la réserve mondiale de la park “will oversee the safe practice of discovery and biosphère de Charlevoix would like to see the area recreational activities that are compatible with resource covered by the marine park extended to the boundaries of conservation objectives”, the Saguenay Squadron the Charlevoix region, up to Petite-Rivière-Saint-François, believes that this statement opens the door to mentioning which would include marine sites that contribute to the rich the particularities of this navigation zone where fog, biodiversity of the upper estuary and that are frequented by strong currents and heavy vessel traffic are encountered. the beluga. Extending the park’s area would be preferable to It would be a good opportunity to emphasize the need for adding another designation (marine protection zone) for the people travelling in the marine park to have the knowledge zone that encircles the present area of the marine park, whose and equipment required for navigating in poor visibility objectives and management are different. and in tidal and river currents, and a good understanding of collision regulations. Lastly on the subject of extending the park’s boundaries, the Comité ZIP Saguenay brought up the problem of rainbow smelt spawning grounds that are situated in the section of the Saguenay St. Lawrence Marine Parc

3 The Marine Park, 3 “Crossroads of Peoples, Wellspring of Resources”

According to the Société pour la nature et les parcs du in the future and, above all, prevent past mistakes from being Canada, although the descriptive fact sheets are attractive repeated. and easy to consult, they give an incomplete picture of the 9 marine park. For example, Fact Sheet #5 on the history of the The Saguenay Squadron proposes that several lines be added region describes the human activity that has taken place in the on recreational boating, which is undeniably an significant region over the years, but completely omits the environmental activity in the area. Pleasure boaters are an important clientele impact of that activity. There is no mention, for instance, of for the marine park and would feel personally involved if a the contamination of sediment on the bottom of the Saguenay section of the management plan was devoted to recreational River, negative impacts of the seaway or the abusive harvesting boating. The Saguenay Squadron would like to take part in of certain resources in the past (striped bass, ground fish, writing this section and add that in 2008 it will be celebrating beluga, etc.). A more complete statement of these impacts the 40th anniversary of the founding of their squadron. could have given an accurate picture of what needs to be done Report of the public consultations on the Review of the Management Plan

• that users, such as groups of hunters and fishermen, 4 The Marine Park, a coastal residents, kayakers and tour boat operators improve the way in which they use the marine park and 4Model of Participatory collaborate in park management; • that conservation and environmental groups become involved in park management. Park authorities should

Management promote the creation of a “Friends of the Marine Park” type group so that at least one community group is totally in tune with the park’s mission. Nature Québec has offered to collaborate with park authorities in the setting up of such a group; 10 • that Saguenay-St. Lawrence Marine Park authorities become involved in and express their opinions and recommendations with regard to drawing up laws and regulations governing human activities in the marine park; • that Saguenay-St. Lawrence Marine Park authorities work together with regional officials on land use planning in regional county municipalities, ur- ban planning in the towns, industrial management or development plans, and eco-tourism development plans of regional tourist associations.

As for the action proposed to “develop and implement a strategy for generating revenue and creating Nature Québec acknowledges that the marine park is a business partnerships with players in the community”, Quebec and Canadian model for marine conservation areas and the Group for Research and Education on Marine a model of collaboration between the two levels of government. Mammals (GREMM) suggests that certain aspects of this However, this double jurisdiction implies participation by a strategy, yet to be determined, might interfere with funding larger number of groups (government departments, bodies…) strategies of players in the community, many of whom are involved in managing activities over the park area, who do not non-profit organizations.T o avoid having a negative impact on always act consistently in terms of the objectives of the marine these partners and their livelihood, they recommend that the conservation area. They recommend: marine park team determine this strategy in close consultation • that the management plan ensure greater consistency in with players in the community. the actions of all government departments involved, to the extent of their respective capacities and in compliance Furthermore, GREMM made a suggestion on how to generate with legislation on protected marine areas. income for a marine park cetacean research fund. Part of this fund would come from commercial fishing license fees (which could be increased), and could be matched by foundations. The Nature Québec also acknowledges that the marine park is a model of regional community involvement in the management cetacean research fund would then be used to finance projects of a marine area. However, they indicate that while it is true that and would come with application conditions, deadlines for the this model means the involvement of certain representatives of presentation of projects and a decision making committee made organizations in the co-ordination zone in directions taken and up of experts from the marine park and other institutions. management of the marine park, it does not necessarily mean that the citizens feel involved. They therefore recommend: Saguenay St. Lawrence Marine Parc

The MRC de La Haute-Côte-Nord believes that funding funding of the park, to cover both its day-to-day operations marine park activities by way of a user fee is not the best and implementation projects. In addition, given that the local solution, given that they are already called upon to finance population is often the best ambassador for projects, marine equipment or facilities, such as marinas. They believe that park authorities should consider charging a lower fee for their higher authorities, especially the provincial government, facilities and attractions for residents of the Haute-Côte-Nord should invest more in the long term to ensure adequate region.

11 Report of the public consultations on the Review of the Management Plan

the staple diet for marine mammals. Knowing this, marine 5 The Ecosystems and park administrators must be learn more about the ecosystems and species composing them to better protect them. In that 5State of Health of context, the park must focus on the following actions: • in the absence of scientific certainty, taking the precautionary approach in managing activities that could the Marine Park modify the biodiversity of the marine environment of the estuary and fjord; Nature Québec points out that it is of vital importance to • sufficiently funding research programs to meet the ma- keep in mind that the primary mandate of the marine park is rine park’s needs, because having a full understanding of to protect its ecosystems. The state of the park’s ecosystems the park’s ecosystem is key to proper protection and ma- 12 must therefore be monitored to assess whether industrial nagement. practices in their present form are compatible with a mandate of conservation. They note that the scientific monitoring Various harvesting activities are presently taking place in the presently conducted in the park is relatively poor. In their marine park, including commercial fishing, ice fishing and opinion, there are no particular monitoring activities or sport fishing in the summer. While commercial fishing puts harvesting quotas within park boundaries for exploratory substantial stress on fish and invertebrate stocks, recreational fishing, such as sea urchin fishing. fishing is, according to the MRC de La Haute-Côte-Nord, equally cause for concern, because harvesting levels do not Furthermore, commercial users of resources should be asked necessarily take into account the capacity of ecosystems to to help finance monitoring activities. It would be logical, for support such activities. This is particularly true in the Saguenay example, that fishermen and their associations fund research Fjord, where sport fishing, ice fishing for example, is highly activities aimed at assessing the impact of harvesting activities popular. It therefore essential: on natural resources. Consequently, Nature Québec • that the marine park and its partners continue to carry out recommends: monitoring to learn more about the fish and invertebrate • that a complete program to scientifically monitor the populations. Recreational fishing must be monitored in state of the ecosystems be set up and applied as quickly as collaboration with fisheries administrators and fishermen. possible; They must be made more aware of the fragile nature of • that a program to monitor stocks of species fished or these resources and the importance of sound harvesting hunted in the park be set up to assess the real impact of practices; harvesting and to adopt management measures aimed at • that research into ground fish and invertebrate species protecting those resources; continues, including species in the Saguenay that are • that fishermen and their associations who operate in the more likely to be affected by the stress of recreational Saguenay-St. Lawrence Marine Park contribute to the fishing. A very large portion of the winter tourist industry funding of research activities; depends on ice fishing. • that Fisheries and Oceans Canada adopt the above management policies to take into account the existence According to Sébastien Cloutier, master’s student in of the marine park and apply different management rules oceanography at the Institut des sciences de la mer de given the park’s inherent mission of conservation. Rimouski, the marine park should be the key actor and facilitator for all scientific research activities that take place The MRC de La Haute-Côte-Nord points out that a number within its boundaries. These activities must be diversified and of species found in the marine park are a vital source of food focused on innovation and the acquisition of fresh knowledge in for marine mammals. The reduction or disappearance of these the fields of both applied science and the social sciences.T hey species (krill, capelin, smelt, herring) will have a catastrophic should be carried out in close collaboration with or initiated effect. Vigilance is needed when it comes to activities or by universities in the region, such as UQAC and UQAR. disturbances that could have an impact on species that form Their boat L’Alliance is an excellent platform for research and Saguenay St. Lawrence Marine Parc

is equipped with acoustic gear so that as it patrols more can to do so and are at the mercy of marinas located at the far be learned about the oceanographic features of the mouth of ends of the park. This is not the best way to use the marine Saguenay. Research activities and efforts should therefore: park. It is therefore urgent that a committee composed of the • use methods of investigation that have the least potential marinas and the various government departments involved of disturbing the environment and its plant and animal life. be set up to conduct a feasibility study and to come up with A typical example of what not to do would be following an implementation timetable. The Saguenay Squadron marine mammals in a motorboat for identification believes that sewage stations should be available in 2008 at purposes; Tadoussac and at the Baie Éternité dock, since the Parc national du Saguenay already has wastewater treatment facilities. • prevent any concentration of information by private groups. Data gathered by private associations is generally On the same topic, the Corporation de la réserve then used for promotional or publicity purposes or to mondiale de la biosphère de Charlevoix supports the defend particular interests, thus getting away from the 13 priority to “intervene with the government departments scientific objectives. In the long term, such actions responsible for municipal wastewater treatment programs to weaken the scientific credibility and leadership that must promote the installation of proper facilities”. Along the same come from the marine park. In addition, when private lines, the governments of Quebec and Canada should respond groups put out their own scientific data, it conveys a favourably to the need for specific funding in this area and for distorted image of what scientific research is being done the protection of the shores along Charlevoix municipalities and the way scientific information should be transmitted that are part of the co-ordination zone, such as Baie-Sainte- to the general public, and goes against the mandate of the Catherine, Saint-Siméon and La Malbaie, towns with limited Saguenay-St. Lawrence Marine Park. human and financial resources. Because of the above, Sébastien Cloutier suggests that the The Comité côtier Les Escoumins à la rivière marine park library conduct an inventory of all literature for Betsiamites is in complete agreement with the fact that the public consumption and scientific papers regarding all marine discharge of untreated municipal wastewater is a problem and park resources. Implementation of a state-of-the-art system proposes that the marine park offer to help the small towns in of archiving would be needed to convey accurate information obtaining the funding required to equip them with the facilities to students of all ages, the public in general, and employees needed to remedy the situation. The resources of these small and partners of the marine park. They could consult it on line, municipalities are very limited and, the ways things are these download documents and consult the index of the marine days, are not on the increase, whereas their financial burdens park’s library. are. Tourist traffic brings in a certain amount of revenue, but also involves substantial challenges for them in terms of The Saguenay Squadron drew attention to the inaccessi- managing municipal infrastructures. bility of sewage stations for pleasure craft. Only the marinas located at the far ends of the marine park (Chicoutimi, La Baie and Cap-à-l’Aigle) have such stations. Sewage discharge regulations have been adopted, but much remains to be done to make the recovery system operational.

To ensure that pleasure boaters take the application of the new regulations seriously, they must be made aware of services that will be put into place to ensure the feasibility of applying the regulations. However, some marinas say that they are unable to provide sewage discharge services and some municipalities have no wastewater treatment facilities. Furthermore, some recreational boaters are not equipped to empty their sewage tank themselves and therefore have to travel a great distance Report of the public consultations on the Review of the Management Plan

attract cruise ships to the Tadoussac area and its fjord, it points 6 Sustainable Use out that the park should not work against municipal projects 6 that would help the tourist industry. of Resources However, the Municipality of Tadoussac points out that it is important to maintain control over permits granted to tour The fact sheet on the sustainable use of resources refers to the boat operators and thus limit the number of boats that put importance of putting into place exemplary fishing methods, stress on marine mammals. It is regrettable that the marine which the Corporation de la réserve mondiale de la park is not intervening with regard to a possible concentration biosphère de Charlevoix supports completely, given of cruise boat operators at Tadoussac. It would be better if tour that a protected marine area like the marine park should boat permits were distributed throughout the various cities and 14 act as a leader and influence actions taken by government towns so that not only the environmental impact is lessened, departments, especially those responsible for resource but also the impact on the area around the quays, so that the management. Furthermore, the Corporation is concerned present traffic and parking problems are not aggravated. with the heavy use of the St. Lawrence River for shipping, particularly dangerous goods, the increase in vessel traffic in general, and infrastructure development projects such as liquefied gas terminals or wind farm projects that are presently being studied in the Port-au-Saumon area.

The Société pour la nature et les parcs du Canada (SNAP) pointed out that the fact sheet on the sustainable use of resources refers only very briefly to commercial fisheries, without naming or describing them, or listing their environmental impacts. This is an important failing given that certain fisheries have substantial environmental impacts (scallop dredging, harvesting soft shell clams or sea urchins, etc.). Furthermore, as a local and regional community, the Furthermore, increasing vessel traffic poses a serious problem Municipality of Tadoussac would like to be consulted in terms of pollution, disturbing marine mammals and public with regard to sustainable fishing objectives. It would like safety. The zoning plan, however, does not propose any that activities traditional practiced by their ancestors, such as solutions other than consultation with the government bodies fishing, hunting and clam digging, be protected in the same involved. Moreover, SNAP points out that the confluence way First Nations activities are protected. of the Saguenay and St. Lawrence rivers is one of the most problematic areas. They therefore propose that an integrated Nature Québec points out that the whole issue of fishing management plan be drawn up for the confluence area, but a (recreational and commercial) is a priority since a number of proposal to that effect is not even part of the priorities listed species are affected, as well as the protection of certain marine in the consultation document. It is the last item under the ecosystems. The principles and practices of model fisheries heading “Other actions”. The urgency of the problem at the management must be adopted and applied in the marine park mouth of the Saguenay River should have warranted more by the proper authorities, i.e. Fisheries and Oceans Canada vigorous actions. and the Ministère de l’Agriculture, des Pêcheries et de l’Alimentation du Québec. These departments must ensure The Municipality of Tadoussac would like to be consulted that actions taken are consistent and that the special status of and be part of a permanent issue table that would be set up the marine park and its conservation mandate are taken into with the authorities responsible for managing vessel traffic account. Migratory bird hunting and seal hunting must be in the marine park. Given that the Municipality has plans to regulated and properly monitored in the same way that whale Saguenay St. Lawrence Marine Parc

watching activities must be conducted in compliance with to constantly improve the industrial processes used and regulations governing marine activities. hence reduce their ecological footprint; • that the population be consulted to a greater extent, not Furthermore, commercial vessel traffic is a major issue in only for these projects but also for recreational activities terms of environmental risks and public safety. Transports that are practiced within the boundaries of the marine Canada and the Corporation des pilotes du Saint-Laurent park. must be seen as major partners, given their responsibilities with regard to protecting the marine park. In the light of scientific studies that have shown that the increase in vessel traffic in an area highly frequented by the St. Lawrence That is why Nature Québec recommends: beluga can affect the physical condition of the animals, their • that the biodiversity of the marine park be maintained chances of survival and their reproductive success, the Group by enforcing applicable laws (legislation governing the for Research and Education on Marine Mammals 15 parks, laws governing each of the activities…); (GREMM) made the following statements: • that patrols be conducted to supervise activities in the Given that the plans of marine tour permit holders to relocate marine park. Parks Canada must find the means to ensure their activities are likely to have detrimental consequences for that this is done; the recovery of the beluga, a species protected by the Canadian • that the harvesting of renewable resources (hunting and Species at Risk Act and that is the heart and soul of the Saguenay- fishing) be based on: St. Lawrence Marine Park, which was created expressly to protect that fragile population; • proper scientific data, which means that the state of populations harvested needs to be evaluated; Given that such changes will go against the mandate to increase • determining harvesting parameters designed to the protection of marine species in the marine park; guarantee harvesting that ensures the protection of ecosystems and stocks; Given that such changes will go against the spirit of marine observation regulations developed in the 1990s – regulations • a monitoring program that evaluates whether that were designed to ultimately decrease the size of the fleet harvesting can be sustained over time; deemed too high at the time, or to relocate marine activities to • supervision of harvesting by game officers, fisheries less sensitive areas, through the granting of permits; officers and park wardens to prevent abusive harvesting of renewable resources. Given that Parks Canada owns the Baie-Sainte-Catherine Quay and can control access to it through the granting of mooring The Comité de l’environnement de Chicoutimi noted permits; that a number of projects have been in the news for several Given that if these changes go ahead it could create a precedent years relating to vessel traffic on the SaguenayR iver: the lique- and lead to other relocations of the fleet to the mouth of the fied gas terminal, hosting cruise ships, the shipping of petro- Saguenay River, right in the range of the beluga; leum products, etc. These projects will substantially increase Given that plans of marine tour permit holders to relocate vessel traffic on the river and all that that involves in terms of their activities could also have an impact on marine activities risks of accidents and spills. Given the fragility of the ecosys- in general, the players involved and the species involved; tem that the marine park is mandated to protect, the Comité questions whether some of these projects can really co-exist with the marine park. They therefore suggest: • that marine park administrators be consulted and involved to a greater extent in analyses that are conducted of these projects and their consequences; • that a dialogue be ongoing between industries located within park boundaries and on the periphery of the park Report of the public consultations on the Review of the Management Plan

GREMM recommends three actions: covered by the marine park and not concentrated at one • that Parks Canada grant no more mooring permits for the location that is already critical for the protection of a Baie-Sainte-Catherine Quay in 2008 than it did in 2007, population threatened with extinction, as is the St. Lawrence to send a clear message that conservation of the beluga is beluga. a priority for the agency; • that tour boats be used that are less disruptive for marine • that the ongoing review of the Marine Activities in mammals and less polluting, such as sailboats. the Saguenay-St. Lawrence Marine Park Regulations be an opportunity to study the issue and to formulate Sébastien Cloutier believes that a real partnership must recommendations regarding the relocation of activities be developed between the marine park and other marine by marine tour permit holders, in consultation with the authorities in the community. In his opinion, this would players involved in the marine tour industry; mean increased collaboration of Parc national du Saguenay, 16 • that during this period of consultation there be a Coast Guard and Sûreté du Québec officers in applying the moratorium on all plans by marine tour permit holders regulations within park boundaries. Unfortunately, too often to relocate their activities in the marine park (i.e., the patrol boats can be seen contravening these regulations. Out status quo in relation to 2007). of lack of concern, negligence or a lack of awareness of the regulations, they exceed the speed limit, change directions After having described the situation of the belugas, Manuela unpredictably or without taking into account the presence of Conversano, master’s student in oceanography at the Institut marine mammals, do not comply with closure zones along des sciences de la mer de Rimouski, made several short-term the coast set aside for land observation sites, disturb kayakers, proposals for improving protection of the beluga and other etc. species that frequent the mouth of the Saguenay and Baie Sainte-Catherine: Not only does this give a bad impression of these authority • that the maximum speed of boats at the mouth of the figures, it makes one question the impact of the regulations Saguenay and at Baie Sainte-Catherine be reduced. She and undermines the credibility of marine park wardens. estimates that a maximum speed of 10 knots would mean Consequently, he proposes: that boaters could comply with the minimum distance • that authorities outside the marine park be called upon from belugas and at the same time decrease the risk of to enforce the regulations by showing exemplary conduct collision and the likelihood of disturbing the belugas; and by reminding other marine users of the park of the • that departure points for passengers of marine tour rules of proper conduct. boats be limited to only one of two quays – Tadoussac or Baie-Sainte-Catherine – to reduce the number of boats Sébastien Cloutier also suggested that the marine park travelling back and forth in the area for each departure; have patrol units in various areas across the park to improve its capacity to intervene and reach a larger segment of the • that the number of boats with marine tour permits for population. These units would be based in marinas of towns the area of the mouth of the Saguenay and Baie Sainte- located near the far ends of the park. It would be made up Catherine not be increased. of teams of four seasonal park wardens, a small boat and a station (office – boathouse).T he units would be co-ordinated Manuela Conversano also made other suggestions for by one of the park wardens on duty under the direction of improving the conservation of resources in the marine park an operations co-ordinator based in Tadoussac. During the in the long term: summer months, park wardens would be present in all areas – • that patrolling efforts be increased by adding to the patrolling, responding to emergencies at sea or environmental number of park wardens and patrol boats and by building emergencies, making park users aware of regulations and docking facilities for patrol boats at other locations in the increasing the park’s visibility in bordering communities. marine park, in addition to Tadoussac. In addition, if needed, these patrol boats could be used for • that activities and mooring stations for marine tour boats scientific purposes. in the Tadoussac area be decentralized so that the number of boats is more evenly distributed over the territory Saguenay St. Lawrence Marine Parc

Furthermore, Sébastien Cloutier mentioned that the 25 marine mammal watching activities, as much out of concern km/hour speed limit for boats is inadequate because at that for conservation as for the longevity of this industry. speed drivers cannot react quickly enough to avoid a marine mammal that suddenly surfaces in front of the boat. This Furthermore, with regard to the issue of “respect for the situation has been observed time and time again, both while at environment, resources and regulations during activities at sea and from land observation sites. The speed limit should be sea”, GREMM reiterated the importance of the principle of set at 15 km/hour or 20 km/hour. excluding belugas from marine mammal watching activities being kept in the Marine Activities in the Saguenay — St. Lawrence In addition, he stated that a number of independent studies Marine Park Regulations and being enforced. This principle is have shown that noise disturbs marine mammals. A review of vital, given the fragility of the beluga population. The public current knowledge should be conducted, or in the absence has perhaps been under the false impression given by various of knowledge on the subject, a study aimed at determining announcements made during the mid-1990s. At the time, a 17 which frequency or frequencies are less disturbing for marine controversial analysis of beluga population survey data led a mammals. Tour boat operators would then have to comply with scientist at Fisheries and Oceans Canada to declare that the sound emission standards to continue enjoying the privileges population was increasing. Moreover, it was said there was a provided by their marine tour permit. reduction in certain contaminants in belugas. Keen to announce the beneficial impact of the St. Lawrence Action Plan, Quebec Sébastien Cloutier also maintains that it has been shown and Canadian environment ministers then announced that that waves disturb seals when they are at their haul-out sites. the St. Lawrence beluga was recovering, and the population We know where their haul-out sites are in the Saguenay Fjord. was increasing and less contaminated. However, since that If boats travelling along the Saguenay cannot reduce their speed time new data and more accurate readings of data gathered to avoid generating waves, hydrodynamic standards need to since the beginning of long-term programs led Fisheries and be set so that tour boats generate a minimum of waves. The Oceans Canada to revise its official position: the St. Lawrence Cavalier Royal of Croisières AML is a typical example of what a beluga is showing no signs of recovery; its population is small cruise boat should not do. and not increasing; while the levels of certain contaminants have dropped they are present at alarming rates and other With regard to the statement “… while the impact of vessel contaminants have been added to the list; the beluga habitat is traffic on whales has not been clearly demonstrated, crowds noisy; and the presence of humans is as great if not greater. of boats around a whale or a group of whales is one potential source of stress” GREMM maintains that it is not a true reflection of the current state of knowledge.

Studies carried out in various parts of the world have clearly shown the detrimental biological impact of vessel traffic on cetaceans (ex.: reduced reproductive success of female dolphins exposed to boats at Monkey Mia in Australia, suspension of vital activities in the presence of boats in a population of dolphins in New Zealand, similar effects shown in humpback whales in Canada and other countries in their feeding grounds, etc.). Many sources of information suggest that the same thing is occurring in the St. Lawrence: the effect of noise on the vocalizations of belugas, the effect of crowds of boats on the feeding behaviour of fin whales, etc. Vessel traffic, and particularly organized marine mammal watching tours, have a well-documented impact on cetaceans. It is important to recognize this and take it into account in the management of Report of the public consultations on the Review of the Management Plan

• that there be proper patrolling to ensure that marine park 7 Zoning Plan for the users comply with the zoning plan; • that solutions be found and implemented for activities 7 Marine Park mentioned in the zoning plan where special exceptions apply, and that this be done within a maximum of five years. Generally speaking, the Corporation de la réserve mondiale de la biosphère de Charlevoix agrees with the The Société pour la nature et les parcs du Canada broad lines of the zoning plan proposed for the marine park. The (SNAP) is pleased to see that certain activities will be plan clearly illustrates proposed uses of the park, will increase eventually banned, such as jetskiing, towing sports, hunting in the understanding of the local communities and will facilitate certain areas, aquaculture, motorized vehicles in the intertidal application of the plan by users of the St. Lawrence River and 18 zone, etc. They continue by saying that some commercial Saguenay Fjord. The involvement of local populations in the fisheries are still permitted in Zone IV, which is justifiable conservation of ecosystems that are familiar to them and that insofar as they do not jeopardize the survival of the resource they are in close contact with on a regular basis can be achieved and have only a minor impact on the substrate. by this type of land use planning and management. Temporal zoning, designed to protect species that are endangered or At the present time, management mechanisms for these during the nesting season, applies at specific times of the year fisheries do not call for specific monitoring for the marine and shows the flexibility and originality of the proposed plan. park. This is a significant failing and should be remedied if we want the fisheries to last. As for the impact on the substrate, However, Benoît-Robin Lessard says that he disagrees with SNAP notes that some types of fishing, such as the harvesting the zoning proposal if tighter regulations and limits on vessel of scallops, have a substantial impact. The scallop is a species at traffic are not included. its distribution limit, is said to be an engineer species for the environment and is harvested using scallop drags that scrape Nature Québec points out that zoning is a management the sea floor.T his type of fishing has no place in a conservation tool that when applied must help the marine park meet the area. objectives outlined in its management plan by regulating human activities in order to protect park ecosystems, habitats All commercial fisheries in zones II and III will eventually be and species. They recommend: banned, but temporary exceptions have allowed some of them • that official zoning regulations for the Saguenay-St. Lawrence to continue. SNAP supports this temporary situation as long Marine Park be drawn up and adopted; as a strict timetable for phasing them out will be put into place. • that the zoning plan be implemented immediately based They wouldn’t want to see a supposedly temporary exception on a code of ethics, in close collaboration with players in become permanent over time. They understand these excep- the community; tions when they apply to fisheries that have been in operation for a long time. What they don’t understand, however, is how an exploratory sea urchin fishery – thus a new fishery – could have obtained the authorization to fish in an area where exceptions are permitted (Sector 6). Furthermore, this type of fishery does have an impact because the sea urchin is an engineer species for certain aquatic ecosystems.

In addition, it would have been good if Table 1 had included a complete list of commercial fisheries operating in the marine park; it only refers to “whelk, halibut, soft shell clams, etc.” without further details. Are there fisheries other than the three mentioned and does the abbreviation “etc.” mean that the door is open to new fisheries being developed in the future? SNAP Saguenay St. Lawrence Marine Parc

believes that it is important to not open the door to the har- On the same topic, Donald Tremblay, representing seal vesting of new species inside the park. hunters in the Les Escoumins area, would like to obtain permission to hunt seals in the coastal zone, 300 metres inside The zoning plan is well harmonized with the conservation plan the marine park. The following conditions would apply: shots and most of the ecologically significant sectors are protected. could only be fired away from the river and toward the sea and However, one notable exception is the outer perimeter of the not in the opposite direction. Hunting would be permitted Batture aux Alouettes. This area is heavily used in the summer every year from November 15 to April 30. Since that period by the beluga and requires a significant level of protection. is during the winter and there is less human activity on the SNAP does not understand why the sector that is zoned I river and along the shores, there would be little risk to public (comprehensive preservation) is reduced to a small rectangle safety. on the north side of the Batture aux Alouettes and why it doesn’t encompass a larger portion of the perimeter of the Gérald Bouchard and Marc-André Asselin point out that 19 tidal flats. in the Baie-des-Rochers area recreational hunting and fishing are banned or are subject to temporal zoning. They are highly Lastly, the Société pour la nature et les parcs du Canada dissatisfied with the situation. These activities are already notes that if you examine Table 1, you can see that the only regulated by other authorities, either provincial or federal, and difference, in terms of activities permitted, between zones III the zoning plan proposed should take that fact into account. and IV is the authorization to harvest whelk, halibut and soft Gérald Bouchard does not see why there needs to be a ban on shell clams and to hunt seals. It would appear that all those all migratory bird hunting to protect the Barrow’s goldeneye, activities are only found in Sector 12 (Laurentian Channel). which is already covered under regulations. Some hunters Since they are not found in Sector 7 (Chenal du Nord), SNAP have even taken that bird’s situation into their own hands by wonders why Sector 7 is included in Zone IV and not in Zone installing nesting “cabanes” in certain spots to further protect III. it. As for sport fishing, only a few people (two or three) fish in the area. He doesn’t see how that could have a detrimental The Comité côtier Les Escoumins à la rivière impact on the marine life there. Betsiamites pointed out that harp seals have been hunted in the region for thousands of years and for safety reasons hunters Sébastien Cloutier, master’s student in oceanography at the have to go along the coast in order to fire toward the sea, but Institut des sciences de la mer de Rimouski, says that zoning in also to avoid becoming stuck in the ice. Table 1 indicates that the mouth of the Saguenay has been a problem for many years: commercial hunting would not be allowed in Zone III. That there is a major conflict between vessel traffic and the marine zone would therefore have to be modified to allow hunting in mammals that frequent the area. The main species affected is Sector 10 (to the east of Cap de Bon-Désir) along the shore. the beluga. The fact that belugas no longer come to the Baie de It could be designated as “temporal zoning”, allowing hunting Tadoussac has led him to make the following proposal: from the beginning of December to the month of April. • That home ports for marine mammal watching tours be confined to one area.T adoussac would be the departure point for activities involving motorized craft, whereas the Baie-Sainte-Catherine Quay could be the departure point for tours involving non-motorized craft and sailboats. That way, constant motor boat traffic off Pointe-Noire would be avoided. Report of the public consultations on the Review of the Management Plan

This proposal implies that the marine park should encourage types of activities are or will be prohibited, including personal innovation in the way of marine tours: they should promote watercraft and hovercraft. sailing cruises! Sailing is the way of the future! Just imagine – authentic quiet romantic cruises aboard a traditional The MRC de La Haute-Côte-Nord believes that it will be schooner… No more noise, fuel oil odours or tight schedules! difficult to apply such drastic regulations to the letter.T he It’s up to the marine park to be avant-garde and to showcase marine park is not a closed environment where it is easy to the park’s resources in environmental and original ways. Tours control boat traffic.W ithout encouraging the use of personal aboard handsome sailing vessels could set an example – could watercraft and speed boats in park waters, the MRC advocates be the beginning of a change in mentality. that it would be preferable to ban them in certain areas or at certain times using zoning regulations, as will be done for The MRC de La Haute-Côte-Nord maintains that other types of craft. They add that the definition of a personal 20 recreational boating is an important activity in the marine watercraft must be clarified.T here are now motorized pleasure park and it affects the marine environment in various ways. It craft for two or more passengers that are variations of personal has been shown that recreational boating can disturb certain watercraft. Would these watercraft be in the same category? species, including marine mammals. The immediate reactions of animals when disturbed have been observed, including their On the same subject, André Gilbert believes that park reaction to the speed of boats, how close the boats come to administrators are making a big mistake in banning personal them, and sudden changes in speed and direction. Little is watercraft over the entire territory of the park. To begin known, however, of the long-term consequences for marine with, you have to understand and take into account that mammals. the portion of the Saguenay River between Tadoussac and L’Anse-Saint-Jean is the only waterway between Saguenay Lac-Saint-Jean (City of Saguenay and City of Alma), with its population of over 200,000, and the St. Lawrence River, the largest seaway in North America. One must also consider that personal watercraft are turbo-propelled vehicles and there are an increasing number of boats that use this type of propulsion that are hybrids, a combination of conventional motor launches and personal watercraft. Whether we like it or not, there are thousands of them in Quebec and their share of the market is on the rise. The question is, what does the park really want to ban? Do they want to prohibit anything that is turbo-propelled? If so, why? Do they want to prohibit the behaviour of the people driving personal watercraft, who The impact of noise on cetaceans is also a concern because go around in circles for hours at a time at the same spot or sounds are a highly important way for aquatic animals to who bother kayakers by driving by them at high speeds? If the communicate and detect prey. It would be wise to exercise answer to the last question is “yes”, then it is the behaviour that prevention by increasing the awareness of the local population must be banned and not the type of vehicle! and recreational boaters of the ways and regulations for approaching marine mammals.

At a time when ecotourism is increasingly popular, certain types of watercraft have no place in a marine park and the MRC de La Haute-Côte-Nord notes that both personal watercraft and speed boats present the same kind of problem since it is not only the type of craft that is disruptive but the behaviour of the person at the helm. Clause 21 of the Saguenay-St. Lawrence Marine Park Act stipulates that certain Saguenay St. Lawrence Marine Parc

Furthermore, André Gilbert thinks that if the park starts ecosystems. Parc du Mont-Valin wants to ban snowmobiles banning all types of personal watercraft, it will have its work and the same thing is happening for personal watercraft. cut out for it and will risk frustrating a number of peaceful tourists. The park has to be to able to intelligently administer Bernard Brassard says that he is not particularly fond of the regulations that are adopted and have the means of doing so. noise made by these craft, but over the years manufacturers He therefore believes that firstly behaviours must be banned have become more aware of protection of the environment and and then the specialized craft that are built uniquely for a have built engines that are more tolerable. He is therefore for type of activity that is incompatible in the park, namely jet moderation and that the park’s territory be fairly shared among skis (a type of noisy personal watercraft designed for sport users, and does not really like the long list of bans. As for a ban and acrobatics) and speed boats. Also, since there are more on hovercraft, will the marine park make an exception for the and more turbo-propelled boats on the market, he believes large Coast Guard hovercraft on the Saguenay that installs and that the park will create an ambiguous situation if it bans all removes buoys? Doesn’t the infernal racket it makes bother 21 types of personal watercraft without differentiating them. He anyone? therefore proposes: • that disruptive conduct be prohibited, such as racing, Because of the above, the Municipality of Sacré-Cœur rapid repeated acceleration in the same place, driving too submitted the following resolution on continuing to allow close to kayaks and canoes. personal watercraft in the park: • that, if it comes to that, the jet ski type of personal • whereas we have to be able to deal with regulations that watercraft be banned, as well as speed boats that operate are adopted as we have done with the zoning plan for the over a certain level of decibels. Personal watercraft Saguenay-St. Lawrence Marine Park without banning the travelling leisurely around or driving past to get tourist industry of personal watercraft, and we should somewhere else must continue to be allowed. properly define this type of craft; • whereas behaviours need to be banned first of all and On the same topic, Bernard Brassard maintains that not family recreational equipment that is becoming personal watercraft owners will not at all be pleased with increasingly popular, like turbo personal watercraft; marine park administrators when they learn that they have to • whereas there is a difference between jet skis and other turn around once they reach Cap à l’Est and that the fjord types of personal watercraft; will become a “no-man’s land” for them. Personal watercraft • whereas the latest technologies developed for personal are now part of a family of safe recreational boats when they watercraft have made it a recreational device that is less are operated safely. Why ban them from the marine park and and less polluting (four-stroke engine); why not increase public awareness campaigns? Protection programs are well prepared and well presented to the public; • whereas certain personal watercraft are for recreation, surely, marine park staff would be capable of educating users like motor launches and family PWCs, and not for and making them aware that they must respect the park’s competition; • whereas regulations must be properly designed to cover the use of personal watercraft on the Saguenay, keeping all the users in mind, as well as cover the problem of craft approaching belugas. For the above reasons, be it unanimously resolved: • that the marine park must absolutely continue to allow personal watercraft on the Saguenay and on the St. Lawrence River in consultation with the municipalities involved; • that this type of recreational boating is much more family-oriented than competitive, and that Report of the public consultations on the Review of the Management Plan

the restrictions and regulations be maintained for strips also narrow the “tacking” corridor for sailboats that approaching belugas and for users. already have a hard time sailing up the river.

On behalf of a group of recreational boaters from Côte-du- Sud, Pierre Harvey proposes the following changes: • that a “yellow zone with red hatching” be created all around the three Îles du Pot à l’Eau-de-Vie to permanently allow recreational boating between July 1 and October 31. • that the speed limit for motorboats be four knots or less.

In addition, Pierre Harvey says that the approach distance 22 for boats in the Îles du Pot à l’Eau-de-Vie area should not be limited to 300 metres, so that recreational boaters can enjoy all the beauty of these islands and feel close to these natural environments. Consequently, there should be no restrictions on the approach distance for the various types of craft. He is Colette Bazinet, a pleasure boater and sailing enthu- convinced that these modifications are not as disruptive as the siast, noted that there is considerable confusion regarding large ships that travel near these zones, 500 or 1000 metres the terms used. The expression Comprehensive Preservation away, at speeds of 20 or 30 knots. has been interpreted as a total ban. The objective is no longer the same. Although the zoning map provided is Bernard Brassard made the observation that to protect very small and only gives an approximate idea, she had harbour seal haul-out sites a 300-metre wide strip off Cap the following comments: Fraternité and Cap Éternité prohibits craft other than human- • the marine park use objective described for Zone I goes powered boats (kayaks, canoes, etc.). The same is true for the beyond the zoning plan’s mission. Wanting to solve “user comprehensive preservation zone at Pointe à l’Îlet. conflicts” by taking the side of land users over marine users has nothing to do with the comprehensive preser- In addition, Bernard Brassard would like Note 1 (Safe travel vation of a territory. Pleasure boaters are also taxpayers, corridor for users) in Table 1 (Activities Permitted According to Zo- if that is where the problem lies (and they too pay for ning) to also apply to pleasure boats travelling at less than 6 their activity); knots. He has a sailboat and when he is sailing up the fjord with • some of the sectors affected are navigating or mooring a substantial head wind, he must go along the coast to take areas that are essential for recreational boaters, for safety advantage of favourable currents that enable him to maintain a reasons, among other things. The St. Lawrence has few speed of 4 knots. In addition, he states that he has never gone mooring areas and few marinas. Mooring spots like the out of his way to bother the seals. He would not like to get a ones at Îles du Pot à l’Eau-de-Vie are necessary for the ticket for operating his sailboat safely. This measure to restrict safety of pleasure boaters, in addition to the fact that they travel in these comprehensive preservation zones concerns are used very little. The boating community have known for a long time that the presence of pleasure boats annoys him because in some weather conditions it could prove to be the owners of these islands. She hopes that in examining highly restrictive and could jeopardize his safety. He has no- these issues the marine park administrators are not ven- thing against protecting the seals, but if he had to choose, he turing into the area of maritime law and safety; would choose his own safety first. • she also wonders about the bans at Baie-Sainte-Catherine.

She knows of only one boater who used to anchor there. He therefore believes that a 300-metre wide strip along Is there a problem? Let’s not create a problem where both coasts is a major restriction in these navigable wa- there isn’t one; ters, especially between La Tabatière and the entrance to • as for the waters off Cap de Bon-Désir, the user conflict Baie Éternité, a natural corridor for pleasure boats. These leaves her cold, having had to go along the coast, the only Saguenay St. Lawrence Marine Parc

time she went by there, because the waves were too high constant boat traffic, in which case it would be inappropriate closer to the middle of the St. Lawrence. She didn’t come that private interests benefit financially. across anyone, not even any belugas (she added that belugas did keep her company “outside of the park” one time Colette Bazinet mentioned that a number of the measures as she was crossing between Grandes-Bergeronnes and proposed involve providing information and educating the pu- Rivière-du-Loup); blic and that the marine park has used this approach at Tadous- • certain principles govern navigation: all skippers have sac with positive results. She agrees with such an approach to navigate according to the weather conditions, and the and a lot of information can and must be given off-site be- ability of the crew and the boat. cause everything is not happening just in the marine park. For And it is a well known fact example, the belugas: they are that these conditions can not all in the marine park. change along the way. So, wouldn’t it be more ap- 23 propriate and more useful • as for the arguments in- to know how to react when volving actual pleasure, they approach us? Because i.e. the pleasure of boa- it is not always us that ap- ting, they are just as va- proach them. Most people lid as the pleasure that want to do the right thing, landowners derive from but do not always know looking out at the river. how. Educating the public is The St. Lawrence is one one of the important roles of of four tourist experien- the marine park. ces included by the government of Quebec in In that spirit of prevention and its tourist policy Vers un education, without going into detail Colette tourisme durable [Toward sustainable tourism]. Maritime Bazinet suggests that tables 2, 3 and 4 need to be revisited. tourism is so poorly developed and poorly known – don’t For example, the possible ban on personal watercraft (which, nip it in the bud! by the way, she doesn’t care for). Why personal watercraft and not cigarette boats and other speed boats? Why ban lifting pa- Colette Bazinet says that she isn’t familiar enough with the rachutes? The ones towed by the wind or by a boat? She adds entire marine park to comment on each sector. However, she that the real question is: do you want to ban boats or regulate hopes that these examples will provide enough food for thou- behaviour (limits speeds, reduce noise, etc.)? Prevention, edu- ght for park administrators to revisit the decisions for Zone I. cation, information and recommendations are effective levers. She proposes the following: You just have to look at the number of people who sort their • that the right of recreational boaters to navigate and drop garbage the best they can, with no obligation, or bans or pe- anchor in Zone I be maintained, but regulated. nalties. She concludes by saying “I love the St. Lawrence and the Saguenay, I really do. If you believe what they say in these As for comprehensive preservation, there are several possible documents, it looks like navigation is the new pariah of the St. avenues: speed limits (in compliance with regulations in the Lawrence. Aren’t we really allies instead?” Canada Shipping Act for navigating along the shoreline, for example), a ban on noise (including loud music) and educating Luc Brassard is strongly in favour of education as a tool to the public, including a recommendation to avoid navigating in improve the public’s attitude toward using a natural environ- certain waters. ment. The installation of a large number of landing stages and better identification of places of refuge and anchorages would In the world’s fragile regions (coral conservation zones) where be good improvements. Even floating piers anchored in some anchoring is prohibited, landing stages have been installed. areas would be a definite plus for safety. If this is done in the marine park, the result could be more Report of the public consultations on the Review of the Management Plan

Despite the fact that some recreational boaters do not always when the weather conditions are in the least bit unfavourable. show consideration toward the environment and other boaters They point out that some recreational boaters are not equip- (a minority), we shouldn’t penalize all the others who contri- ped with a GPS, a device that is not compulsory. So how will bute to preserving the environment and who use the wate- they figure out what zone they are in? rways properly. It would therefore be good to increase patrols and educate boaters a bit more to help us preserve a high- Furthermore, the maps available are not detailed enough to quality marine park, both from the standpoint of preserving obtain the actual surface area covered by the zones. When in doubt the Saguenay Squadron would like to ensure that a nature and protecting the individuals enjoying the park. GPS device is able to provide a sufficient degree of accuracy in locating them. If not, they recommend a proper system of An anchoring ban is definitely not the way to go. Luc Bras- beacons for the area (Sector 5f) added off the Îles au Pot à 24 sard is convinced that anchoring to the seabed does not have l’Eau-de-Vie lighthouse (south-west zone). As for the place the negative impact that we are hearing about. Some of the of refuge on the south-east side, in bad weather, especially in problems for the marine environment stem more from acti- June, Sector 5f must allow boats to cast anchor in the two- vities along the shoreline (agriculture, deforestation, road oil, metre depth, in the place indicated by the isobath on nautical roads, abusive infrastructures, etc.) An anchor at the bottom chart LC 1235. In addition, at the outer limit of Sector 5f, of a bay is not in itself a danger. It’s quite often a necessity for on the south-east side as well, the bottom is rocky, resulting safety reasons. in poor holding power of the anchor. Since this sector is only accessible beginning on July 1, they would like the park to look into the possibility of extending the authorization to an- In relation to the comments above, the definition of Zone I in chor there to mid-June, a time when recreational boaters are the consultation document refers to “the protection of excep- in greater numbers. tional ecosystems and habitats”. To promote this among park users, GREMM believes that it is important to be clear and The Saguenay Squadron also point out that the marinas precise. In the case of Cap de Bon-Désir, Pointe Noire and situated within the boundaries of the marine park are key Pointe de l’Islet, it is more the potential conflicts with users partners in terms of ensuring that visitors have easily acces- along the shoreline than the characteristics of the habitat that sible dock spaces and the safe environment they need. Yet, have led them to being designated Zone I. GREMM suggests they note that pleasure boaters who come to the marine park that that be made very clear when the zoning plan is publici- are confronted with major restrictions. For example, the Ri- zed. vière-du-Loup marina is only accessible at high tide, the Les Grandes-Bergeronnes entrance channel becomes dangerously The upper estuary is a habitat frequented by female belugas sanded up and the breakwater at the L’Anse-Saint-Jean marina does not provide enough protection from west winds and and their newborn calves, making it a veritable nursery and north winds. They hope, to say the least, that the marinas si- hence a habitat that is vital to the recovery of the beluga po- tuated at any of the land and sea discovery sites will enjoy cer- pulation. GREMM therefore believes that this area should be tain benefits. For the time being, they find that the marinas are better protected, including a ban on daily visits by tour boats. left to their own devices and few other authorities are doing Ideally, the ban would cover the entire upper estuary. Another anything about these problems. possibility would be to ban only the areas heavily frequented by belugas (such as the Cap de la Tête au Chien or the area off Île Blanche), but that would not protect the belugas to the same extent.

The Saguenay Squadron brought up the fact that although colour coding is a good way to identify the different levels of protection in the marine park on paper, it is difficult for pleasure boaters to locate the various zones when at sea; positioning is less accurate on the water than on land, especially Saguenay St. Lawrence Marine Parc

The Société Duvetnor ltée suggests several corrections to • that the permits required for sailing schools or sailing the zoning plan so that it would have unanimous support and course cruise operators be differentiated from those for would also satisfy pleasure boaters on the south shore: marine mammal watching cruises and other activities al- • modify the western boundary of Sector 5g (perimeter lowed in the marine park. of Île Blanche), to allow boats to travel from the south • that the marine park management plan include quality channel through a narrow channel that leads to the north criteria and operator qualification criteria, in particular shore, without having to go around the eastern tip of the for sailing, to prevent impostors from operating in the reef off Île Blanche. This Île Blanche passage would eli- marine park who lack the proper qualifications, accre- minate a detour of 9 nautical miles (nearly 17 km) for ditation, insurance or material (sailboat and safety gear) boats traveling from Rivière-du-Loup or from Îles du Pot needed to provide high-quality and safe service. à l’Eau-de-Vie that want to cross over from the south • that the number of businesses operating a sailing scho- channel to the north channel. Among other things, this ol or sailing course cruises be limited, as is the case for 25 would save fuel for Société Duvetnor boats that provide other cruises, to ensure the viability of businesses that cruises called the Tournée des phares that go by Îles du Pot have been operating in the park for many years. Seniority à l’Eau-de-Vie, Cap de la Tête au Chien, Cap au Saumon (vested interests) should be a criterion, as it has been for and Long Pèlerin (ruins). The boats using this passage go the marine mammal watching tour operators. at low speeds, and never come closer than about 200 me- • that the management plan be modified to allow several tres to the shores of Île Blanche or Île aux Lièvres. The rip rap projects that are an unavoidable part of the expan- Société Duvetnor does not believe that this would disturb sion of marinas, including those at Anse-de-Roche, Anse- the marine wildlife or birds in any way; à-Benjamin and Anse-Saint-Jean, located in the Saguenay • reconfigure the anchorage near Gros Pot à l’Eau-de-Vie Fjord. These projects are vital to the growth of a type (5f). Exact GPS coordinates for the anchorage commonly of maritime tourism that is environmentally friendly in used and the corridor used to get to it could be provided terms of the capacity of the marine park and the fact that to the marine park in May 2008, with a detailed sketch. a larger number of sailboats are coming to the park. • provide, on the final zoning map, a legend that more • that Parks Canada, SÉPAQ and other groups involved in- clearly indicates the location of sectors 5e, 5f and 5g to vest directly in the above projects that improve access to clarify the boundaries for each of the zones and avoid any the marine park. misunderstandings. At the present time, the scale of Map • that Parks Canada, SÉPAQ and other groups involved in #2 is such that the exact zoning boundaries of these sec- the protection, management and international positio- tors are not clear; ning of the marine park commit in a more tangible and • in the list of exceptions, it should be added that Société proactive way to market this gem of a park to promote Duvetnor employees who harvest down and conduct in- organized development and international visibility. ventories of breeding birds can have access to Islet aux Alouettes. This takes place every year in May or early June, and is authorized by the Ministère des Ressources naturelles et de la faune, which administers the Islet aux Alouettes wildlife sanctuary.

Lastly, the École Croisière Mercator submitted the following comments: • that “sailing” be added to Table 1 (Activities Permitted Ac- cording to Zoning), under the heading Activities that don’t involve harvesting natural resources, as are sea kayaking and deep sea diving. Report of the public consultations on the Review of the Management Plan

ecological recovery. It doesn’t seem right that the marine 8 Land and Sea park receives no revenue from an industry that attracts over 300,000 visitors a year, most of them inside the 8 park. When you think that businesses that resell marine Discovery Sites tour tickets get back 15-25% of the price of the tickets in commission, it seems unfair that no money is earmarked and Experiences for park conservation and education programs. Nature Québec is not suggesting a specific formula for calcula- ting fees for cruise operators, but park authorities should GREMM is pleased with the actions proposed for discovery make it an urgent priority to look at the issue because it experiences at the marine park. They say that up until now a is a question of fairness. All park users must be treated clear action plan was missing in terms of the interpretation equally. 26 and educational activities taking place in the marine park.

Since such activities interfere with theirs, it causes them pro- Furthermore, Nature Québec indicated that actions should blems on a regular basis. They therefore encourage the team at be taken at the community level to make a larger segment of the marine park to announce its action plan promptly and to the population aware of the existence of the marine park, its work in close collaboration with community groups involved uniqueness and the various conservation and land use issues in education and interpretation. associated with the park. This group therefore recommends: Nature Québec commented that of all the discovery activi- • that a signage plan be implemented to make tourists, ties whale watching cruises are very popular and are clearly users and the general public aware of the existence of the the flagship product of the marine park, but need to be regula- marine park; ted to limit their impact on marine mammal populations, so- • that activities be planned at the community level to make mething which has already begun with regulations governing local populations more aware of the reality of the marine marine activities. Unfortunately, because of internal problems park and to promote a sense of ownership. in applying the regulations at Parks Canada, there has been no real control and the regulations are not being enforced, which The Saguenay Squadron is of the opinion that the approach diminishes the effectiveness of this protective measure and can proposed by marine park officials with respect to the lead to bad habits, given that offenders are practically sure that implementation of education and awareness programs is very they will not be caught. Nature Québec recommends: appropriate. The application of protective measures is based • that the park charge entrance fees and lower activity fees on that approach and repressive measures should be a last (family rate – rate for the entire marine park, etc.) so that resort. For that reason, this group is willing to work toward a greater number of visitors come and enjoy this public developing and implementing programs aimed at recreational land; boaters. • that discovery sites be developed at Kamouraska, Saint- André and Cacouna if the boundaries of the marine park On the same topic, the Comité de l’environnement de are extended so that they include the southern part of the Chicoutimi indicated that a number of environmental groups estuary; have expertise in the area of public information, awareness • that Parks Canada, as a responsible conservation group, and education. The Comité recommends that partnerships be find the means to enforce the regulations governing ma- developed with these associations that could help the marine rine activities in the marine park and that Fisheries and park carry out its mission. For example, projects that call for Oceans Canada take charge of enforcing it until a solu- volunteers or projects to teach young elementary students tion can be found in Parks Canada; about the Saguenay and the St. Lawrence, ecological cycles, • that, given the considerable revenue generated by the marine cruise and excursion industry, it would be reaso- etc. could also be started to the benefit of the park and its nable that this industry contribute substantially to the visitor traffic. funding of marine ecosystem research, protection and Saguenay St. Lawrence Marine Parc

In the next management plan, the concepts of Major Activity Area involved and that a funding plan be developed with all and theme site will no longer be used; the plan will focus on only levels of government; discovery sites. With the numerous existing and future discovery • that the work done on the discovery site at the quay at Pe- sites, the MRC de La Haute-Côte-Nord commented that tit-Saguenay has meant that an important acquisition for we will have to make sure that each site represents a particular the town’s population has been restored and developed. theme and is representative of the area involved and that there The quality of the work done has lived up to the commu- is no overlapping from one site to the next or from one region nity’s expectations even if some improvements still need to the next. New sites developed must complement existing to be made to the infrastructure; sites. Yvan Roy proposes that Cacouna be included as a new • that, overall, work on the Anse-Saint-Étienne discovery discovery site. In addition, the Corporation PARC Bas-St- site has not begun. It would be nice to see some tangible Laurent proposes that the feasibility of developing a discovery progress made there; site for Baie de l’Isle-Verte be studied. 27 • that development of sites at Anse-des-Petites-Îles, Cap-à- As for the new discovery site at Anse-à-la-Croix, Site de la David, Cap Blanc, Cap Noir, Petit-Saguenay and Notre- Nouvelle-France, the Municipality of Tadoussac questions Dame de l’Espace at Baie-Sainte-Catherine be part of an overall strategy; why this site was chosen, given that it is not an authentic site, commonly referred to an in situ site and is not recognized by • that, regarding the project to build a road between Pe- the Quebec Ministère de la Culture et des Communications. tit-Saguenay and Baie-Sainte-Catherine, thanks to Petit- The Municipality maintains that it has a recognized site: the Saguenay and Baie-Sainte-Catherine town officials the Poste de traite Chauvin, the first fur trading post in Canada. project was mentioned in the marine park’s first mana- This interpretation centre is a replica, but its site is authen- gement plan, in a sentence that read: “the building of a tic and was not created for shooting a film. Furthermore, the road would facilitate the flow of traffic over the territory of the marine park” [translation]; Anse-à-la-Croix site has features that are also found at Anse- Saint-Étienne (sawmill), and Petit-Saguenay (quay). • since 1984, social and economic groups in the towns of Petit-Saguenay and Baie-Sainte-Catherine have In the marine park’s management plan, the themes were sup- been proposing that this road be built between the posed to complement one another. The Municipality notes, two towns situated at the confluence of the Sague- however, that we must be careful to not present exhibitions nay and the St. Lawrence; on themes that are already found in the region. For example, • this project is a concrete and very strong response it does not see how adding Saint-Félix d’Otis adds to or en- to the demographic threat that is plaguing our terri- hances the co-ordination zone’s service offer. All the themes tory: faced with this sizable challenge, the outlying presented there are also developed at Tadoussac, and the Mu- regions must use a land-occupation strategy that nicipality says they are concerned about a possible repetition promotes combined efforts and reinforcement of of themes. the economy; • despite the fact that the project is obviously advanta- The Comité de développement économique de Petit- geous, it never saw the light of day for one and only Saguenay notes that marine park officials have proposed an one reason: the sector at the confluence of the Sa- organizational plan based on the consolidation of a tour of guenay and the St. Lawrence is divided up between discovery sites. This approach is adapted to the reality of the three administrative regions. If, historically, Baie- towns involved. More than ever, municipal authorities are in Sainte-Catherine had been part of administrative need of tangible financial support.T he partnership between region 02, for example, the two towns would have park officials and municipal authorities is a key lever. The been linked a long time ago. It is therefore a political Comité therefore emphasizes that: and not an economic problem. • that the development of discovery sites should be the subject of an implementation timetable known to all groups Report of the public consultations on the Review of the Management Plan

The Corporation de la réserve mondiale de la biosphère Efforts will have to be made to contact the teaching institutions, de Charlevoix thinks that the Charlevoix region should play tourist associations and environmental groups in the Charlevoix a greater role in the marine park. Impressed by the exhaustive region. We will also have to work with partners present in list of achievements of the marine park and its partners over the region, ask the two levels of government to implement the ten years since its creation, it finds it regrettable that more, and more diverse, infrastructures and activities there, few activities or infrastructures have been implemented in which will encourage people in the community to take part in the Charlevoix region. Yet, Baie-Sainte-Catherine, Baie-des- implementing them and develop a sense of ownership. Rochers, Port-au-Persil, Port-au-Saumon and Saint-Siméon are sites that have an abundance of exceptional natural and cultural features and great potential that, the Corporation hopes, will be developed in the coming years in collaboration 28 with partners in the community, following the example of other regions that make up the co-ordination zone, such as the Haute-Côte-Nord, Bas-Saguenay and Bas-Saint-Laurent regions. Saguenay St. Lawrence Marine Parc

Conclusion and information

A look at the results of the program of public consultations on the future of the Saguenay-St. Lawrence Marine Park reveals that it has led to a fruitful and constructive exchange of ideas between the population and the co- administrators of the marine park. The quality and relevance of the comments and suggestions received will provide food for thought for administrators as they draw up the new management plan. Once approved, the plan will be an important tool for orienting management decisions taken at the marine park and ensuring that the park continues its integration into the community. 29

For additional information on the public consultation program, please contact: Jacques Major Communications Advisor Heritage Site Planning Quebec Service Centre Parks Canada 3 passage du Chien-d’Or P.O. Box 6060, Haute-Ville Quebec City, Quebec, G1R 4V7 Telephone: 418 649-8230 Fax: 418 648-4737 Email: [email protected]

Marc Pagé,ParksCanada Photo creditsfortheinteriorpages: Marc Pagé,ParksCanada Mathieu Dupuis,Sépaq Nelson Boisvert,ParksCanada Photo creditsforthesleeve: Fax: 418235-4686 Telephone: 418235-4703extension259 G0T 2A0 Tadoussac, Quebec P.O. Box220 182, Del’ÉgliseStreet Saguenay—St. LawrenceMarinePark Internet : For allinformation,contact: www.marinepark.qc.ca Fax: 418272-1516 Telephone: 418272-1509extension221 G0V 1P0 Rivière-Éternité, Québec 91Notre-Dame Street Saguenay—St. LawrenceMarinePark

This paper contains 100% of post consumer fibre.