Special Marine Areas in Newfoundland and Labrador. Second Edition. January 2018. Prepared for CPAWS-NL by Nick White. CPAWS contributors Tanya Edwards and Suzanne Dooley. Cover Credits: 1 1 – Ocean Quest Adventure Resort 2 – Paul Regular 3 – CPAWS-NL 4 – Ocean Quest Adventure Resort 2 3 4 ©2018 Canadian Parks and Wilderness Society. Newfoundland and Labrador Chapter. Title: Special Marine Areas in Newfoundland and Labrador Format: Spiral bound book ISBN: 978-1-7752872-0-9 All rights reserved. No part of this work may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or any information storage and retrieval system, without expressed written permission from the publisher. CONTENTS List of Abbreviations .............................................................................................................................................................................................. 1 Acknowledgements ............................................................................................................................................................................................. 2 Summary ......................................................................................................................................................................................................................... 4 Introduction ................................................................................................................................................................................................................... 7 Why Describe Special Marine Areas? ............................................................................................................................................ 7 The Role and Approach of CPAWS-NL ........................................................................................................................................8 How To Use This Guide ................................................................................................................................................................................9 Second Edition Updates ............................................................................................................................................................................. 11 Fulfilling Our Committments ................................................................................................................................................................. 13 Policy Setting ............................................................................................................................................................................................................. 15 Land Claims Agreements......................................................................................................................................................................... 15 National Framework For Canada’s Marine Protected Areas ............................................................................... 16 Federal Network of Protected Areas ............................................................................................................................................... 17 Species At Risk......................................................................................................................................................................................................... 20 Newfoundland and Labrador Protected Areas .................................................................................................................. 21 Other Programs ..................................................................................................................................................................................................... 22 Eco-unit 1 ...................................................................................................................................................................................................................... 24 Eco-unit 2 .................................................................................................................................................................................................................... 30 Eco-unit 3...................................................................................................................................................................................................................... 33 Eco-unit 4 ...................................................................................................................................................................................................................... 37 Eco-unit 5 ...................................................................................................................................................................................................................... 41 Eco-unit 6 ..................................................................................................................................................................................................................... 45 Gulf of St. Lawrence Bioregion ................................................................................................................................................................ 47 References ................................................................................................................................................................................................................. 52 Appendix A – List of Special Marine Areas by Eco-Unit ................................................................................................ 89 Appendix B – Maps .............................................................................................................................................................................................. 91 Appendix C – Site Summary Tables ................................................................................................................................................ 107 Gulf of St. Lawrence .......................................................................................................................................................................................... 151 LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS AOI Area of Interest CBD Convention on Biological Diversity COSEWIC Committee on the Status of Endangered Wildlife in Canada CPAWS Canadian Parks and Wilderness Society CSAS Canadian Science Advisory Secretariat DFO Fisheries & Oceans Canada EBSA Ecologically and Biologically Significant Area ECCC Environment and Climate Change Canada EEZ Canada’s 200 nautical-mile Exclusive Economic Zone EHJV Eastern Habitat Joint Venture IBA Important Bird Area IUCN International Union for Conservation of Nature MBS Marine Bird Sanctuary MPA Marine Protected Area MWA Marine Wildlife Area NAFO Northwest Atlantic Fisheries Organization NMCA National Marine Conservation Area NL Newfoundland and Labrador PC Parks Canada RMA Representative Marine Area SAR Species At Risk SSAC Species Status Advisory Committee UNCLOS United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea UNEP United Nations Environment Program UNESCO United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization UNGA United Nations General Assembly VME Vulnerable Marine Ecosystem WERAC Wilderness and Ecological Reserves Advisory Council Special Marine Areas Guide 2nd Edition 3 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS We are grateful for the contributions of the following people to the research that went into this document: Melissa Abbott, Robin Anderson, Samantha Andrews, Stephen Ban, Christina Bourne, Scott Caines, Norm Catto, Emile Colpron, Geoff Coughlan, Rodolphe Devillers, Suzanne Dooley, Evan Edinger, Tanya Edwards, Dave Fifield, April Hedd, Ross Hinks, Robert Hooper, Nicole Hynes, Sabine Jessen, Johan Joensen, Tina Leonard, Greg Moore, Corey Morris, Hanna Murphy, Trish Nash, Victoria Neville, Richard Nuna, Jeri Graham, Robert Gregory, Mardi Gullage, Sigrid Kuehnemund, Stephanie Nicholl, Sheldon Peddle, Bobbi Rees, Hank Rich, Johnathan Sharpe, Jason Simms, Krista Tucker, Piotr Trela, Kathy Unger, Margaret Warren, Nadine Wells, Julie Whalen, Yolanda Wiersma, Sabina Wilhelm, Jeannine Winkel, Bryn Wood, Joe Wroblewshi and CPAWS-NL volunteers and board members past and present. We would like to thank the following organizations, institutions, Indigenous peoples, departments, and agencies for their support and contributions: ● ACAP Humber Arm ● Canadian Parks and Wilderness Society – British Columbia Chapter ● Environment and Climate Change Canada ● Fisheries and Oceans Canada ● Fish, Food and Allied Workers Union ● Government of Newfoundland and Labrador Department of Fisheries and Land Resources ● Government of Newfoundland and Labrador Department of Municipal Affairs and Environment ● Innu Nation ● Marine Institute ● Memorial University Biology ● Memorial University Geography ● Miawpukek First Nation ● Nature Conservancy Canada ● NunatuKavut ● Parks Canada ● Qalipu ● Torngat Secretariat ● World Wildlife Fund 4 Special Marine Areas Guide 2nd Edition SUMMARY The ocean surrounding Newfoundland and Labrador is rich in marine ecosystems which support marine life from the largest whales to the tiniest plankton, upon which generations of people and a cherished way of life has depended. Our province boasts the Grand Banks, with some of the Photo: