Canada Gives BP Okay to Explore in Marine Conservation Area
How protected is a marine refuge, really, if oil drilling is allowed?
by Brian Owens
November 27, 2020 | 650 words, about 3 minutes
Earlier this month, the Canada-Newfoundland and Labrador Offshore Petroleum Board accepted a bid from oil company BP to explore for oil and gas in an area that includes part of Atlantic Canadas largest marine conservation area.
The move to open part of the Northeast Newfoundland Slope Closure marine refugee to oil and gas exploration has alarmed conservation groups. It has also highlighted how the confusing variety of approaches that Canada is using to reach its marine conservation goals can result in wildly varying levels of protection.
In August 2019, Canada surpassed its goal of protecting 10 percent of its ocean areathe current total stands at around 14 percentand reiterated its goal of protecting 25 percent by 2025, and 30 percent by 2030. But not all protected areas contributing to this total are created equal. The Northeast Newfoundland Slope Closure, for example, is a marine refuge, not a marine protected area (MPA).
Marine refuges are established as fisheries management tools, says Jordy Thomson, senior marine coordinator at the Ecology Action Centre in Nova Scotia. They protect fish habitat from actions like bottom trawling, but they dont have the same full suite of protections as MPAs. Oil and gas drilling are not kept out.
More:
https://www.hakaimagazine.com/news/canada-gives-bp-okay-to-explore-in-marine-conservation-area/