Industrial activities will no longer be allowed to take place within Marine Protected Areas in Canada.
Effective as of today, the federal government has banned all industrial activities within the zones in an effort to meet coastal protection targets.
Currently, Canada is at 8.2 percent of its promise to protect 10 percent of Canada’s oceans and coasts by 2020.
The new prohibition will ban activities such as oil and gas development, though they may still be allowed in marine refuges pending environmental assessment.
Bottom trawl fishing for commercial or recreational purposes are also banned within the MPAs.
