Sarvarjuaq Marine Protected Area Order

Summary#

The federal government published a proposal on December 21, 2024 to create the Order Designating the Sarvarjuaq Marine Protected Area under the Oceans Act. Fisheries officials say the Order would “freeze the footprint” of human activity in the area for up to 5 years, letting existing uses continue while preventing most new activities.

What it does#

• Designates a new marine protected area (MPA) in the North Water Polynya / Nares Strait region. The area includes the seabed, the water column and sea ice, and the subsoil to a depth of 5 metres.
• Freezes new activities inside the MPA for up to 5 years, while allowing:
  • activities that lawfully occurred in the 12 months before designation (or were already authorized) to continue;
  • Inuit activities protected under the Nunavut Agreement;
  • marine scientific research and activities for public safety, national defence, national security, law enforcement, or emergency response;
  • laying, maintenance and repair of cables or pipelines by a foreign state (explicit exemption).
• Lists classes of ongoing activities that would be allowed to continue, such as hunting and trapping, fishing, sea-ice structures, marine navigation, tourism, research, Canadian Coast Guard and Department of National Defence activities, and community-based stewardship work.
• Says the short-term MPA would support work toward long-term protection options, including an Inuit Protected and Conserved Area (IPCA).
• The proposal was published for comment and interested people have 30 days from the publication date (December 21, 2024) to provide input.

Who's affected#

• Local Inuit organizations and governments involved in planning and management, including Qikiqtani Inuit Association, the Government of Nunavut, and Fisheries and Oceans Canada.
• Nearby communities named in consultations: Grise Fiord, Resolute Bay, Arctic Bay, Clyde River, Pond Inlet, and Qikiqtarjuaq.
• People and businesses already using the area: small-scale harvesters, outfitters and tour operators, scientific researchers, shipping and resupply vessels, and the Canadian Coast Guard and Department of National Defence.
• Commercial fishing that has taken place (notably Greenland halibut and shrimp authorizations in overlapping zones) will generally be able to continue if it was active or authorized before designation.
• Oil, gas and large-scale mining interests are unlikely to be affected in the short term because the area has low to very low development potential and a moratorium on new exploration applies nearby until 2028.
• If you are unsure whether a specific activity would be allowed, the proposal lists the allowed classes of activity and says Inuit rights under the Nunavut Agreement are not affected.

Why it matters#

• The area protects a highly productive Arctic polynya (the North Water / Sarvarjuaq), an ecological hotspot used for hunting, travel and culture by Inuit and as habitat for species such as bowhead whales, narwhal, walrus and many seabirds. The polynya area is about 80,000 km² and supports large bird aggregations and important marine mammals.
• The Order is a temporary tool to stop the start of new, potentially harmful uses while more permanent, Indigenous-led protection (like an IPCA) can be worked out. It also gives researchers time to gather data to inform long-term decisions.
• It contributes 1.28% toward Canada’s marine conservation targets and supports broader national goals (Canada’s targets of 25% by 2025 and 30% by 2030 are cited in the proposal).
• Enforcement is possible: the Oceans Act penalties cited in the proposal include maximum fines of $8,000,000 for summary conviction offences and $12,000,000 for indictable offences for contraventions of regulations.
• The proposal is open for public comment for 30 days after publication (December 21, 2024). This is a consultation-stage notice, not a final law; final designation would follow further steps and possible agreements with Inuit partners.