Proposed Qikiqtait Marine Protected Area Order

Summary#

The federal government is proposing an Order to create the Qikiqtait Marine Protected Area in the waters around the Belcher Islands in southeast Hudson Bay. The proposal, made by Fisheries and Oceans Canada, would temporarily “freeze the footprint” of new activities for up to 5 years, while allowing existing and Inuit-authorized activities to continue. Interested people and groups have 30 days to comment on the proposal.

What it does#

• Designates a stretch of Hudson Bay around the Belcher Islands as the Qikiqtait Marine Protected Area under the Oceans Act.
• Covers the water column, the seabed and the subsoil down to 5 metres below the seabed, including sea ice.
• Freezes the introduction of new human activities in the area for up to 5 years. During that time:
  • Activities that were lawfully happening in the 12 months before designation (or already authorized) may continue.
  • Inuit activities protected by the Nunavut Agreement and the Nunavik Agreement remain allowed.
  • Marine scientific research and activities for public safety, national defence, national security, law enforcement, or emergency response are allowed.
• Lists classes of activities that are considered “ongoing” and therefore permitted to continue, including:
  • hunting and trapping; fishing; harvesting marine plants;
  • temporary structures on sea ice; marine navigation; defence and Coast Guard operations;
  • tourism, recreation, education, and filming; travel over sea ice; community-based and scientific research; and activities using Inuit knowledge (Inuit Qaujimajatuqangit).
• Prohibits new activities not in those allowed classes if they would disturb, damage, remove or destroy unique geological or archaeological features, living marine organisms, or their habitat.
• If made final and registered, the Order comes into force on the day of registration.

Who's affected#

• The nearby community of Sanikiluaq and regional Indigenous organizations such as the Qikiqtani Inuit Association (QIA) — the area is important to Inuit harvesting and food security.
• Local fishers and groups interested in developing a commercial fishery (noted interest in scallops, sea cucumbers and possibly sea urchins).
• Researchers, tourism and shipping operators who work in or plan to work in the Belcher Islands area.
• Federal departments involved in marine management and enforcement, led by Fisheries and Oceans Canada.
• The proposal falls entirely inside the Nunavut Settlement Area, so Inuit rights and land-claims processes (for example approvals by the Nunavut Wildlife Management Board) apply.
• The department says current economic activity in the area is minimal and that the Order, with its listed exemptions, is unlikely to create new costs for most local people or businesses.

Why it matters#

• The area contains recurring polynyas (areas of open water in sea ice) and other features that support key Arctic species such as polar bears, belugas, walrus, seals, migratory Arctic char and large seabird colonies. Protecting it helps safeguard food sources and hunting grounds that matter to local Inuit communities.
• The temporary freeze gives time to gather more science and local knowledge, and to explore longer-term protection options — including an Indigenous Protected and Conserved Area (IPCA) that would be Inuit-led.
• The proposal contributes 0.74% toward Canada’s 2025 marine conservation target, and it supports national goals of 25% by 2025 and 30% by 2030 for ocean protection.
• Enforcement would be handled by DFO and could include substantial penalties for contraventions under the Oceans Act (penalties noted in the source include up to $8,000,000 for summary offences and $12,000,000 for indictable offences).
• This is a proposal, not final law. The public and stakeholders have 30 days from the notice to submit comments before a final decision is made.