Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO) has worked with partners and ocean users to develop a draft conservation network plan for the Scotian Shelf-Bay of Fundy Bioregion. This work led to the 2017 draft conservation network plan. The draft plan was updated after targeted consultations from 2021 to 2022. The latest draft reflects new science information on climate change, updated human-use activities (such as fisheries data), and feedback from consultations.

This dataset includes the latest existing and proposed conservation sites in the Scotian Shelf-Bay of Fundy Bioregion.

Existing sites:

-Marine Protected Areas (MPAs)

-Marine refuges

-Migratory bird sanctuary, National Wildlife area and National Park with marine components

Proposed sites:

-Areas of Interest (AOIs) and their lead agency

-Tier 1 sites are a higher priority for implementation because of their ecological characteristics and/or feasibility considerations, such as interest from Rightsholders, other levels of government, marine users and stakeholders. Some of these sites could be selected for advancement by 2030. The lead federal agency is specified for most Tier 1 sites.

-Tier 2 sites are also important contributions to the conservation network, but will not be considered for advancement by 2030. Most of these sites require more research and information on ecological features and human uses before implementation.

Proposed conservation sites:

1 Cobequid Bay

2 Southern Bight

3 Chignecto Bay

4 Salmon Rivers

5 Bay of Fundy Horse Mussel Aggregations

6 Maces Bay

7 Deadmans Harbour

8 Bocabec Bay – Midjic Bluff

9 Oak Bay

10 Tongue Shoal

11 Pendleton – Little L’Etete Passage

12 Simpsons Island – White Horse Island

13 Head Harbour Passage

14 Western Passage North

15 Western Passage South

16 South Campobello

17 The Wolves – Wolves Bank

18 Northwest Grand Manan

19 Long Island Bay – Great Duck Island

20 North of Nantucket Island

21 Grand Harbour

22 Seal Cove – Long Pond Bay

23 Southern Head

24 Three Islands

25 Old Proprietor Shoal – The Prong

26 Brier Island

27 Lurcher Shoal

28 Chebogue

29 Eel Bay

30 McNutts Island

31 Pemsɨk

32 LaHave Islands

33 Sambro Ledges – Prospect

34 Martinique Beach and Musquodoboit Harbour

35 St. Mary’s (Napu’saqnuk) River and Estuary

36 Country Island

37 Canso Ledges – Sugar Harbour Islands

38 MacNamaras Island

39 Fleur-de-Lis Coast

40 Bird Islands

41 Ingonish Bays

42 Aspy Bay

43 Bras d’Or Lake

44 Southwest Bank

45 Western Jordan Basin

46 Georges Bank

47 LaHave Basin

48 Scotian Gulf

49 Central Scotian Slope, Rise and Abyss

50 Emerald Basin Extension

51 Inner Shelf Sea Pen Field

52 Sable Island Bank North

53 Sable Island Bank South

54 Logan Canyon

55 Canso Bank and Channels

56 Misaine Bank and Laurentian Channel

57 Eastern Shoal

58 Cold Seeps

Boundaries are preliminary and subject to change following public consultation.