Time to help protect the southern Georgia Strait

Have you written your letter to Parks Canada about moving the feasibility process along to create permanent protection for the incredible, amazing, unique and essential marine environment of the southern Strait of Georgia?  Here's some help in making it happen! (With thanks to Canadian Parks and Wilderness Committee!)

Feel free to copy and paste parts of this letter to make it easier to write your own. Yours can be as brief and to the point or as long and elaborate as you like.

You can compose and post your letter here.

The Georgia Strait will love you for it!

Subject: Southern Strait of Georgia Marine Conservation Area (NMCA)

To whom it may concern:

I am writing this letter to show my strong support for the establishment of the proposed National Marine Conservation Area in the southern Georgia Strait.  The body of water that lies within the current proposed NMCA boundary is very special to me because… (I live there, I visit there, I take the ferry across all the time, I have watched whales there, I take visitors there, I have a cabin ... (you get the point). I love the ocean, I value the ocean ecosystem, I care about the marine species... I want my children, grandchildren to be able to experience this amazing environment, etc..  For some reminders, see our website. www.georgiastrait.org)

I support the proposed NMCA because it will protect and maintain the integrity of the marine environment in the most threatened ecosystem in Canada. It will also ensure that the multitude of ongoing marine activities are managed in an ecologically sustainable manner.

I support the primary goals of the NMCA proposal stated by Parks Canada as 'conservation, public understanding, appreciation, and enjoyment" (Parks Canada, Project Update 2012).

See 10 benefits of an NMCA

In addition to my support for its establishment, I would like to add:

(Add as many as you would like)

• The NMCA should be as large as possible in order to facilitate the appropriate zoning for bothconservation and sustainable use. 
• I urge the inclusion of the large rectangular area just off Galiano and Valdes Islands that is 'cut out' of the current proposed boundary. 
• The NMCA should extend up to the high tide line and include important near-shore ocean habitats. 
• The NMCA should encompass areas adjacent to existing provincial parks (these areas are currently excluded) to ensure effective management of the entire marine area. 
• Parks Canada should assume management responsibility for the entire NMCA upon establishment, as opposed to the proposed “phased implementation” plan.  I am concerned that a phased implementation approach will leave important marine areas without protection and fragment the integrated management of the area.
• I support the need for a network of core 'no take' areas  to be included in the NMCA.  Prominent scientists and marine experts have recommended that at least 30% of  each Canadian marine bioregion should be zoned as 'reserves' or 'no take' areas in order to achieve conservation and fisheries benefits. (CPAWS,2011, Science Based Guidelines for Marine  Protected Area and MPA Networks in Canada). In the Southern Strait of Georgia NMCA, a network of 'no take' areas will act as nurseries to increase the number of fish, prevent habitat damage, allow depleted species to recover and allow for a diversity of life to flourish and serve as educational and recreational resources.

Thank you for taking the time to consider the above feedback and your continued efforts to protect the southern Strait of Georgia marine ecosystem.

Sincerely,

[your name]

• (Thanks from all of us who love the Georgia Strait too!)