|
|
FUNDY
BAYKEEPER®
CONSERVATION COUNCIL OF NB
For Immediate Release
August 18, 2005
For more information,
contact:
David Thompson, Fundy Baykeeper - 635-1297; 650-5849 (cell)
Janice Harvey, Marine Conservation Director - 466-4033; 466-8653 (cell)
Fundy Baykeeper Office - 529-8838
Musquash Paddle
on Canada’s First Coastal Marine Protected Area
St. Andrews, August 18
2005 – David Thompson, the Conservation Council of New Brunswick’s
Fundy Baykeeper and coordinator of the Musquash Marine Protected Area
Campaign, invites the public to participate in this year’s Musquash
Paddle, an 11 km canoe, kayak or rowboat paddle down the Musquash
estuary west of Saint John. The Paddle will be on Saturday, August 20th
2005, beginning at 12:00, starting just above the Route #1 bridge at
Musquash and ending at Black Beach near the mouth of Musquash Harbour.
This event is one of the best ways to view Canada’s first coastal
Marine Protected Area (MPA). After seven years of campaigning, CCNB is
very pleased with the recent federal announcement that the Musquash
Estuary will finally be designated as an MPA later this year.
In 1998, the CCNB, with the support of the Fundy North Fishermen’s
Association, nominated Musquash as an MPA under the new Canadian Oceans
Act, and launched its Musquash MPA Campaign. In 2000, the federal
Minister of Fisheries and Oceans gave Musquash the status of "Area of
Interest," the first step to full protection. In June 2005, proposed
Musquash MPA regulations were published in the Canada Gazette. Final
publication is expected this fall, thus legislating protection in
perpetuity for this important estuary.
The Musquash River remains relatively undeveloped. The main stem of the
river contains the largest salt marsh left on the New Brunswick side of
the Bay of Fundy, and citizen’s efforts over the years have prevented
major industrial developments from establishing in the harbour. The
Musquash Paddle has been held annually for the past seven years to give
people a first hand look at the proposed MPA. Pre-registration is
preferred but not required, however paddlers must provide their own
boats and lifejackets. To register or for more information, phone the
Fundy Baykeeper office at 529-8838 or visit the website, www.fundybaykeeper.org.
The Conservation Council of New Brunswick is New Brunswick’s
oldest and foremost environmental organization.
The
Fundy Baykeeper® is a program of the
Conservation Council of New Brunswick, a membership-based environmental
non-profit organization, and a member of the Waterkeeper Alliance.
Baykeeper is a
registered trademark and service mark of
Waterkeepers Northern California and is licensed for use herein.
|
|
|
