3 out of 7 is still a victory for avian conservation
IBAs falling outside the new protected areas’ boundaries are The Backway IBA, Goose Brook IBA, Gannet Islands IBA and the Northeast Groswater Bay IBA. While the Gannet Islands IBA is actually protected as part of the provincial Gannet Islands Ecological Reserve, safeguarding habitats for globally significant concentrations of breeding Atlantic Puffin, Razorbill and Common Murre, habitats for species found in the remaining IBAs will not see stronger protection. Species found in the ‘unprotected’ IBAs include Canada Goose (during migration), Atlantic Puffin and Razorbill (globally significant concentrations), Leach’s Storm-Petrel (west Atlantic population) and both Common and Thick-billed Murres.
The Migratory Birds Convention Act protects most of Canada’s bird species and their nests from harm, but fails to protect their habitat outside of designated Migratory Bird Sanctuaries (and even within them, any “protection” is weak). Protected areas such as National Wildlife Areas, Marine Wildlife Areas, National Parks, National Marine Conservation Areas and Marine Protected Areas can protect habitat for a variety of different bird species on land, in aquatic environments and offshore.
Find out what you can do to help secure habitat protection for all of Canada’s IBAs by visiting the IBA Canada website.
Map courtesy of Parks Canada and Newfoundland & Labrador Environment and Conservation