Thank you, Mr. Chair.
Ladies and gentlemen, my name is Philippe Archambault. I am a full professor at Université Laval and the Canada Research Chair in biodiversity and the behaviour of transforming marine ecosystems. I'm also scientific director of the Canadian ArcticNet network, one of the world's largest Arctic research networks. In all of these positions, I work directly with fishers' associations in the St. Lawrence and the Arctic, as well as with local communities.
Marine protected areas have a direct impact on coastal communities, especially those that depend on fisheries and resources. That said, it is essential to remember that, outside commercial fisheries, the central role of fisheries in food security, culture and the continuity of traditional knowledge in many indigenous communities in the Arctic, as well as on the Pacific and Atlantic coasts.
The stability of commercial fisheries as a livelihood depends directly on the state of marine ecosystems. International and Canadian scientific synthesis shows that in highly protected areas, fish biomass can be two to five times higher than outside protected areas, and the average size of fish increases, which significantly enhances reproductive potential. This doesn't just benefit commercial markets; it also increases the availability of resources for communities who depend on the sea for their livelihood.
Let me give you a simple analogy. A marine protected area is like a bank account, a savings account. The spawning fish you protect and retain is your capital. The fish and juveniles that come out of the area and support the surrounding fisheries are your interest. If you consume all your capital, there's no more interest. I'm sure you'd rather live on your interest than eat into your capital.
The effectiveness evaluation of marine protected areas is based on scientific and regulatory methods recognized in Canada and around the world.
First is regulatory compliance. A protected area can only be effective if those rules are followed. It's very important.
Second is ecological monitoring. According to the International Union for Conservation of Nature recommendations, the assessment includes size of fish, abundance of species, biodiversity, state of sensitive habitats such as corals—species of fish will spawn on these corals—and habitat behaviour.
The Department of Fisheries and Oceans, in co-operation with universities, industries and research networks, uses scientific harvests for this monitoring, and there should be more of these harvests. Analysis published in scholarly journals, such as Science, shows significant increases in biomass, size and diversity in protected areas. These references serve as a comparative framework for our performance in Canadian waters.
Third, the adequacy of marine protected area objectives must be assessed. Under the Oceans Act, each area must have specific and consistent objectives.
Fourth, the assessment is based on adaptive management, meaning the possibility of adjusting limits or rules based on new scientific data. This principle is in line with Canada's commitments under the convention on biological diversity and the Kunming-Montreal global biodiversity framework, both of which focus on measurable effectiveness, not the area to be protected.
To summarize, the effectiveness of a marine protected area is measured not by size but by adherence to rules, improved ecological indicators, consistency of objectives and adaptability.
In closing, I'd like to talk about the Arctic.
In the Arctic, the challenges of marine protected areas go far beyond conservation. As everyone knows, geopolitical tensions in the Arctic have intensified. In this context, active governance of Arctic spaces is a core issue of sovereignty.
Marine protected areas fall directly under the United Nations convention on the law of the sea, which Canada has signed. This convention recognizes the sovereign rights of coastal states over their exclusive economic zone and continental shelf, while forcing members to protect and preserve the marine environment.
For example, the designation and active management of marine protected areas in the Arctic, such as Tuvaijuittuq or Tallurutiup Imanga, is an actual exercise of Canadian jurisdiction. They demonstrate an ability to regulate, monitor and manage these spaces in a rapidly changing strategic context.
Scientific monitoring associated with marine protected areas, whether it be biodiversity, seabed, ocean conditions or human activities, also contributes to operational knowledge of the territory for defence purposes. This knowledge supports civilian governance, but also indirectly strengthens maritime security and surveillance capacity in the north.
In an environment where international competition for access and influence in the Arctic has increased, marine protected areas are not just environmental tools: They're a structuring instrument of state presence, stability and international credibility.
Thank you.
