Fisheries committee  Limit shipping to 75%...? I think—

Fisheries committee  No, not quite. If you establish an MPA in an area, 75% of that area should be free from activities that are going to harm the biodiversity conservation objective.

Fisheries committee  Thanks. I'm really not the person to answer that question, unfortunately, but I do appreciate your focus on what is known as shifting baselines. You heard from Dr. Daniel Pauly who invented that term. I just want to say it wasn't only when John Cabot came here. When the habitat p

Fisheries committee  I don't have the numbers in front of me. They're in the environment committee's recent report, “Taking Action Today”. It has a lot of good up-to-date figures. I think it's less than 2% when you put all of the federal marine protected areas together. The Oceans Act is actually le

Fisheries committee  They're not designated under one of the federal acts. That's why they're not counted.

Fisheries committee  Sure. I work for a non-profit that has several associated organizations. One is an association, and that's why I'm testifying here today. It does not receive money for advocacy. There's also a research foundation that has received money from the foundations that were referred to

Fisheries committee  The Oceans Act is pretty clear. That's what your study is about: the Oceans Act MPAs. Section 35 gives five reasons for establishing a marine protected area for “special protection”. That's special protection of habitat or species, or for any other reason the minister designates.

Fisheries committee  The other organizations that are associated—

Fisheries committee  I'm just explaining that—

Fisheries committee  The research foundation has accepted funds.

Fisheries committee  Oil and gas exploration.... There is one Oceans Act MPA in Canada that actually allows oil and gas exploration in the Arctic. I think some forms of bottom-contact fisheries should be automatically prohibited, or at least prohibited according to IUCN guidance. In 75% of the area

Fisheries committee  Yes, but seismic testing doesn't disturb the bottom and it's not only fish we're concerned about. Marine mammals concern us and they're highly affected. You can shatter a whale's eardrum with seismic testing, so there are a number of activities that could be restricted.

Fisheries committee  Not from WWF, but yes it has from the Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation and Tides Canada. I should be clear that I'm testifying here today as a representative of West Coast Environmental Law Association, which is not a charity. It is a non-profit.

Fisheries committee  Great.

Fisheries committee  Thank you, Mr. Chair. Good morning to you, and to the committee members. I'm pleased to be here today to talk about this critical issue. We believe that amended legal provisions in the Oceans Act can help speed up the slow pace of ocean protection. Law is one of the solutions,