Anticosti-Mingan Marine Park

Creating a marine park means establishing a marine protected area for the benefit of the biodiversity found there, but also for the well-being of neighboring coastal communities.

Marine parks can generate significant socio-economic benefits, from creating jobs and partnerships to generating income for local communities. It's also a way of showcasing and promoting the natural and cultural heritage of the protected region and the communities living there. Moreover, as a marine protected area, a marine park facilitates the harmonization of the various activities carried out in an area, such as fishing, shipping (commercial or pleasure), recreation and tourism, research, and so on. Finally, establishing a marine park is an opportunity to become actively involved in the protection of nature for the benefit of present and future generations.

The marine and coastal waters of the Anticosti-Mingan area are inhabited by a wide variety of species, some of which are of precarious status, notably the blue whale, the North Atlantic right whale and the Atlantic wolffish. This area, rich in phytoplankton and krill, is also an important feeding ground for many other species. It is also home to various types of coastal vegetation ecosystems (macroalgae, eelgrass, coastal marshes), all of which contribute in their own way to carbon sequestration. Protecting this area through the creation of a marine park would enable a whole range of ecosystems to strengthen their resilience, and thus maintain and improve the ecosystem functions and services they provide.