Lower North Shore

Located in the northeastern part of the St. Lawrence River, the coastal and marine waters of the Lower North Shore are home to a rich biocultural heritage and the most climate-change resistant marine zone in the entire Gulf of St. Lawrence.

Why Protect This Area?

From the western end of the Strait of Belle Isle to the eastern end of the Mecatina Trough, the cold marine waters of the Lower North Shore are home to an impressive biodiversity. Four species of dolphin, three species of seal, four species of rorqual whale, more than a dozen species of seabird, over 60 species of fish, molluscs, crustaceans, etc. have all been observed here. This relatively undeveloped area is a haven of tranquillity for the marine biodiversity that inhabits the Gulf of St. Lawrence.

Furthermore, thanks to the presence of the Mecatina Trough, a nearly 200-metre-deep bassin that receives and retains the cold waters of the Labrador Current, this marine area is recognized by scientists as the most resistant to the warming of the waters in the Gulf of St. Lawrence resulting from climate change in the Gulf of St. Lawrence.

The region's coastal zone has also been inhabited for thousands of years. Several archaeological sites bear witness to the use of this environment by various peoples throughout history, including the Innu, Inuit and Europeans (notably the French, Portuguese, Spanish and Basques). Northerners have also long practiced transhumance, a seasonal nomadic way of life that takes them to the islands in summer and to the mainland in winter to carry out subsistence activities such as fishing and hunting. A variety of fishing activities, including lobster and snow crab fishing, still take place in the region.

Key Information

Exceptional region for marine biodiversity

Traditional way of life marked by transhumance activities

Resilience to marine temperature increases in the Gulf of St. Lawrence

SNAP Québec's Work in the Lower North Shore

In 2023, SNAP Québec published a roadmap to pave the way for the protection of 30% of Quebec's marine and coastal environments by 2030. Seven major areas of interest were identified, including the marine sector of the Lower North Shore, which is also currently unrepresented in Quebec's network of marine protected and conserved areas.

In 2024, SNAP Québec also submitted this large area of conservation interest to the Quebec government as part of its call for protected area projects. As processes part of this call for projects are ongoing until 2027, SNAP Québec will continue to advocate for the marine protected area proposals under discussion in this sector. We will support local project proponents and carry out mobilization, awareness-raising and communications activities to highlight the importance of preserving the marine environments of the Lower North Shore, thereby fostering the social acceptability of establishing these marine protected areas.