Marine protected areas for whales, dolphins, and porpoises: a world ...

Habitat Protection for Cetaceans around the World 117
Notes and rationale For more information
• Rationale is to create a biocultural marine reserve to protect diverse • Bleakley and Alexander,
and fragile Arctic ecosystems including extensive critical habitat for 1995
marine mammals and seabirds along the polar ice; polar ice
supports the basis of the Arctic marine food web.
• In 1995, Bleakley and Alexander made a strong recommendation for
the creation of this land- and marine-based park.
• Conflicts and problems in the area include oil and gas exploration
and development, marine traffic, mining, military activities including
nuclear-powered transport and nuclear waste disposal.
• Rationale is to protect diverse Arctic ecosystems and the Barents Sea, • Bleakley and Alexander,
one of the most productive areas in the Arctic. 1995
• Special features include the productive ice edge.
• Initially proposed by Norwegian NGOs, the Barents Sea park was
also a regional priority recommendation in Bleakley and
Alexander (1995).
• Conflicts and problems in the area include oil and gas exploration
and development, marine traffic and dumping of nuclear wastes.
• Rationale is that the Bering Strait between Alaska and Russia serves • Bleakley and Alexander,
as an international crossroads for wildlife and indigenous people 1995; Melnikov and
and is one of the most biologically productive ecosystems in the Zagrebin, 2000; Newell and
region. Wilson, 1996; Stepanitsky,
• In 1988, IUCN member nations passed a resolution to encourage 2003
the US and Russia to designate the area as a World Heritage Site,
and the protection of the area was endorsed by US and Russian
leaders at the 1990 and 1992 summits. US portion of the park
would include the existing Bering Land Bridge and Noatak national
preserves and the Cape Krustenstern and Kobuk Valley national
monuments, while a new park on the Chukotsk Peninsula would
form part of the Russian contribution. Both Bleakley and
Alexander (1995) and Newell and Wilson (1996) recommend
creating this land- and marine-based park and note that the
park would include several biodiversity hot spots, including
Providenskiye Fjords and Tundra, Bol’shoy Diomid and Maliy
Diomid Islands. In 2003, Stepanitsky (2003) wrote that Beringia
National Park is planned for designation in 2010.
See also Tables 5.7 and 5.19
for more Canadian MPAs.
• Coburg Island and the surrounding waters were made an NWA in • Contact: Nirjutiqavvik NWA;
1995; in 1997 WWF Canada proposed that this area be upgraded to web: www.newparks
provide effective protection for marine wildlife and habitats. They north.org/nirjucws.htm
called for banning of bottom trawling and dragging, large-scale • WWF Canada, 245 Eglinton
dredging and non-renewable resource development which under the Ave E, 410, Toronto, Ont
current system can be done through permits. M4P 2Z7, Canada;
web: www.wwf.ca