The federal government says it’s protecting two colourful coral canyons off the coast of Nova Scotia.
The federal Fisheries Department says before the end of this year, the two canyons – Georges and Corsair – will be declared off limits to fishermen who use gear that is dragged or dumped on the seabed.
READ MORE: ‘We’re at risk of losing a lot of species’: The race to save Canada’s wildlife
BIO spokesman Derek Fenton says the areas are known as sensitive and important zones of the ocean.
The bottom-contact gear is deadly to corals.
In total, more than nine thousand square kilometres of ocean bottom will be protected under the Fisheries Act.
The basin also features a large assortment of anemones and sponges, creating a multi-hued carpet that stands in contrast to the grey, barren depths that represent much of the ocean floor.
READ MORE: Canadian policies on marine protection areas woefully inadequate: report
Other types of fishing will be allowed to continue, including the swordfish and tuna fisheries.
Canada has committed under the Convention on Biological Diversity to protect 10 per cent of its marine areas by 2020.
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