Ottawa, Ontario

On the occasion of World Oceans Day, the Honourable Gail Shea, Minister of Fisheries and Oceans, issued the following statement:

“I would like to take this opportunity to acknowledge and celebrate World Oceans Day. Initially proposed by the Government of Canada in 1992 as a way to raise awareness about the importance of our oceans and officially recognized by the United Nations in 2009, World Oceans Day is now celebrated globally every year on June 8th.

The theme for World Oceans Day for 2014 is, “Together we have the power to protect the ocean!” This is fitting given the recent announcement made by the Prime Minister on May 15, 2014, launching the National Conservation Plan, which aims to coordinate conservation efforts across our vast nation. The plan will enable Canadians to conserve and restore lands and waters in and around their communities, and help citizens living in cities connect with nature. I am proud to report that the National Conservation Plan includes funding of $37 million over five years dedicated to strengthening marine and coastal conservation.

For the past several years under the Health of the Oceans initiative, the Government has been working towards protecting unique and vulnerable marine areas, to prevent degradation to the marine environment and advance collaborative work to conserve our oceans. Since 2006 we have designated three new Marine Protected Areas: Musquash Estuary in New Brunswick, Bowie Seamount off the coast of British Columbia, and Tarium Niryutait in the Beaufort Sea.

Our government remains committed to working with stakeholders and other levels of government to ensure the health of our oceans and World Oceans Day gives us an opportunity to re-affirm the importance of our oceans to all of us. For more information about the Oceans Day activities happening across the country, please visit the Fisheries and Oceans Canada website.”