South coast fjords could soon be protected marine area, Miawpukek First Nation says

The fjords on Newfoundland's south coast could soon become a protected conservation area. Parks Canada is beginning a feasibility study to explore the idea, alongside the federal and provincial government and Miawpukek First Nation. (Submitted by Greg Jeddore)

Members of the Miawpukek First Nation on Newfoundland's south coast are helping to lead a feasibility study to look at the creation of a new national protected marine area around the area's fjords.

Miawpukek signed a memorandum of understanding along with Qalipu First Nation and the provincial and federal governments last June to assess the potential of a conservation area around the fjords spanning more than 9,000 kilometres from the communities of McCallum to La Poile.

Greg Jeddore, a member of the Miawpukek band council, said the area features diverse marine life and carries cultural significance as a travel route.

While there hasn't been major development in the region, he said he'd like to see the area protected to ensure that it doesn't happen in the future.

"It's been a long history of the Mi'kmaq people here at Miawpukek First Nation travelling from Newfoundland to Nova Scotia, to St-Pierre [and] Miquelon, to get up to the Northern Peninsula. So it has a lot of history along there," Jeddore told CBC Radio on Tuesday.

"We have to look at areas that are sacred to the First Nations people … and try to conserve as well. Because once big industry or any other things can affect that, then it takes away that culture and then you can't get it back."

Jeddore said that the area is also used as a food source for Indigenous people who hold connections to the land.

Greg Jeddore, a member of the band council for the Miawpukek First Nation, said the area around the fjords carries cultural significance as a food source and travel route. (Submitted by Greg Jeddore)

Parks Canada will host community engagement sessions through the summer in coastal areas adjacent to the proposed protected area to provide information and gather feedback.

Jeddore said Miawpukek had done work of its own through research and knowledge gathering from Indigenous leaders before the band council was involved in the project.

"Now we begin government-to-government talks, moving things forward," he said.

"Hopefully once this is all done, it will be [a protected area], and we continue doing the Indigenous conservation and research that we've been doing for the last number of years."

The MOU will also explore the possibility of re-designating Sandbanks Provincial Park in Burgeo as a national park.

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