06/06/2026
The St. Anns Bank (SAB) is a culturally and ecologically important area for the Mi’kmaq. In 2017, it was designated as a Marine Protected Area (MPA) to protect biodiversity.
Using Etuaptmumk, the Mi’kmaq of Nova Scotia and DFO have been managing this MPA together and deciding what kind of science and activities can occur in this MPA. To date, we’ve collected environmental DNA (eDNA) in water samples to find out what animals are present here. A wide variety of marine mammals - like orcas, white-beaked dolphins and porpoises - and 56 species of fish are using this area, often to migrate between the St. Lawrence and the waters close to Unama’ki.
Earth Keepers from also helped deploy acoustic receivers on the seafloor to pick-up signals from these animals to help us better understand their movements between these different areas.
To learn more, join us tomorrow June 7th, from 12-4pm at the wharf in Iona for the annual Aros Na Mara event. Scientists and Earth Keepers will be there to demonstrate marine science and talk about the SAB MPA.
