Conserving Life in Canada’s Oceans

Canada is bordered by three oceans—the Atlantic, Pacific, and Arctic—that together give it the world’s longest shoreline and jurisdiction over approximately 3.3 million square miles of marine habitat that are as diverse and full of life as they are vast. This biodiversity and abundance support a unique way of life for all Canadians including more than a million Indigenous people, who have sustained their communities with hunting and fishing for thousands of years.

The Pew Charitable Trusts’ Conserving Life in Canada’s Oceans worked to protect the rich diversity of life in Canada’s oceans through partnerships with Canada-based scientists, conservation and fishing organizations, Indigenous communities, and government agencies. Together, we advanced policies to establish marine protected areas; safeguard environmentally sensitive regions of the Arctic Ocean from industrial fishing, offshore energy development, and shipping; and promoted science-based conservation measures for commercial fisheries. 

In 2023, Pew launched the new Conservation Canada project to continue working with Indigenous and other partners to protect Canada’s lands and waters.