Audubon Applauds Canada’s Commitment to Invest in Arctic Marine Protections
Announcement made after Madame Diana Fox Carney’s first visit to Canada’s Arctic as Ocean Envoy
On October 27, 2026, Canada made a commitment to protect an additional three percent of its marine and ocean areas by the end of 2027. It is one in a series of announcements made as Madame Diana Fox Carney—Canada's Ocean Envoy and Chair of the 12th Our Ocean Conference—concludes her first visit to Nunavut.
Audubon welcomes these commitments and celebrates the pledge to complete at least two new ocean conservation agreements that incorporate long-term financing strategies like the Project Finance for Permanence (PFP). The Qikiqtani Inuit Association (QIA) is one of the global champions of marine conservation in the Arctic, and their involvement will be a crucial component for long term success. Marine conservation projects in places like Hudson and James Bay and along the coast of Newfoundland and Labrador will also be crucial to achieving Canada’s commitment. With over 170,000 km2 in additional Inuit-led and Indigenous-led marine protected areas, these efforts bring over 20 percent of Canada’s ocean waters under protection, moving the country closer to its goal of conserving 30 percent of its lands and waters by 2030.
The Arctic’s marine environments encompass some of the world’s most ecologically significant habitats. They include calving areas for narwhals and belugas, as well as breeding grounds for billions of migratory birds. Long-distance traveling shorebirds like the American Golden-Plover, Red-necked Phalaropes, and Semipalmated Sandpipers breed along Arctic shores in Canada and Alaska before traveling thousands of miles to their nonbreeding grounds in South America, including the coasts of Peru, Colombia, Argentina, and Brazil. Bird enthusiasts across southern Canada and the U.S. look forward each winter to the arrival of Arctic breeding songbirds like the Redpoll, Snow Bunting, and American Tree Sparrow as well as the iconic Snowy Owl.
“The news out of the Arctic of Canada this week is exciting! The Arctic hosts such a wide array of amazing birds and other wildlife,” said Dr. Jeff Wells, Vice President of Audubon’s Canada Program. “For example, it supports migratory superstars like the Arctic Tern that trace the world’s oceans from pole to pole in their epic journeys every year. Investing in protections for the Arctic region of Canada is a globally significant decision that deserves world support.”
These remarkable journeys illustrate why protecting Arctic marine and coastal habitats matters far beyond Canada’s borders. Safeguarding these ecosystems helps sustain bird populations and the interconnected habitats they depend on throughout the Western Hemisphere.
Audubon looks forward to continuing our support for Indigenous- and Inuit-led conservation efforts, including the conservation efforts of the QIA and other organizations. In addition, Audubon looks forward to engaging in the One Ocean and Global Indigenous Summits, sharing our expertise in hemispheric conservation strategy. We applaud Madame Fox Carney’s leadership in exploring opportunities for collaboration and we welcome Canada’s commitment to advancing marine conservation, recognizing the importance of sustained investment and Indigenous leadership in protecting the ocean ecosystems on which communities, birds, and wildlife depend.
