On Tuesday, council deferred its support of a National Marine Conservation Area (NMCA) around Prince Edward County.

The motion, brought by South Marysburgh Coun. John Hirsch, on behalf of environmental organizations South Shore Joint Initiative and Nature Canada, called for provincial and federal governments to collaborate in formally protecting the waters of our region by initiating consultations toward an NMCA feasibility study.

This measure is in recognition and response to the importance of the Great Lakes ecosystem as it, according the motion's language, “holds 84 per cent of North America’s freshwater supply, is home to over 200 species at risk, is the source of drinking water for millions of people, and is traditional and treaty territory of many Indigenous communities”).

Permitted uses of lake waters under NMCA protection would still include sustainable fishing and shipping, recreational use and Indigenous access, while prohibiting oil/gas extraction, lakebed mining, trawling, and dumping.

Local commercial fisherman David Harrison, who is also running for North Marysburgh’s Council seat, expressed the following at the meeting:

Council voted to defer the NMCA question until a future meeting of the new council in March 2023.

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