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Welcome
Welcome to the Gilbert Bay Marine Protected Area Homepage. Here you will find information about the landscape of Gilbert Bay and some of the marine life in this area. Read through the Communities and People page to learn about the culture of the area and the activities that take place here. There is much information available about the Gilbert Bay Marine Protected Area on this website, as well as many pictures that show the natural beauty in and around Gilbert Bay. Please take the time to view our site, look at the pictures, and stop by our guestbook too.
Gilbert Bay is a narrow inlet located on Labrador’s southeast coast. This area is a relatively remote region of the province of Newfoundland and Labrador that is rich in culture and has its roots closely linked to both the land and ocean resources. The population of the southeast region of Labrador is approximately 3,000 people, a significant portion of which are aboriginal people of Inuit and European descent known as Métis.
Residents in the surrounding communities of Port Hope Simpson and William’s Harbour have known for some time that the cod population in Gilbert Bay was different and distinct from cod populations located elsewhere. Concerned over the decline in the cod population within Gilbert Bay, the local residents expressed their concerns to various government authorities and requested that action be taken to protect the Gilbert Bay cod.
Scientists studying the cod in Gilbert Bay, later confirmed that this particular sub-species of cod was unique to the area. In fact, much of the information presented on this website was procured in part from the scientific publications written as a result of the research conducted in Gilbert Bay. A list of these publications can be found on our Research and Academia page.
Also, while most of the pictures used on the Gilbert Bay website have been taken and provided by DFO, some pictures have also been provided by other sources. These sources include, in alphabetical order:
In 1998, DFO began the first of several consultations to determine the suitability of designating Gilbert Bay as a Marine Protected Area (MPA) under Canada’s Oceans Act.
In October of 2000, Gilbert Bay officially became an Area of Interest (AOI). This provided enhanced protection measures for the area on a short-term basis. A comprehensive examination of the area was undertaken to determine the feasibility of designating Gilbert Bay as a MPA. Subsequent biophysical and ecological research conducted helped validate the case for designating Gilbert Bay as a MPA when features, other than a unique cod population, were identified.
In 2001 the Gilbert Bay Steering Committee (GBSC) was established to provide a forum to represent the opinions of local residents, identify issues and concerns, facilitate discussions, engage in consultations, and offer advice to help move the MPA designation process forward.
In 2003 the Minister of Fisheries and Oceans accepted the recommendation that the Gilbert Bay AOI proceed to the next step in the National Framework for Establishing and Managing Marine Protected Areas. A draft Management Plan and Regulations were developed accordingly.
On October 11, 2005, Minister of Fisheries and Oceans, Geoff Regan, officially announced the designation of Gilbert Bay as a Marine Protected Area. The Gilbert Bay MPA was designated along with two other AOIs, Eastport (Bonavista Bay, Newfoundland), and Basin Head (Prince Edward Island).
With the Gilbert Bay MPA now officially designated, the GBSC is still highly involved with the project. Currently the committee is working on the implementation of the management plan that has been created for the Gilbert Bay MPA, as well as on other issues related to the project.
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