Eastern Gulf of St. Lawrence Coral Conservation Area

To protect cold-water coral habitat.

All fishing that uses bottom-contact gear (for example bottom trawls or traps) is prohibited in the area.

The conservation area is home to many cold-water corals, which are long-lived, fragile, and slow to recover when hurt. When not protected, they can easily be damaged by fishing or other human activities that come into contact with the sea floor. The area features a high concentration of large and small sea pens. Corals form structures that act as spawning and breeding grounds, nurseries, and refuges for other aquatic species. Because of this, preserving corals could lead to an increased abundance of other species in the area.