Laurentian Channel

{{Short description|Underwater valley in the Gulf of Saint Lawrence}} {{for|the underground aquifer spanning from Georgian Bay to High Park in Toronto|Laurentian River System}} {{Infobox body of water | name = Laurentian Channel | native_name = | native_name_lang = | other_name = | image = | alt = | caption = | image_bathymetry = | alt_bathymetry = | caption_bathymetry = | location = Gulf of Saint Lawrence | group = | coordinates = {{coord|48|30|00|N|62|00|00|W|region:CA_type:waterbody_scale:100000|display =inline,title}} | type = Undersea Feature, Valley | etymology = | part_of = Saint Lawrence River, Gulf of Saint Lawrence | inflow = | rivers = Saint Lawrence River | outflow = | oceans = Atlantic Ocean | catchment = | basin_countries = Canada | agency = | designation = | date-built =  | engineer = | date-flooded =  | length = {{convert|750|nmi|km+mi}} | width = {{convert|30|nmi|km+mi}} | area = {{convert|35840|km2|mi2}}<ref name= "MPA">{{cite web | url = https://www.dfo-mpo.gc.ca/oceans/mpa-zpm/laurentian-laurentien/index-eng.html | title = Laurentian Channel Marine Protected Area (MPA) | publisher = Government of Canada, Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO) | accessdate = 30 December 2019 }}</ref> | depth = | max-depth = | volume = | residence_time = | salinity = | shore = | elevation = | temperature_high = | temperature_low = | frozen = | islands = | islands_category = | sections = | trenches = | benches = | cities = | pushpin_map = Canada | pushpin_label_position =  | pushpin_map_alt = | pushpin_map_caption = | website = | reference = [http://www4.rncan.gc.ca/search-place-names/unique/MAFLU Geographical Names of Canada - Laurentian Channel] }}

The '''Laurentian Channel'''<ref name = "geo">[http://www4.rncan.gc.ca/search-place-names/unique/MAFLU Geographical Names of Canada - Laurentian Channel]</ref> is a deep submarine valley off the coast of eastern Canada in the Gulf of Saint Lawrence.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.marineregions.org/gazetteer.php?p=details&id=4560|title=Marine Regions · Laurentian Channel (Seachannel)|publisher=}}</ref> thumb|260px|Bathymetry of the Gulf of Saint Lawrence The channel is of glacial origin and is the submerged valley of the historic Saint Lawrence River, running {{convert|1400|km|mi}} from a sharp escarpment downstream from the confluence of the St. Lawrence with the Saguenay River, past Anticosti Island and through the Gulf of St. Lawrence to the edge of the continental shelf off the island of Newfoundland.

Its depth ranges from {{convert|180 - 550|m|ft}} with sub-tidal shelves on each side of the channel ranging in depths of less than {{convert|100|m|ft}}. The channel ranges from a minimum width of {{convert|10|km|mi}} to as much as {{convert|55|km|mi}} at the Laurentian fan which is located at the edge of the continental shelf.

Deep waters with temperatures between {{convert|2|and|6.5|°C|0}} enter the Gulf at the continental slope and are slowly advected up the channel by estuariane circulation.<ref>Galbraith, P.S., Pettipas, R.G., Chassé, J., Gilbert, D., Larouche, P., Pettigrew, B., Gosselin, A., Devine, L. and Lafleur, C. 2009. Physical Oceanographic Conditions in the Gulf of St. Lawrence in 2008. DFO Can. Sci. Advis. Sec. Res. Doc. 2009/014. iv + 69 p.</ref> Over the 20th century, the bottom waters of the end of the channel (i.e. in the Saint Lawrence estuary) have become hypoxic.<ref>Gilbert, D., B. Sundby, C. Gobeil, A. Mucci and G.-H. Tremblay. 2005. A seventy-two-year record of diminishing deep-water oxygen in the St. Lawrence estuary: The northwest Atlantic connection. Limnol. Oceanogr., 50(5): 1654–1666.</ref>

==Ecological importance== The Laurentian Channel is an ecologically important area, providing critical habitat for a variety of marine species, some of which are fished commercially and others that are not. Non-commercial species are part of the marine ecosystem in the area. The Laurentian Channel contains the highest concentration of black dogfish in Canadian waters and is the only place where pupping occurs. It is an important spawning, nursery, and feeding area for a variety of species including porbeagle shark and smooth skate.<ref name= "AOI">{{cite web | url = http://www.dfo-mpo.gc.ca/oceans/aoi-si/laurentian-laurentien-eng.html | title = Laurentian Channel Area of Interest (AOI) | publisher = Government of Canada, Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO) | accessdate = 7 June 2018 }}</ref> Porbeagle sharks and basking sharks move into the area in the spring and reside there throughout the summer. One of only two known porbeagle shark mating grounds occurs within the channel. Two species at risk, the northern wolffish and the leatherback sea turtle, have been found in the area. In addition, at least 20 species of whales and dolphins have been observed in the area, as it is a critical feeding area and migration route into and out of the Gulf of St. Lawrence.<ref name= "Regulations">{{cite web | url = http://www.gazette.gc.ca/rp-pr/p1/2017/2017-06-24/html/reg2-eng.html | title = Laurentian Channel Marine Protected Area Regulations | publisher = Government of Canada, Canada Gazette | accessdate = 7 June 2018 }}</ref>

The Laurentian Channel contains significant coral and sea pen populations, representing sensitive benthic habitats. Coral and sea pens are important to the ecosystem and depend on the integrity of the sands and muds in the area for their survival. Of the variety of coral species found in the area, sea pens have been recorded in the greatest numbers and diversity, with the Laurentian Channel being described as having the highest sea pen concentrations within the entire Newfoundland and Labrador Shelves Bioregion.<ref name= "Regulations"/>

==Laurentian Channel Marine Protected Area== A portion of the Laurentian Channel was identified as an Ecologically and Biologically Significant Area (EBSA) in 2007.<ref name= "Regulations"/> On June 8, 2010, the Minister of Fisheries and Oceans Canada announced the Laurentian Channel as an Area of Interest (AOI). The AOI encompasses a portion of Laurentian Channel located off the southwest coast of Newfoundland and Labrador, an area of {{convert|11619|km2|mi2}}.<ref name= "AOI"/> In June 2017, Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO) proposed the Laurentian Channel AOI as a Marine Protected Area (MPA) under the ''Oceans Act''.<ref name= "BPMPA">{{cite web | url = https://www.canada.ca/en/fisheries-oceans/news/2017/06/laurentian_channelproposedmarineprotectedarea.html | title = Backgrounder: Laurentian Channel Proposed Marine Protected Area | publisher = Government of Canada, Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO) | accessdate = 7 June 2018 }}</ref> In April 2019, Fisheries and Oceans Canada designated the Laurentian Channel Marine Protected Area (MPA).<ref name= "BMPA">{{cite web | url = https://www.canada.ca/en/fisheries-oceans/news/2019/04/backgrounder-laurentian-channel-marine-protected-area.html | title = Backgrounder: Laurentian Channel Marine Protected Area | publisher = Government of Canada, Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO) | accessdate = 30 December 2019 }}</ref><ref name= "MPA"/>

The main purpose of the Laurentian Channel Marine Protected Area is to protect the biodiversity of the region.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.mpatlas.org/mpa/sites/68813335/ |title=MPAtlas » Laurentian Channel (Zone 2)|website=www.mpatlas.org |access-date=2020-01-29}}</ref> This MPA explicitly protects porbeagle sharks, smooth sakes, basking sharks, black dogfishes, northern wolffish, and leatherback sea turtles, along with sea pens and other cold water coral. Atlantic cod is not officially protected, the Laurentian Channel MPA could encompass a possible spawning ground. Much is still to be discovered regarding the life cycle of Atlantic cod which makes it a difficult species to protect using smaller, specific MPAs (SLOSS Debate). Thus, due to the large, undivided size of the Laurentian Channel MPA, the chance of protecting the region where Atlantic cod spawn is significantly higher.{{Cn|date=October 2024}}

==References== {{Reflist}}

==External links== * [http://www.dfo-mpo.gc.ca/science/Story/quebec/stlawrence_e.htm Will "Dead Zones" Spread in the St. Lawrence River? - Department of Fisheries and Oceans]

Category:Valleys of Canada Category:Marine Protected Areas of Canada