A deep submarine canyon east of Sable Island, protected for its distinctive canyon ecosystem and importance to northern bottlenose whales.
The Gully
Why it is protected
Protect canyon biodiversity and habitat.
Conserve habitat used by northern bottlenose whales.
Habitats and significant life
Habitats: Submarine canyon, Deep sea, Continental slope.
Significant species: Northern bottlenose whale, Deep-water corals.
Rules and activities
Activities are governed by the applicable Oceans Act instrument and associated management measures.
Governance
Fisheries and Oceans Canada.
Pressures
Ocean noise; Fishing interactions; Climate-driven change.
Protection effectiveness
These dimensions are intentionally separate: a valid designation or active management program does not, by itself, prove ecological recovery.
Habitats and marine life connections
Ecologically related protected areas
These places share documented habitat types or the same ocean region. The relationship is ecological context, not proof of direct connectivity.
Condition and evidence
MLL reports what the available evidence supports. It does not infer ecological health from designation or mapped coverage.
Insufficient evidence
The Gully has long-running research and management, but the available public evidence does not support one current condition trend across canyon habitat, whales and human pressures.
Focal species
Insufficient evidenceNorthern bottlenose whale habitat remains central to protection, but this profile does not infer a local population trend from designation or occurrence.
- Evidence period
- Research and reporting through 2024
- Geographic scope
- The Gully and the wider Scotian Shelf population range
- Confidence
- limited
- Reviewed
- 2026-09-12
Habitat condition
Insufficient evidenceDeep canyon, coral and benthic monitoring exists, but a current MPA-wide habitat trend is not established here.
- Evidence period
- Monitoring through 2024
- Geographic scope
- Canyon, slope and benthic zones
- Confidence
- limited
- Reviewed
- 2026-09-12
Vessel noise and fishing
Mixed signalsNoise and fishing interactions remain relevant pressures and are managed differently across zones.
- Evidence period
- Current management context
- Geographic scope
- MPA and adjacent offshore waters
- Confidence
- limited
- Reviewed
- 2026-09-12
How to read this: Insufficient evidence means the available evidence cannot support a conclusion. It does not mean the MPA is in poor condition.
Sources
Marine Protected Areas across Canada — Fisheries and Oceans Canada. Verified 2026-09-12.