On March 16, 2016, Environment Minister Mary Polak introduced new legislation that added more than 11,700 hectares to B.C.’s protected areas system, which included Halkett Bay Marine Park.

The proposed park was brought forth by a small working group from Marine Life Sanctuaries Society of BC, Underwater Council of BC and Vancouver Aquarium. Our proposal for Halkett Bay Marine Park was a 136-hectare marine foreshore addition southeast of Gambier Island which protects a shallow glass sponge reef as well as a glass sponge garden.

Legislation was passed on May 26, 2017 which brought this protection into law. Read more on the big announcement here and here.

The Halkett Bay Reef is one of the few air-diveable glass sponge reefs in the world. Click on the image below of a sample of the the beauty Halkett Bay Reef holds.