Isle Haute National Wildlife Area

Isle Haute National Wildlife Area (NWA) is located in the upper Bay of Fundy, Nova Scotia.

Description

Isle Haute NWA is an 89-hectare island, three kilometers in length with 100m cliffs. It is comprised entirely of Jurassic-era basalt, a feature unique to only a handful of sites in the upper Bay of Fundy.

The NWA supports ecologically unique habitats. As one of the very few islands in the upper Bay of Fundy, this NWA supports habitat for over 60 species of birds including:

• seabirds such as Great Black-backed Gull
• waterfowl such as common eider
• birds of prey such as bald eagle and peregrine falcon
• many songbird species

It also has 300 plant taxa which is high species richness for a relatively small island and it may be underestimated, as parts of the island have not been surveyed for plant life.

The island has significant cultural and historic value:

• Mi’kmaq Indigenous peoples have used the island for many centuries
• French explorer Samuel de Champlain landed here in 1604 and gave it the name Isle Haute (High Island)
• it has been home to lightstation keepers

Management

Entry to Isle Haute National Wildlife Area is prohibited year-round, as are all activities listed under section 3(1) of the Wildlife Area Regulations, unless authorized by a permit. These prohibitions are in place to protect migratory birds, their nests and eggs, as well as sensitive Indigenous archeological records. Isle Haute is the largest and one of the few islands in the upper Bay of Fundy providing undisturbed habitat to over 60 species of birds, including migratory birds which use the site to breed, stage or winter. It is an important seabird, and Common Eider nesting and foraging site.

There is also significant evidence that the island was occupied by Indigenous People, who used it for hunting and a travel routes, dating back at least 600-800 years. The Mi’kmaq people continue to visit it today.

For more information, consult the NWA Management and Activities section.

Map of the area

Summary table

Protected area designation

National Wildlfie Area

Province/territory

Nova Scotia

Latitude/longitude

45°15'00.7"N 65°00'09.7"W

Size

89 ha

Reason for creation of protected area

Protection of important migratory bird habitat

Date created (Gazetted)

2025

International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) management category

Strict Nature Reserve (Ia)

Additional designations

None

Keystone or flagship species

None

Other species

• common eider
• great blue heron
• great cormorant
• peregrine falcon

Listed species under the Species at Risk Act (SARA)

None

Main habitat type

Jurassic-era basalt

Invasive species

None

Main threats and challenges

Sea-level rise and increased coastal erosion

Management agency

Environment and Climate Change Canada (Canadian Wildlife Service)

Public access and usage

Entry to Isle Haute National Wildlife Area is prohibited year-round, as are all activities listed under section 3(1) of the Wildlife Area Regulations, unless authorized by a permit.

Note: If there is a discrepancy between the information presented on this web page, any notice posted at the NWA site and the law, the law prevails.

Contact us

Environment and Climate Change Canada - Atlantic Region
Canadian Wildlife Service
Protected Areas Unit
17 Waterfowl Lane
Sackville, New Brunswick
E4L 1G6

Toll-free: 1-800-668-6767 (in Canada only)
Email: enviroinfo@ec.gc.ca

Related links

• Canada Wildlife Act
• Wildlife Area Regulations
• International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN)
• Isle Haute NWA on Google Maps (Please note that the Google map is a complementary source of information and does not represent the official map or site name)