The St. Lawrence Global Observatory: Interinstitutional cooperation for the sustainable management of the St. Lawrence ecosystem

The St. Lawrence is a major ecosystem with a rich ecological diversity, extreme physical conditions (ex: tides, ice, temperature and currents), sensitive coasts and habitats, a large coastal population and numerous socio-economic and development activities (ex: dredging, coastal engineering, aquaculture). The geographic area includes the St. Lawrence River, Estuary and Gulf representing over 250 000 km² and also extends to watersheds. Marine transportation, fishing and eco-tourism are among the main economic activities.