| Tarium Niryutait Marine Protected Area | |
| Photo Alt: | Satellite image of the Mackenzie Delta area where the Tarium Niryutait MPA is located. |
| Map: | Canada Northwest Territories#Canada |
| Relief: | yes |
| Location: | Inuvialuit Settlement Region, Northwest Territories/Yukon, Canada |
| Nearest City: | Tuktoyaktuk (hamlet) Inuvik Aklavik (hamlet) |
| Coordinates: | 69.3494°N -135.2638°W |
| Area Km2: | 1750 |
| Designation: | Marine Protected Area |
| Established: | August 2010 |
| Governing Body: | Fisheries and Oceans Canada |
Tarium Niryutait is a marine protected area (MPA) located in the coastal areas of the Yukon and Northwest Territories in Canada. It is located within the Inuvialuit Settlement Region and was the first Arctic MPA established in Canada. The MPA was established with the goal of protecting Beluga whales and the biodiversity of other bird and fish species and their habitats.[1]
Tarium Niryutait is divided into three sections adjacent to the Mackenzie Delta that together cover an area of 1750km2:
These areas are very shallow and heavily influenced by the Mackenzie River during summer, and seasonal land-fast sea ice. The regions lie adjacent to seasonal stamukhi zone which impounds the Mackenzie River during the winter and spring.[4]
The area is an important summer habitat of the Eastern Beaufort Sea Beluga population. The whales return annually in June once the sea-ice has broken up and remain until September.[5] Other mammals observed in the area include bowhead whales, polar bears and ringed seals.
Notable fish species that occur in the region include Pacific herring, Dolly Varden, broad whitefish, and Arctic cisco, among others.
The Tarium Niryutait MPA area is also used by many important waterfowl throughout their life cycles. For example, ice edges are frequented by the Ivory gull, which is endangered in Canada.[6]