Essex Council is the latest group to get on board with a call to designate the western basin of Lake Erie as a national marine conservation area.
An effort is underway requesting funding from the federal government to allow Parks Canada to conduct a feasibility study of the proposed marine park which would include the waters of Point Pelee and Pelee Island as well as offshore areas in Essex, Kingsville, Leamington and Amherstburg.
Essex councillor Steve Bjorkman says the designation would help limit future development.
"We need that funding to get that feasibility study done," says Bjorkman. "That's what we are advocating for right now. It's an incredible fishery, it's important to spawning areas, and then our coastline with all the marshes and protected areas that the Essex Region Conservation Authority takes care of and that we as towns are responsible for."
There are currently just two marine parks in Ontario — Lake Huron's Fathom Five near Tobermory and Lake Superior's national marine conservation area off Nipigon.
The group putting together the funding proposal is being headed up by former Kingsville Deputy Mayor Tamara Stomp.
With support from several local municipalities and politicians, the letter will now be forwarded to the federal government.