The recent one Donald Trump’s insistence on Annexar Canada as the 51st state He has given for reflections in the American political sphere. While the idea does not seem taken seriously in Washington and the Canadian government has made it clear that it has no interest in joining the United States, The New York Times performed an electoral code analysis of such a scenario revealing an unexpected consequence: the incorporation of Canada would guarantee a political advantage for the Democratic Party in future elections. Be that as it may, the only certain thing in this whole story is the eternal dispute over an islet between both nations.
An island and its importance. WE TALK ABOUT MACHIAS SEAL ISLANDa small islet of 18 hectares located at the point of confluence between the Bay of Fundy and the Gulf of Maine, which represents the last territorial dispute between Canada and the United States. Although its rock size and geography are little or rather liable, its strategic value and the wealth of its waters They have maintained the latent conflict for more than two centuries.
A lighthouse as a symbol of sovereignty. The history of the dispute goes back to the war of 1812when both the United States and Great Britain claimed the island and its surrounding waters due to their location on an important navigation route. In 1832, Great Britain built a lighthouse on the island To consolidate its control, and since then, Canada has maintained a permanent presence in the place through Farros that, in addition to its maritime signaling work, act as symbolic guardians of Canadian sovereignty.
In this regard, Russell and Anthony Ross, Farros brothers, turn every 28 days to keep the lighthouse in operation. Isolated on the island, their work goes beyond surveillance: they receive visitors who arrive in summer and, in winter, they support the extreme climate of the Atlantic without the possibility of returning to the continent until its allocation ends. For them, the island is more than a territory in dispute: it is their temporary home and a symbol of a tradition that few still keep alive.
Frailecillos on the island
A sanctuary for wildlife. Despite its uncertain geopolitical status, Machias Seal Island is recognized as a sanctuary of sea birds. The reason? Thousands of Atlantic Frailecillos, Common Mergles, Arctic Charranes and Common Alcas nest there every summer, making it a reference point for scientists and bird observers.
In fact, the Canadian Wild Life Service protects access to the island, allowing only the arrival of two daily tourist boats, One from Maine and Another from New Brunswickwith a limited quota of visitors. Scientists like Tony Diamonddirector of Atlantic Laboratory for Avian Research, have studied these colonies since 1995, highlighting the importance of the island’s ecosystem as a thermometer of the state of the ocean.
Tourism under surveillance. To avoid major evils, the experience of tourists is rigorously controlled. So much so, that to avoid damage to nests, They must remain in wood cattleway and use small observation structures camouflaged in the landscape.
Although getting to the island is not easy, most of Visitors consider the effort to be worth itsince it is one of the few places where you can see these frailecillos in their natural environment without disturbances.
The dispute: Waters of the gray zone. Beyond the small islet, the true conflict between Canada and the United States is not on earth, but rather in the sea. The waters around Machias Seal Island They are known as the “Gray Zone”an area of approximately 700 square kilometers where both countries claim fishing rights.
Moreover, in the last decades, The growing lobster demand has turned the area into a crucial economic resource. The price of crustacean has tripled, reaching values of up to 4 Canadian dollars for 400 grams, which has promoted the prosperity of fishing communities Like Grand Manan, in Canada.
Live in the conflict. For many fishermen, The gray zone represents a constant income opportunityand although there are no formal agreements, they have developed a coexistence system based on mutual respect. Of course, not everything is harmony.
As the lobster demand has continued to increase, The pressure on marine resources is increasing. Sector veterans warn that The overfishing could exhaust the lobster populationfollowing the same collapse pattern that affected the herring industry, background fish and scallops in the past.
Uncertain future. Be that as it may, and despite the territorial dispute, so far Canada and the United States have avoided an open conflict about Machias Seal Island and the gray areamaintaining that fragile balance between the symbolic presence of Canada on the island and the joint fishing exploitation in its waters. Yet, The recent political and commercial tensions between the two countries They have generated uncertainty about the future of this enclave. In that sense, Trump’s latest statements have not helped.
The inhabitants of the island, whether beareros, scientists or fishermen, continue with their lives at the same time that international policy follows its course. While the frailecillos continue to nest in the cliffs and lobster ships they slaughter in the gray area, the islet is maintained as a tiny point on the map, although not any one: one with a geopolitical, economic and ecological influence much larger than its size suggests.
.Imagen | Melissa McMasters, Melissa McMasters
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