Fishery Notice

Environment and Climate Change Canada recommends that Emergency Closure 14.ar be revoked. Emergency Closure 14.ar was invoked on March 3, 2026, as a result of the presence of occupied live-aboard vessels anchored and or moored in the Comox Harbour area, Subarea 14-14. 

Environment and Climate Change Canada has confirmed that the subject vessels vacated the Comox Harbour area on March 6, 2026. This portion of Comox Harbour, as described below, has remained closed for the minimum 21-day closure period required following a discharge of wastewater. 

Therefore, in accordance with Section 6.2 of the Canadian Shellfish Sanitation Program manual (https://inspection.canada.ca/food-guidance-by-commodity/fish/canadian-shellfish-sanitation-program/eng/1527251566006/1527251566942?chap=0), Environment and Climate Change Canada recommends that Emergency Closure 14.ar be revoked and return to the underlying classification within Closure 14.1. All licensed decontamination fisheries may resume within the Restricted portions of Comox Harbour within Closure 14.1. 

Emergency Closure 14.ar Comox Harbour -

The waters and intertidal foreshore of that portion of Subarea 14-14 inside of a line that commences at 49°39.664'N, 124°55.574'W [Goose Spit], then southwesterly to 49°39.152'N, 124°57.020'W [on land near the shipwreck breakwater], then following the shoreline northwesterly to the point of commencement; including BC Land Registry Aquaculture Tenures #1402723 and #1411090. [NAD83]

Note that this notice does not describe other sanitary closures which may be in effect, or Paralytic Shellfish Poisoning (PSP, red tide) and other marine biotoxin closures. For an area to be open and safe for harvesting, both biotoxin and sanitary need to be open. For information on sanitary contamination and biotoxin closures please go to the Fisheries and Oceans Canada mapping site SHELLI to determine where there is safe harvest at https://www.dfo-mpo.gc.ca/shellfish-mollusques/cssp-map-eng.htm. 

Specific species limits, restrictions and maps for each subarea are available at https://www.pac.dfo-mpo.gc.ca/fm-gp/rec/bc-zones-cb-eng.html and at local DFO offices.

For more information contact DFO.PACCSSP-PCAMPAC.MPO@dfo-mpo.gc.ca.

Fisheries & Oceans Operations Center - FN0354
Sent March 27, 2026 at 0841

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Printed from the Pacific Region web site on June 10, 2026 at 0238