Fishery Notice

On Tuesday, May 26, 2026, an emergency closure of Comox Harbour, Northern Baynes Sound and portions of Denman and Hornby Islands was invoked following a structural failure of a bypass pipe while upgrades were being conducted at the Jane Place Pump Station within inner Comox Harbour. As a result, Subareas 14-9 to 14-11, 14-14 and 14-15, were placed in closed status.

Subarea 14-14 has been in closed status for a minimum of 7 days, and water and shellstock verification sample results meet the respective standard for a Restricted area, as outlined in the Canadian Shellfish Sanitation Program (CSSP). As per Section 6.2 of the CSSP manual (https://inspection.canada.ca/en/food-guidance-commodity/fish/canadian-shellfish-sanitation-program#s6c3), Environment and Climate Change Canada and the Canadian Food Inspection Agency recommend that the portion of the emergency closure in Comox Harbour, Subarea 14-14 be revoked, and the area return to the underlying bivalve shellfish harvest area classifications. Subareas 14-9 to 14-11 and 14-15, will remain in closed status. Subareas will be opened as soon as possible as sample results become available and meet the standard, as outlined in the CSSP manual. 
 
Pacific Fishery Management Subareas 14-9 to 14-11 and 14-15.  
 
On the mapping site SHELLI (https://www.dfo-mpo.gc.ca/shellfish-mollusques/cssp-map-eng.htm) you can find this closure by searching for Prohibition Order PSN-2026-456. 

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 - FN0558
Sent June 5, 2026 at 1211

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Visit Fisheries and Oceans Canada on the Web at http://www.pac.dfo-mpo.gc.ca
Printed from the Pacific Region web site on June 13, 2026 at 0142