Fishery Notice

This fishery notice amends FN1157 and clarifies the expectations around the use 
of styrofoam floatation. The full corrected fishery notice follows.

Shellfish Aquaculture licence holders are reminded to ensure they are complying 
with the conditions of their aquaculture licence and the fish and fish habitat 
protection provisions of the Fisheries Act. Abandoned, lost or discarded 
shellfish aquaculture gear is a major contributor to plastic marine debris.    

Aquaculture operators are reminded that they must:
Understand and abide by the conditions of licence;
Ensure all gear is properly secured so that it doesn't wash away, including 
when stored on rafts;
Ensure all gear is in good working condition and is functioning as intended;
Ensure all gear and equipment is not within eelgrass beds and other important 
fish habitat;
Regularly inspect facilities, tenures and surrounding beaches for lost gear;
Recover any pieces of gear that have been lost;
Employ divers, drop cameras and/or remotely operated vehicles (ROVs) to inspect 
and recover gear from the benthic (bottom) in and around deep water/suspended 
tenures;
Ensure all styrofoam, if used, is contained in a highly durable, non-toxic 
shell. Note: Tyvek style wrapping and urethane coating have been found to be 
very poor in containing foam and are known to fail very quickly in the marine 
environment. All exposed styrofoam must be removed from the environment and 
properly disposed of at a land based facility. Newly installed flotation must 
not utilize tyvek style wrapping or urethane coating. HDPE air filled or HDPE 
encased foam are examples of more durable raft floatation.

If you are aware of illegal aquaculture and fisheries activities, please call 
the DFO Observe, Record and Report (ORR) phone line at 1-800-465-4336.


FOR MORE INFORMATION:

Aquaculture Management Division:
Christopher Marrie - Senior Shellfish Biologist, 250-850-9475 or 
shellfish.aquaculture@dfo-mpo.gc.ca 

Fisheries & Oceans Operations Center - FN1169
Sent November 15, 2019 at 1002

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Printed from the Pacific Region web site on February 17, 2026 at 0959