Comment on how to improve Rockfish Conservation Areas in the Northern Shelf Bioregion

We’re reviewing the effectiveness of Rockfish Conservation Areas in the Northern Shelf Bioregion (see Figure 1). We were seeking feedback about how we can make improvements to protect rockfish and their habitat. This comment period focused on potential changes to boundaries and fisheries restrictions. There will be more opportunities to give feedback in later stages of the review.

Who was the focus of this consultation

This consultation was looking for comments from:

• Indigenous groups
• stakeholders
• members of the Canadian public

Key questions for feedback

• Should changes to boundaries be considered for certain Rockfish Conservation Areas to better encompass rockfish habitat?
• Should changes to fisheries restrictions be considered in some or all of the Rockfish Conservation Areas to better protect rockfish and their habitat?
• Any considerations on particular Rockfish Conservation Areas in the Northern Shelf Bioregion that you believe should be taken into account to improve their design?

Your input will be used to develop proposals for changes to some of the Rockfish Conservation Areas in the bioregion.

What we heard

Report

• What we heard - Rockfish Conservation Areas review

Related information

• DFO. 2019. A Regional Assessment of Ecological Attributes in Rockfish Conservation Areas in British Columbia. DFO Can. Sci. Advis. Sec. Sci. Resp. 2019/022.
• Pacific Region Rockfish Conservation Areas

Linkages to Northern Shelf Marine Protected Area planning process

The Rockfish Conservation Area review is working to:

• Improve RCA effectiveness in the short to medium-term; and
• Align with the ongoing Marine Protected Area (MPA) Network development process.

The Marine Protected Area Network development process is part of long-term marine spatial planning work that is underway in the Northern Shelf Bioregion. It is jointly led by the Government of Canada, the Province of British Columbia and 17 First Nations. Marine Protected Area Network development is a separate process from the Rockfish Conservation Area review.

Input we collect from the Rockfish Conservation Area review will help inform rockfish conservation within the Northern Shelf Marine Protected Area planning process.

Proposed changes

To read about any proposed changes to a Rockfish Conservation Area:

• Select the Rockfish Conservation Area you’d like to comment on from the following list.
• You can sort each column according to your topic of interest; or
• enter search terms directly in the Filter items field.

In-person workshops

Contact us

Email: DFO.RCA-ACS.MPO@dfo-mpo.gc.ca