BC tidal areas 1 and 101 - Northern Haida Gwaii: Bivalve shellfish contamination information
Eating contaminated shellfish can make you very sick and can even be life threatening.
Harvesting opportunities and closures change often throughout the year for conservation or public health reasons. Check the table below or our real-time bivalve shellfish safety harvesting map to ensure that it's legal and safe to harvest, every time you head out to fish. If you are a recreational harvester, you also need to review recreational shellfish harvesting opportunities and limits and ensure you are carrying a current tidal waters sport fishing licence.
Because of the risk of sanitary contamination, all bivalve shellfish harvesting is permanently closed within the following boundaries, often marked with signage or red concrete markers:
- 300 metres around industrial, municipal and sewage treatment plant outfall discharges
- 125 metres around a marina, ferry wharf, floating living accommodation, or any finfish net pen
If you are in an aquaculture facility there are some exceptions to the second item.
- 25 metres around any floating living accommodation facility located within a shellfish aquaculture facility where a zero-discharge and appropriate waste management plan is a condition of the Aquaculture Licence and is approved by the Regional Interdepartmental Committee
- 0 metres of any finfish net pen within an aquaculture facility where an Integrated Multi-Trophic Aquaculture Management Plan approved by the Regional Interdepartmental Committee is in operation.
Shellfish aquaculture facilities use markers at the corners of their licensed area.
Bivalve shellfish contamination status
Look at the first column below to see which species are safe to harvest. If there is information in the second column, it is both illegal and unsafe to harvest any bivalve species in those areas.
| Subarea | Marine biotoxin update (open bivalve species) | Sanitary contamination closures (closed to shellfish harvesting) |
|---|---|---|
| 1-1 | Closed to All Bivalve Species | |
| 1-2 | Closed to All Bivalve Species | |
| 1-3 | Closed to All Bivalve Species | |
| 1-4 | Closed to All Bivalve Species | |
| 1-5 | Clam - Butter;Cockles | |
| 1-6 | Closed to All Bivalve Species | |
| 1-7 | Closed to All Bivalve Species | |
| 101-1 | Closed to All Bivalve Species | |
| 101-2 | Closed to All Bivalve Species | |
| 101-3 | Closed to All Bivalve Species | |
| 101-4 | Closed to All Bivalve Species | |
| 101-5 | Closed to All Bivalve Species | |
| 101-6 | Closed to All Bivalve Species | |
| 101-7 | Closed to All Bivalve Species | |
| 101-8 | Closed to All Bivalve Species | |
| 101-9 | Closed to All Bivalve Species | |
| 101-10 | Closed to All Bivalve Species |
Last updated: 2025-06-25
Area descriptions
| Closure | Map | Area description |
|---|---|---|
| 1.1 Mamim Bay | 1.1.png | The waters and tidal foreshore of Mamim Bay in Juskatla Inlet. [NAD83] |
| 1.2 Masset Sound | 1.2.png | The waters and intertidal foreshore of Masset Sound lying inside a line drawn from Entry Point on Graham Island located at 54°03.11' north latitude and 132°11.35' west longitude, thence northwesterly to Westacott Point located at 54°04.59' north latitude and 132°14.59' west longitude, thence southeasterly in Sturgess Bay to the fixed yellow light at or near 54°01.96' north latitude and 132°11.91' west longitude, thence southeasterly in Masset Harbour to the flashing red light at or near 54°01.02' north latitude and 132°10.11' west longitude, thence southerly to Crowell Point located at 53°59.18' north latitude and 132°09.21' west longitude, thence southeasterly to a point on land at the Masset Bulkhead at 53°58.25' north latitude and 132°07.54' west longitude, and thence northerly following the shoreline back to the point of commencement. [NAD83] |
| 1.3 Dinan Bay | 1.3.png | The waters and intertidal foreshore of Dinan Bay and McClinton Bay, lying inside a line drawn from the northern headland of Awun Bay to the nearest point on the northern shore of Masset Inlet. [NAD83] |
| 1.4 Port Clements | 1.4.png | The waters and tidal foreshore of Port Clements, Masset Inlet, lying inside a line drawn from the most southerly point at the entrance to Kumdis Bay to Martin Point on Kumdis Island, thence southward to a point 125 m south of the Port Clements jetties. [NAD83] |
| 1.5 Langara Island | 1.5.png | The waters and intertidal foreshore of Langara Island inside a line drawn from Iphigenia Point on Langara Island to the western tip of Lucy Island, thence along the northern foreshore of Lucy Island to the easternmost point, thence northwest to Holland Point on Langara Island. [NAD83] |
| 101.1 Rose Spit, McIntyre Bay | 101.1.png | The waters and intertidal foreshore inside a line drawn from Rose Point at 54°09.16' north latitude and 131°40.14' west longitude, northeasterly to marine buoy C26 at or near 54°13.07' north latitude and 131°39.22' west longitude, thence southeasterly to the most westerly point of the sandbar at or near 54°12.69' north latitude and 131°37.01' west longitude, thence southwesterly to the point of commencement. [NAD83] |
Last updated: 2025-06-25
Related links
- Area maps
- Realtime bivalve shellfish safety harvesting map
- Information about recreational shellfish harvesting in BC
- Shellfish harvesting safety information
- Planned bivalve shellfish harvesting closures
- Identify your catch
Contact us
Email: DFO.PACCSSP-PCAMPAC.MPO@dfo-mpo.gc.ca
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