BC tidal areas 25 and 125 - Nootka Sound, Esperanza Inlet: 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) |
|---|---|---|
| 25-1 | Closed to All Bivalve Species | |
| 25-2 | Closed to All Bivalve Species | |
| 25-3 | Clam - Littleneck;Clam - Manila;Mussels - all species combined;Oyster - Pacific | |
| 25-4 | Clam - Littleneck;Clam - Manila;Mussels - all species combined;Oyster - Pacific | |
| 25-5 | Clam - Littleneck;Clam - Manila;Mussels - all species combined;Oyster - Pacific | |
| 25-6 | Clam - Littleneck;Clam - Manila;Mussels - all species combined;Oyster - Pacific | |
| 25-7 | Closed to All Bivalve Species | |
| 25-8 | Clam - Littleneck;Clam - Manila;Mussels - all species combined;Oyster - Pacific | |
| 25-9 | Closed to All Bivalve Species | |
| 25-10 | Closed to All Bivalve Species | |
| 25-11 | Closed to All Bivalve Species | |
| 25-12 | Closed to All Bivalve Species | |
| 25-13 | Closed to All Bivalve Species | |
| 25-14 | Closed to All Bivalve Species | |
| 25-15 | Closed to All Bivalve Species | |
| 25-16 | Closed to All Bivalve Species | |
| 125-1 | Closed to All Bivalve Species | |
| 125-2 | Closed to All Bivalve Species | |
| 125-3 | Closed to All Bivalve Species | |
| 125-4 | Closed to All Bivalve Species | |
| 125-5 | Closed to All Bivalve Species | |
| 125-6 | Closed to All Bivalve Species |
Last updated: 2025-05-16
Area descriptions
| Closure | Map | Area description |
|---|---|---|
| 25.1 Friendly Cove, Nootka Island | 25.1.png | The waters and intertidal foreshore of Friendly Cove, lying inside a line drawn from the westernmost tip of the unnamed island north of San Rafael Island at 49°35.63' north latitude and 126°36.92' west longitude, and thence due north to a point on land on Nootka Island at 49°35.81' north latitude and 126°36.92' west longitude. [NAD83] |
| 25.12 Queen Cove | 25.12.png | The waters and intertidal foreshore at the head of Queen Cove, from a point on land on the east side of the cove at 49°52.44' north latitude and 126°58.89' west longitude, thence in a straight line northwesterly to a point on land on the west side of the cove at 49°52.58' north latitude and 126°59.17' west longitude. [NAD83] |
| 25.15 Ceepeecee | 25.15.png | The waters and intertidal foreshore at Ceepeecee, Esperanza Inlet, northerly of a straight line drawn from a point of land at 49°52.37' north latitude and 126°43.00' west longitude thence southeasterly to a point on land at 49°52.32' north latitude and 126°42.68' west longitude. [NAD83] |
| 25.16 Esperanza | 25.16.png | The waters and intertidal foreshore at the community of Esperanza, Esperanza Inlet, within a 300 m radius of a point at the mouth of Cover Creek located at 49°52.30' north latitude and 126°44.59' west longitude. [NAD83] |
| 25.19 Allman Lagoon | 25.19.png | The intertidal foreshore surrounding the unnamed group of islands south of the entrance to Allman Lagoon. The group of islands is 67 meters in height, and is centered at 49°42.10' north latitude and 126°31.78' west longitude. [NAD83] |
| 25.20 Valdes Bay | 25.20.png | The waters and intertidal foreshore of Valdes Bay, east of a line drawn from a point of land at 49°43.80' north latitude and 126°29.32' west longitude northwesterly to a point of land at 49°43.91' north latitude and 126°29.45' west longitude. [NAD83] |
| 25.21 Jewitt Cove | 25.21.png | The waters and intertidal foreshore of Jewitt Cove, Strange Island, south of a line drawn from a point of land at 49°41.52' north latitude and 126°36.10' west longitude true west to a point on land at 49°41.52' north latitude and 126°36.20' west longitude. [NAD83] |
| 25.22 Galiano Bay | 25.22.png | The waters and intertidal foreshore of Galiano Bay, southeast of a line drawn from a point of land at 49°43.14' north latitude and 126°28.00' west longitude southwesterly to a point of land at 49°42.75' north latitude and 126°28.69' west longitude. [NAD83] |
| 25.25 Bligh Island, land file #1408086 | 25.25.png | The waters and intertidal foreshore of Bligh Island, within a distance of 25 meters from the outer perimeter of the floating living accommodation located at or near 49°39.34' north latitude and 126°32.60' west longitude, within aquaculture tenure land file #1408086. [NAD 83] |
| 25.26 Plumper Harbour | 25.26.png | The waters and intertidal foreshore of Plumper Harbour, Kendrick Inlet, within a distance of 125 meters from the outer perimeter of the floating living accommodation located at or near 49°41.64' north latitude and 126°38.12' west longitude, adjacent to aquaculture tenure land file #1406265. [NAD83] |
| 25.28 Plumper Harbour, Nootka Island | 25.28.png | The waters and intertidal foreshore at the southern end of Plumper Harbour on Nootka Island, lying within a distance of 240 m of the head of the unnamed cove located at 49°41.37' north latitude and 126°37.78' west longitude. The radius intersects the Nootka Island shore at 49°41.43' north latitude and 126°37.96' west longitude and 49°41.43' north latitude and 126°37.61' west longitude and the Funter Island Shore at 49°41.50' north latitude and 126°37.78' west longitude and 49°41.48' north latitude and 126°37.67' west longitude. [NAD 83] |
| 25.29 Marvinas Bay, Nootka Island | 25.29.png | The waters and intertidal foreshore in Marvinas Bay, Nootka Island, within a distance of 125 m from the outer perimeter of the floating living accommodation located at or near 49°39.71' north latitude and 126°37.44' west longitude. [NAD 83] |
| 25.3 Kendrick Inlet, Nootka Island | 25.3.png | The waters and intertidal foreshore of Kendrick Inlet, Nootka Island, within a 300 meter radius of the logging camp dock at 49°43.40' north latitude and 126°38.99' west longitude. [NAD83] |
| 25.30 Northwest side of Bligh Island | 25.30.png | The waters and intertidal foreshore in the bay on the northwest side of Bligh Island inside a line from a point of land on Bligh Island at 49°39.86' north latitude and 126°31.90' west longitude southwesterly to the northernmost point on the unnamed islet at 49°39.82' north latitude and 126°32.00' west longitude, thence following the eastern shoreline to the southwesternmost point of the islet at 49°39.77' north latitude and 126°32.04' west longitude, thence southeasterly to a point of land at 49°39.72' north latitude and 126°31.98' west longitude on Bligh Island, and thence following the shoreline to the point of commencement. [NAD 83] |
| 25.32 Head Bay, Tlupana Inlet | 25.32.png | The waters and intertidal foreshore in Head Bay, Tlupana Inlet, within a distance of 125 m from the foot of the Canton Creek Lodge dock located at 49°47.78' north latitude and 126°28.88' west longitude. [NAD83] |
| 25.33 Moutcha Bay, Tlupana Inlet | 25.33.png | The waters and intertidal foreshore surrounding the Moutcha Bay Lodge site in Tlupana Inlet, lying inside a line drawn in a 125 m radius from any point on the perimeter of the infrastructure encompassing the dock, sewage outfall pipe, and fish holding pens at the Conuma hatchery docks. The closure commences from a point on land in the west at 49°47.31' north latitude and 126°27.83' west longitude, ending at a point on land in the east at 49°47.36' north latitude and 126°27.30' west longitude. [NAD83] |
| 25.34 Moutcha Bay, Tlupana Inlet | 25.34.png | The waters and intertidal foreshore of Moutcha Bay, Tlupana Inlet, inside a line drawn from the point on land located at 49°47.40' north latitude and 126°27.07' west longitude, thence southeasterly to a point on land located at 49°47.09' north latitude and 126°26.79' west longitude. [NAD83] |
| 25.35 Newton Cove, Espinosa Inlet | 25.35.png | The waters and intertidal foreshore of Newton Cove, on the southwest side of Espinosa Inlet, within a distance of 500 m from the outer perimeter of the floating living accommodation located at or near 49°52.45' north latitude and 126°56.58' west longitude. [NAD 83] |
| 25.42 Unnamed Bay, west side of Head Bay | 25.42.png | The waters and intertidal foreshore of the small bay at the west side of Head Bay, from a point on land at 49°47.47' north latitude and 126°29.45' west longitude, thence southeasterly to a point on land at 49°47.27' north latitude and 126°29.33' west longitude.' [NAD 83] |
| 25.43 Head of Tahsis Inlet | 25.43.png | The waters and intertidal foreshore at the head of Tahsis Inlet, inside a line drawn from a point of land at 49°54.60' north latitude and 126°38.96' west longitude thence southwesterly to a point of land at 49°54.32' north latitude and 126°39.79' west longitude. [NAD 83] |
| 25.44 - Head of Port Eliza | 25.44.png | The waters and intertidal foreshore of the head of Port Eliza, northwest of a line drawn from a point of land at 49°56.27' north latitude and 127°03.04' west longitude easterly to a point on land at 49°56.42' north latitude and 127°02.57' west longitude. [NAD 83] |
| 25.45 Espinosa Inlet, Esperanza Inlet | 25.45.png | The waters and intertidal foreshore of the bay in northwest Espinosa Inlet containing landfile 1411097, located easterly of a line drawn from a point on land at 49°58.607' north latitude and 126°56.606' west longitude, thence southwesterly to the opposite point on land at 49°58.442' north latitude and 126°56.447' west longitude. [NAD 83] |
| 25.7 Three Cove Bay | 25.7.png | The waters and intertidal foreshore of Three Cove Bay, east of the narrow entrance with a northern boundary of 49°41.51' north latitude, 126°29.52' west longitude, and a southern boundary of 49°41.49' north latitude, 126°29.53' west longitude [NAD 83]. |
| 25.8 Kleeptee Creek | 25.8.png | The waters and intertidal foreshore fronting Kleeptee Creek in Williamson Passage, inside of a line from a point on land at 49°39.49' north latitude and 126°22.78' west longitude, thence northwesterly across the bay to a point on land at 49°39.85' north latitude and 126°23.01' west longitude. [NAD83] |
| 25.cc Esperanza Inlet | 25.cc.png | Pacific Fisheries Management Subareas 25-9 and 25-13 |
Last updated: 2025-05-16
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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