Shellfish growers: help keep marine wildlife free from active or lost gear

On this page

• Best practices to reduce marine wildlife incidents
• Reporting marine wildlife incidents
• Report whale or turtle sightings

As of September 2020, 12 of the 26 marine species in Canadian Pacific waters listed under the Species At Risk Act (SARA) are considered to be Endangered or Threatened.

From marine mammals like killer whales to molluscs like Northern Abalone, all Endangered and Threatened species and their habitats are afforded legal protection in Canada to prevent their further decline. It is against the law to kill, harm, harass, capture, or take an individual of a species listed as Extirpated, Endangered, or Threatened under SARA, or to destroy any part of its identified critical habitat.

Best practices to reduce marine wildlife incidents

Active or lost gear can entrap or injure marine wildlife, including whales, sea turtles, and sharks. Improper activities on a shellfish farm can also damage sensitive and important coastal habitat, such as eelgrass beds, rocky reefs, salt marshes, and kelp forests.

The ropes, netting, and other materials in use at shellfish farms can pose a threat to marine wildlife. How you operate can make a difference. Take these measures to help protect marine wildlife and their habitat:

• Design and install all infrastructure to withstand all types of weather conditions.
• Regularly inspect your gear to ensure that it is secured, in good condition, and functioning as intended.
• Reduce excess and loose lines.
• Implement regular inspection programs for shoreline and seafloor using commercially certified divers. Include all reasonable on- and off- tenure gear catchment areas.
• Recover any lost gear to prevent pollution and wildlife entanglements.
• Dispose of all aquaculture gear responsibly. Straps and other gear can entangle marine wildlife if not disposed of properly.
• Educate yourself and your staff on the requirements for protecting marine wildlife, particularly species at risk and their habitat.
• Report marine wildlife incidents to the DFO 24/7 Incident Hotline.

Reporting marine wildlife incidents

If you see an entangled, injured, stranded, or dead marine mammal or sea turtle, please take the following steps:

• Report sighting of any entangled, injured, or dead animals immediately to the DFO 24/7 Incident Hotline below.
• Do not attempt to help or disentangle the animal without first obtaining direction from DFO officials. You could injure yourself and/or the animal.
• Take photos and videos of any entangled gear and the animal. Photos can provide useful information about the animal andand the nature of the incident.
• Stay with the animal, if safe to do so, until an authorized responder arrives or DFO gives you further direction. Maintain the minimum required approach distance from marine wildlife.^{Footnote 1}

DFO is responsible for assisting marine mammals and sea turtles in distress. If your vessel strikes a whale, or if you observe an entangled, injured, stranded, or dead marine mammal or sea turtle, please contact the DFO 24/7 Incident Hotline at 1-800-465-4336 or on VHF Channel 16.

Please contact the DFO Shellfish Aquaculture Program (shellfish.aquaculture@dfo-mpo.gc.ca) for more info.

Report whale or turtle sightings

Contact the BC Cetacean Sighting Network

1-866-I SAW ONE (1-866-472-9663)
sightings@ocean.org
WhaleReport App: Android, iOS
https://wildwhales.org/