Fishery Notice

Category(s):
ABORIGINAL - General Information
COMMERCIAL - Invertebrates: Abalone
RECREATIONAL - Shellfish
Subject:
FN0387-Shellfish - Current Northern Abalone Fisheries Closures and Prohibitions under the Species at Risk Act - Reminder


This is a reminder of the current Northern Abalone (Haliotis kamtschatkana) fisheries closures and prohibitions, under the Fisheries Act and the Species at Risk Act, 
in effect for all commercial and recreational fisheries and Food, Social, and Ceremonial purposes.

Currently in effect:

The harvest of Northern Abalone is prohibited year-round and coast-wide, until further notice.

Northern Abalone is listed in the Pacific Fishery Regulations, 1993 as closed for fishing in any subarea from January 1 to December 31 (commercial) by diving.

Northern Abalone is listed in the BC Sport Fishing Regulations, 1996 as closed for fishing in Shellfish Tidal Waters from January 1 to December 31, by:
(a) hand picking by diving
(b) hand picking by snorkelling
(c) hand picking

Northern Abalone is listed as Endangered under the federal Species at Risk Act (SARA). As such, all harvest of Northern Abalone, including commercial and recreational 
harvest and harvest for Food, Social, and Ceremonial purposes, is prohibited under section 32 of SARA.  Section 32 states:

32	
(1) No person shall kill, harm, harass, capture or take an individual of a wildlife species that is listed as an extirpated species, an endangered species or a 
threatened species.

(2) No person shall possess, collect, buy, sell or trade an individual of a wildlife species that is listed as an extirpated species, an endangered species or a 
threatened species, or any part or derivative of such an individual.

(3) For the purposes of subsection (2), any animal, plant or thing that is represented to be an individual, or a part or derivative of an individual, of a wildlife 
species that is listed as an extirpated species, an endangered species or a threatened species is deemed, in the absence of evidence to the contrary, to be such an 
individual or a part or derivative of such an individual.

FOR MORE INFORMATION:

Contact: Rhona Govender, 604-666-7140

Fisheries & Oceans Operations Center - FN0387
Sent April 20, 2020 at 1141