Species at Risk Act management scenarios summary for Chinook Salmon Designatable Unit 1: Southern Mainland Boundary Bay, Ocean, Fall population (Boundary Bay Chinook)
This is a summary of the Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO) management scenarios for the potential listing of the Southern Mainland Boundary Bay, Ocean, Fall population of Chinook salmon (hereafter Boundary Bay Chinook) as threatened under the Species at Risk Act (SARA).
How this works
The do not list scenario outlines potential measures to be implemented if Boundary Bay Chinook are declined for listing.
The list scenario outlines potential measures to be implemented if Boundary Bay Chinook are listed under SARA, beyond the automatic prohibitions and other requirements for species listed as threatened under SARA.
The scenarios are informed by the threats and limiting factors that limit the survival or recovery of Boundary Bay Chinook, identified in the Recovery Potential Assessment (Dionne et al. 2023).
Measures described are used as part of the advice that supports a decision by the Governor in Council (GiC).
Confirmation of specific actions will follow the listing decision.
Keep in mind
DFO is unable to commit to specific actions on behalf of other federal agencies, the Government of British Columbia, Indigenous partners, or stakeholders.
Protections under the Fisheries Act remain in place in either listing scenario, as does the Pacific Salmon Treaty (PST): Chapter 3 – Chinook Salmon, commercial salmon fishery requirements (for example, mandatory catch reporting, revival boxes), First Nations fisheries communal licence conditions, and other fisheries requirements.
| Activity | Do not list scenario (non-SARA management) | List scenario (under SARA) |
|---|---|---|
SARA general prohibitions |
Not applicable |
No person shall kill, harm, harass, capture, take, possess, collect, buy, sell, or trade Boundary Bay Chinook (s. 32); and, no person shall damage or destroy the residence of Boundary Bay Chinook (s. 33) Activities affecting a listed species, any part of its critical habitat, or the residence of its individuals may be permitted (s. 73/74) subject to meeting certain purposes, pre-conditions, and/or exception/exemption (s. 83) requirements set out in SARA, including that the activity will not jeopardize survival or recovery of the species |
SARA recovery planning |
Not applicable |
Development of a recovery strategy within 2 years of listing (s. 37), and action plan if recovery is deemed feasible (s. 40 and s. 47) Critical habitat identification to the extent possible (s. 41[c][c.1]) and protection (s. 58[4], [5]) |
Grants and contributions (G and C) |
Activities supporting Boundary Bay Chinook would remain eligible for some SARA-related G and C funding (Aboriginal Fund for Species at Risk and Habitat Stewardship Program), but at a lower priority than listed species or those that remain under consideration for listing |
Activities supporting Boundary Bay Chinook would be eligible for all SARA-related G and C funding (Aboriginal Fund for Species at Risk, Habitat Stewardship Program, and Canada Nature Fund for Aquatic Species at Risk [if renewed beyond March 2026]) |
General fisheries management |
Boundary Bay Chinook are not directly managed as part of the PST DFO does not have a target for Boundary Bay Chinook that is actively managed to at this time |
To prevent jeopardizing the recovery of Boundary Bay Chinook, all Canadian harvest should be prevented (Dionne et al. 2023) Decisions for permits and exemptions will be made following a listing decision and will be guided by best available information, including the Recovery Potential Assessment and the Salmon Allocation Policy Each of the fisheries identified below (First Nations, recreational, commercial) is likely to encounter Boundary Bay Chinook and would need to be closed or restricted to comply with SARA prohibitions. There is no scope for allowable harm to the population, so no permits or exemptions can be granted for these fisheries because the permitting pre-condition that an activity must not jeopardize survival or recovery cannot be met Anticipated fisheries measures are outlined in the sections below |
First Nations salmon fisheries |
No specific incremental First Nations salmon fisheries actions are expected |
The following restrictions to First Nations fisheries are anticipated:
Treaty domestic use fisheries are likely to meet the requirements for an exception under s. 83(3) |
Recreational salmon fisheries |
No specific incremental recreational salmon fisheries actions are expected |
The following restrictions and closures to recreational fisheries are anticipated:
|
Commercial salmon fisheries |
No specific incremental commercial salmon fisheries actions are expected |
The following closures to commercial fisheries are anticipated:
|
Commercial groundfish trawl |
The enhanced salmon monitoring program that began in September 2022 was funded until March 31, 2025. Future funding opportunities are being assessed A new salmon bycatch management plan was implemented for the 2024/2025 groundfish Option A trawl fishery, including a Chinook bycatch cap of 9,500 pieces. This will continue for the 2025/2026 groundfish fishing season |
While the impact of the 2024 measures on the mortality of Boundary Bay Chinook is not yet fully understood, and assuming that Chinook bycatch is significantly reduced, then additional restrictions are not anticipated to be necessary for the groundfish Option A trawl fishery; however, SARA general prohibitions still apply |
Provincial fisheries management for freshwater fish species |
No specific incremental provincially-managed recreational freshwater fisheries actions are expected |
No specific incremental provincially-managed recreational freshwater fisheries actions are expected. Provincially-managed recreational freshwater fisheries should be managed to avoid interactions with SARA-listed species |
Enhancement |
No specific incremental enhancement activities are expected |
Enhancement activities that support conservation and stock assessment objectives for Boundary Bay Chinook are likely to meet requirements for permits or exemptions |
Research and monitoring |
No specific incremental research and monitoring activities are expected |
DFO may authorize research activities that benefit Boundary Bay Chinook through the issuance of permits or exemptions Retention of listed species for sale purposes would be prohibited as listed species cannot be bought or sold under s. 32(2). Restrictions to test fisheries may apply |
Other federal measures |
No specific incremental measures are expected |
DFO would need to consider SARA prohibitions in regulatory review decisions, including for SARA permits or Fisheries Act authorizations that also act as SARA permits for some activities (s. 73[2][b], [c]) DFO would monitor for contraventions of the SARA general prohibitions (for example, s. 32 and 33) and critical habitat protections (s. 58), and enforce SARA as appropriate with respect to listed aquatic species Parks Canada would support management and recovery planning for listed species that occur within aquatic areas under the jurisdiction of the Minister responsible for Parks Canada (s. 2[1][a]). Boundary Bay Chinook may migrate through the waters of Gulf Islands National Park Reserve (NPR); Pacific Rim NPR; and Gwaii Haanas NPR, National Marine Conservation Area, and Haida Heritage Site |
Other provincial measures |
No specific incremental measures are expected |
For other activities managed by the Government of British Columbia that may impact Boundary Bay Chinook (for example, activities related to water resource use, pollution, and aquatic invasive species), provincial regulations should take into account SARA prohibitions (s. 32) and support the protection of critical habitat (s. 58) |