Aquatic Invasive Species Regulations (SOR/2015-121)

Interpretation

Marginal note:Definitions

1 The following definitions apply in these Regulations.

Act

Act means the Fisheries Act. (Loi)

aquatic invasive species

aquatic invasive species means a species set out in Part 2 or 3 of the schedule. (espèce aquatique envahissante)

indigenous

indigenous, in respect of an aquatic species, means that the species originated naturally in a particular region or body of water. (indigène)

General

Marginal note:List of aquatic invasive species

2 For the purpose of subsection 43(3) of the Act, the list of aquatic invasive species is the list set out in Parts 2 and 3 of the schedule.

Marginal note:Estimate of costs

3 Before publishing proposed regulations made under subsection 43(3) of the Act, the Minister must provide the President of the Treasury Board with an estimate of the costs of their implementation.

Marginal note:Designation of species

4 A reference in these Regulations to an aquatic invasive species or family of aquatic invasive species by its common name as set out in column 1 in Part 2 or 3 of the schedule is to be read as a reference to the scientific name of that species or family of species that is set out in column 2.

Marginal note:Inconsistency with other regulations

5 In the event of an inconsistency between these Regulations and any other regulations made under the Act, these Regulations prevail to the extent of the inconsistency.

Prohibitions

Marginal note:Prohibition against importation

6 It is prohibited for any person to import members of a species set out in Part 2 of the schedule, including any genetic material capable of propagating the species, into the applicable area set out in column 4 of that Part, unless the member is in the condition, if any, set out in column 3.

Marginal note:Prohibition against possession

7 It is prohibited for any person to possess members of a species set out in Part 2 of the schedule, including any genetic material capable of propagating the species, within the applicable area set out in column 5 of that Part, unless the member is in the condition, if any, set out in column 3.

Marginal note:Prohibition against transportation

8 It is prohibited for any person to transport members of a species set out in Part 2 of the schedule, including any genetic material capable of propagating the species, within the applicable area set out in column 6 of that Part, unless the member is in the condition, if any, set out in column 3.

Marginal note:Prohibition against release

9 It is prohibited for any person to release, or engage in any activity that may lead to the release of, members of a species set out in Part 2 of the schedule, including any genetic material capable of propagating the species, into a body of water frequented by fish within the applicable area set out in column 7 of that Part, unless the member is in the condition, if any, set out in column 3.

Marginal note:Prohibition against introduction of non-indigenous species

10 It is prohibited for any person to introduce an aquatic species into a particular region or body of water frequented by fish where it is not indigenous unless authorized to do so under federal or provincial law.

Exemptions

Marginal note:Exemption for certain persons

11 Sections 6 to 9 do not apply to fishery officers or fishery guardians carrying out their duties under these Regulations or to any other person acting under their direction.

Marginal note:Exemption for emergencies

12 Sections 6 to 10 do not apply to persons operating any vehicles, vessels or aircraft engaged in emergency, search and rescue or firefighting operations.

Marginal note:Exemption for authorized purposes

• 13 (1) If the purpose of the importation, possession, transportation or release of members of a species set out in Part 2 of the schedule is for scientific, educational or aquatic invasive species control purposes, sections 6 to 9 do not apply

  • (a) to employees or any other person acting under the direction of

    • (i) an educational institution,

    • (ii) a research facility,

    • (iii) a zoo or aquarium, or

    • (iv) a federal or provincial department with a mandate to manage or control aquatic invasive species; and

  • (b) to persons engaged in the activities authorized under subsection 19(3).

• Marginal note:Permit, licence or authorization required

  (2) The employees or persons exempted under subparagraphs (1)(a)(i) to (iii) must hold the applicable permits, licences and authorizations issued under the following provisions:

  • (a) section 6.1 of the Manitoba Fishery Regulations, 1987;

  • (b) section 19 of the Quebec Fishery Regulations, 1990;

  • (c) sections 52 and 56 of the Fishery (General) Regulations;

  • (d) subsection 9(3) of the Saskatchewan Fishery Regulations, 1995;

  • (e) subsection 6(2) of the Ontario Fishery Regulations, 2007;

  • (f) sections 34.1 and 34.2 of Fish Licensing of Ontario, O. Reg. 664/98;

  • (g) subsection 3(1) of the Fishing Licensing Regulation of Manitoba, Man. Reg. 124/97;

  • (h) section 3 of the Freshwater Fish Regulation of British Columbia, B.C. Reg. 261/83;

  • (i) subsection 88(3) and section 88.1 of The Fisheries Regulations of Saskatchewan, R.R.S. c. F-16.1 Reg. 1;

  • (j) subsection 12(1) of the Fisheries (Alberta) Act of Alberta, R.S.A. 2000, c. F-16;

  • (k) section 86 of the Wild Life Regulations of Newfoundland and Labrador, C.N.L.R. 1156/96;

  • (l) all applicable provisions in regulations made under the Canada National Parks Act.

Marginal note:Exemption for licence holder

14 Section 7 does not apply to a person holding a fishing licence who has caught a member of a species set out in Part 2 of the schedule if that person takes immediate measures to destroy the member in a manner that ensures that it and any genetic material capable of propagating the species cannot survive.

Marginal note:Exemption — certain diploid grass carp

• 15 (1) Section 7 does not apply, in respect of the possession of diploid grass carp, to persons employed by the Aquaculture Centre of Excellence at Lethbridge College and Alberta Agriculture and Rural Development, or persons under their direction, if they hold a fish research licence issued under subsection 12(1) of the Fisheries (Alberta) Act of Alberta and if the diploid grass carp are possessed for the purpose of culturing triploid grass carp.

• Marginal note:Exemption — triploid grass carp

  (2) Sections 7 and 8 do not apply, in respect of the possession and transportation of triploid grass carp, to persons holding a cultured fish licence issued under subsection 12(1) of the Fisheries (Alberta) Act of Alberta.

Marginal note:Exemption for holder of cultured fish licence

16 Section 9 does not apply to persons holding a cultured fish licence issued under subsection 12(1) of the Fisheries (Alberta) Act of Alberta in respect of the release of grass carp — that have been confirmed as triploid grass carp — for the purpose of vegetation control, in a body of water on privately owned land that is isolated from other bodies of water in a manner that ensures that the grass carp will not adversely affect — in any other body of water — other fish, fish habitat or the use of fish.

Marginal note:Exemption if otherwise regulated

• 17 (1) Sections 6 to 10 and directions given under subsections 22(2), 26(1) and 27(1), do not apply

  • (a) in respect of ballast water and sediments that are carried on board a vessel designed or constructed to carry ballast water, to the persons referred to in subsection 4(1) of the Ballast Water Regulations; or

  • (b) in respect of the biofouling of a vessel that is over 24 m in length, to the person in charge of the vessel.

• Marginal note:Exemption for some vessels

  (2) A fishery officer or fishery guardian must not take the measures referred to in subsection 25(1) in respect of

  • (a) ballast water and sediments that are carried on board a vessel designed or constructed to carry ballast water; or

  • (b) the biofouling of a vessel that is over 24 m in length.

• Definition of biofouling

  (3) For the purpose of subsections (1) and (2), biofouling means the accumulation of aquatic organisms such as micro-organisms, plants and animals on surfaces and structures that are immersed in or exposed to the aquatic environment.

• Marginal note:Definitions of ballast water and sediments

  (4) For the purpose of subsections (1) and (2), ballast water and sediments have the same meaning as in subsection 1(1) of the Ballast Water Regulations.

Prescribed Persons

Marginal note:Prescribed persons

18 The following persons are prescribed under paragraph 36(5)(f) of the Act:

• (a) the Minister of Fisheries and Oceans;

• (b) the Minister responsible for the Parks Canada Agency;

• (c) for Ontario, the provincial Minister of Natural Resources and Forestry;

• (d) for Nova Scotia, the provincial Minister of Fisheries and Aquaculture;

• (e) for Manitoba, the provincial Minister of Conservation and Water Stewardship;

• (f) for British Columbia, the provincial Minister of Environment and the provincial Minister of Forests, Lands and Natural Resource Operations;

• (g) for Saskatchewan, the provincial Minister of Environment;

• (h) for Alberta, the provincial Minister of Environment and Sustainable Resource Development; and

• (i) for Yukon, the territorial Minister of Environment.

Compliance and Enforcement

Control and Eradication

Definition of Minister

• 19 (1) For the purpose of this section and sections 27 and 28, Minister means any of the persons listed in section 18.

• Marginal note:Purposes

  (2) The Minister may take a measure referred to in subsection (3)

  • (a) to prevent the introduction or spread of, or to control or eradicate,

    • (i) any species set out in Part 2 of the schedule in the areas in which it is prohibited,

    • (ii) any species set out in Part 2 or 3 of the schedule in a particular region or body of water frequented by fish where the species is not indigenous and may harm fish, fish habitat or the use of fish, and

    • (iii) any aquatic species, other than a species set out in Part 2 or 3 of the schedule, in a particular region or body of water frequented by fish where the aquatic species is not indigenous and may harm fish, fish habitat or the use of fish; and

  • (b) to treat or destroy any member of a species described in paragraph (a).

• Marginal note:Control activities

  (3) Despite any other regulations made under the Act, the Minister may authorize the deposit of deleterious substances belonging to one of the classes of deleterious substances authorized under section 21 and provide directions for their deposit in any water or place referred to in subsection 36(3) of the Act.

• Marginal note:Exemption for aquaculture activities

  (4) Subsection (3) does not apply in respect of aquaculture activities if the deposit of a deleterious substance is otherwise authorized under the Act.