Vancouver, B.C. - Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO), is taking measures to protect the unique and highly sensitive Lophelia Reef-also known by its Wakashan name q̓áuc̓íwísuxv-by closing all commercial and recreational bottom-contact fisheries, including midwater trawl, within this area. This indefinite closure came into effect on Wednesday, February 14, 2024.
Located in Finlayson Channel, northern B.C., the largely pristine cold-water live coral reef contains unique habitats, high biodiversity and biomass, and has cultural significance to the Kitasoo Xai'xais and Heiltsuk First Nations. Protecting Lophelia Reef aligns with DFO's priorities of reconciliation and the protection of sensitive benthic areas. The closure demonstrates a robust protective measure by the Department based on a significant scientific discovery as this site, while small, is a globally unique reef that is highly susceptible to damage, most notably from fishing gear.
The Pacific Lophelia coral reef is identified within the Northern Shelf Bioregion Marine Protected Area's Network Action Plan, and is a proposed Parks Canada National Marine Conservation Area Reserve (NMCAR), which is currently in the feasibility assessment stage.
This Lophelia coral reef is the most northern reef known in the Pacific Ocean and was first discovered in 2021 and mapped in 2022, on joint surveys between DFO, the Kitasoo Xai'xais Nation and the Central Coast Indigenous Resource Alliance (CCIRA) on board the Canadian Coast Guard Ship (CCGS) Vector. While the area is remote and not widely fished, there is evidence of physical damage to the living coral likely caused by bottom-contact fisheries. Expeditions like these are culturally and scientifically important and continue to contribute to our global understanding of the deep sea.
The Government of Canada is committed to safeguarding the health of our oceans for future generations. The protection of sensitive benthic habitats, such as cold-water corals and sponges, and the mitigation of fisheries-related risks to these habitats, is a priority under the DFO Sustainable Fisheries Framework. The Heiltsuk and Kitasoo Xai'xais Nations are partners in the Northern Shelf Bioregion initiatives and strongly support these closures.
