Fishing and Recreational Harbours List Updated

Summary#

The Regulations Amending the Fishing and Recreational Harbours Regulations (Miscellaneous Program) (SOR/2020-181) update the official list of harbours in Schedule I of the Fishing and Recreational Harbours Regulations. They remove 133 harbours, add 15 new ones, correct names or locations for 16 harbours, and change three references from “Newfoundland” to Newfoundland and Labrador. The regulations were registered on August 25, 2020 and published on September 2, 2020.

What it does#

• Updates the list of harbours in Schedule I so the federal list matches what Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO) actually owns and manages.
• Removes 133 harbours that have been divested (no longer managed by DFO).
• Adds 15 harbours recently acquired by DFO, including Pangnirtung (Nunavut), Lax Kw’alaams (British Columbia) and several additions in Newfoundland and Labrador and the Prairies.
• Fixes or standardizes names and locations for 16 existing entries. Examples include changing “Marktosis (Ahousat Village)” to Maaqtusiis (Marktosis) and correcting “Prince Rupert (Dodge Harbour)” to Prince Rupert (Dodge Cove).
• Replaces three uses of the name “Newfoundland” with Newfoundland and Labrador so the Regulations use the province’s official name.
• Comes into force on the day of registration: August 25, 2020.
• The government says these are administrative updates only and do not create new costs or regulatory burdens.

Who's affected#

• Local harbour authorities and communities whose harbours were removed, added, or renamed.
• Fishers and small-boat users who use these harbours, because the list determines which harbours are covered by DFO’s harbour program rules and services.
• Indigenous communities where place names were corrected or updated (for example, Maaqtusiis (Marktosis)).
• Provincial and territorial governments and map / navigation data providers who rely on the federal list for accuracy.
• According to the government, there is no expected cost to small businesses or the public from these changes.

Why it matters#

• The list in Schedule I decides which harbours are officially managed under the federal harbour rules. Changing the list clarifies who is responsible for maintenance, services, and program eligibility.
• Name corrections improve accuracy in maps, boating guides, government records, and cultural recognition of Indigenous place names.
• Communities removed from the list have likely been divested to local or other owners; communities added are now reflected as federal harbours.
• The change to Newfoundland and Labrador brings the Regulations into line with the province’s official name.
• The government describes these as administrative housekeeping changes rather than new policies or obligations.