Spotted Wolffish Critical Habitat Order

Summary#

The Critical Habitat of the Spotted Wolffish (Anarhichas minor) Order is a federal order that applies protections from the Species at Risk Act to areas identified as critical habitat for the Spotted Wolffish (Anarhichas minor). The order was registered on August 28, 2020 and was published in the Canada Gazette on September 16, 2020.

What it does#

• Formally applies subsection 58(1) of the Species at Risk Act to the critical habitat identified in the species’ recovery strategy that is posted in the Species at Risk Public Registry.
• States that the Order comes into force on the day it is registered (registration: August 28, 2020).
• Notes that no part of the identified critical habitat is in a place referred to in subsection 58(2) of the Act (a technical detail in the law).

Who's affected#

• The main subject is the Spotted Wolffish (Anarhichas minor).
• People or businesses that carry out activities in the marine areas named as critical habitat could be affected. The Order itself does not list specific activities or locations in the Canada Gazette text; those details are in the recovery strategy on the Species at Risk Public Registry.
• The Order was made by the Minister of Fisheries and Oceans, Bernadette Jordan.

Why it matters#

• It gives the critical habitat identified for the Spotted Wolffish (Anarhichas minor) formal coverage under the Species at Risk Act, which can influence how those marine areas are managed.
• For anyone using those ocean areas (for fishing, development, or other marine work), the designation could lead to new restrictions, conditions, or requirements aimed at protecting the habitat and helping the species recover.
• The public can consult the recovery strategy and registry for the exact mapped areas and more detail.