9420.pdf

2.4 Review of Current Regulations
2.4.1 Federal Acts and Regulations
The Fisheries Act regulates the discharge and disposal of deleterious substances in
Canadian fisheries waters on the federal level. Under Section 36 (3) of this Act, “no person
shall deposit or permit the deposit of a deleterious substance of any type in water
frequented by fish . ...”. A deleterious substance is defined as:
. . . any substance that, if added to any ‘water, would degrade or alter or form
part of a process of degradation or alteration of the quality of that water so
that it is rendered or is likely to be rendered deleterious to fish or fish
habitat or to the use by man of fish that frequent that water, or any water
that contains a substance in such quantity or concentration, or that has
been so treated, processed or changed, by heat or other means, from a
natural state that it would, if added to any other water, degrade or alter form
part of a process of degradation or alteration of the quality of that water so
that it is rendered or is likely to be rendered deleterious to fish or fish
habitat or to the use by man of fish that frequent that water...
The Fisheries Act does not set up limits for any of the possible pollutants that fall under
the definition of a deleterious substance.
Fish Processing Operations Liquid Effluent Guidelines is available under the Fisheries Act.
The intent of the Guidelines is to indicate the level of effluent controls considered
necessary to the federal government. Generally, screening and discharging through an
outfall below low tide is acceptable. Good housekeeping is recommended.
2.4.2 Provincial Acts and Regulations
The “Pollution Control Objectives for Food-processing, Agriculturally Oriented,. and Other
Miscellaneous Industries of British Columbia” (1975) (Objectives) establishes objectives
for wastewater discharge and waste disposal within B.C. The Objectives apply to
effluents discharged to fresh and marine waters other than groundwater, and are
expressed as a weight of contaminant per unit weight of production. Different limits,
monitoring requirements and monitoring frequency are set for salmon processing
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