Letter re Anchorages Protocol

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From: "Pacific Anchorages / Ancrages du pacifique (TC)" <TC.PacificAnchorages-
Ancragesdupacifique.TC@tc.gc.ca> 
Date: August 13, 2018 at 5:08:15 PM PDT 
To: "Pacific Anchorages / Ancrages du pacifique (TC)" <TC.PacificAnchorages-
Ancragesdupacifique.TC@tc.gc.ca> 
Subject: Interim Anchorages Protocol 
Hello, 
  
I am writing to notify you of the extension of the Interim Anchorages Protocol for the Southern Gulf Islands for 
an additional 12 months, effective immediately. 
  
As you know, under the Ocean’s Protection Plan, the national Anchorages Initiative is underway and will 
develop a national framework to guide selection and establishment of anchorages outside the jurisdiction of 
the ports. The national framework will balance and respond to environmental, economic, social and cultural 
concerns. The initiative will also develop a best practices guide to be followed by vessels while at anchor in 
Canadian waters, and consider how best to provide management and oversight of vessels at anchor.  
  
As this work will be on-going over the next two years, Transport Canada, in partnership with the Vancouver 
Fraser Port Authority, the Nanaimo Port Authority, the Pacific Pilotage Authority, the Chamber of Shipping of 
BC and the Shipping Federation of Canada, introduced the Interim Protocol for the use of Southern British 
Columbia anchorages comprising temporary and voluntary interim procedures in the Pacific region. These 
procedures, aim to more equitably distribute vessels among the existing anchorages so as not to impact any 
single community more than others. The procedures also ask vessel operators to voluntarily minimize noise 
and lights whenever possible, consistent with the safety and security of the vessel, and pursuant to regulatory 
requirements.  
  
Since it was put into place in February 2018, the protocol has been generating important information to help 
the department analyse anchorage usage in the region, and to better understand operational implications of 
managing anchorages outside the jurisdiction of the ports. The protocol is contributing to minimising 
disturbance to island residents, with targeted information to vessel operators designed to limit noise levels 
and light usage while at anchor. By implementing the more equitable distribution of vessels to anchorages, the 
protocol is also reducing the overuse of certain anchorages within the islands.  
  
Fundamental to the Oceans Protection Plan is a commitment to evidence-based decision-making.  For this 
reason, during the next 12 months we will continue to analyse data and feedback to inform potential 
modifications to the protocol. We will conduct a full review of the data, comments, and other results related to 
the initial six-month period of the protocol. We are aiming to complete and share this work in the fall. The 
results will inform work underway on the national Anchorages Initiative.  
  
We acknowledge that there are concerns about the interim protocol, and 

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