The following information has been provided to support Indigenous Peoples, proponents, stakeholders and other partners in better understanding the regulatory and program changes.

Authorizations Regulations

The amended Authorizations Concerning Fish and Fish Habitat Protection Regulations (the Regulations) are in force on October 15, 2026.

The Regulations set out the regulatory requirements to apply for an authorization under the Fisheries Act for works, undertakings or activities that may result in harmful impacts to fish and fish habitat. Amendments to the Regulations are focused on better aligning application information requirements with project risks. Key changes include:

• Simplified information requirements for all applications for authorization
• Streamlined project review when a DFO Technical Standard is followed
• Enabling the Minister to determine offsetting requirements following a project risk assessment
• Exempting municipal and Indigenous governments from financial guarantee requirements
• Strengthened requirements for early engagement of Indigenous groups by project proponents, aligned with regulatory requirements under the Impact Assessment Act

Technical standards

DFO’s first interim technical standard for Installation or Replacement of Watercourse Crossings is available as of October 15, 2026. A technical standard is a new tool which establishes fish-friendly design techniques and incorporates avoidance and mitigation measures to reduce the risk to fish and fish habitat. When proponents follow a technical standard in their application for authorization, the process will be streamlined with less information required.

The watercourse crossing technical standard is available for use, but is considered interim. We encourage you to provide input and feedback on how it can be improved before it is finalized. You can provide comments to DFO by via the FFHPP inbox until January 29, 2027.  Indigenous groups can contact the Indigenous Habitat Participation Program (IHPP) if they are interested in applying for IHPP funding to support their review of the standard.

Additional interim DFO technical standards will be released over the coming months, and will also be open for comments and feedback. DFO will continue to develop and release new tools, guidance and instruments to streamline regulatory processes including additional mitigation procedures, codes of practice and equivalent industry practices. We will continue to notify you and seek your input.

Website and guidance

The Projects Near Water website has been updated to provide a more user-friendly experience that will lead you easily through the information, guidance and other resources that you may be looking for. We have also updated the applicant’s guide to support proponents in understanding what information is required when they apply for a Fisheries Act authorization.

Project Submission Tool

The Project Submission Tool (PST) has been expanded and can now be used to submit an application for a Fisheries Act authorization for your project in or near water. The PST initially launched in December 2025 to enable online notifications when using codes of practice, and it can also be used to notify DFO when following the Maintenance and Repair of Ontario Municipal Drains Regulation.

By using the PST:

• Applicants can notify or apply to DFO directly from their computer, tablet, or phone​
• Information can be saved and completed later​
• Applicants can benefit from a user-friendly interface with improved accessibility​
• Only relevant information needs to be submitted

The PST can be accessed on the Projects Near Water website.

The American Fisheries Society has developed a variety of guidelines and toolkits to help Units grow and maintain themselves effectively.  If you are a new Unit leader, check out the Unit Leaders Guide for a start, and be sure to investigate the resources available for ensuring appropriate bylaws changes, meeting conduct, change of officers, and many other technicalities of running a Unit successfully.

Need help with committee and volunteer organization? Trouble with funding? If you’re looking to start a new Chapter, Section or Student Subunit, make sure you refer to the guidelines provided. There are tons of tools here for you to use in your AFS Unit!

To view locations and register for the event, please fill out the following form: https://forms.gle/DAv4hKBM6LwjYehA8.

Virtual registrations are accepted until end-of-day on November 4^th. The last day for in-person registration is Sunday, November 1^st.

We look forward to seeing you there!

Bridging the Gap: Fish Health, Fish Management, and Fish Culture

The event will be available virtually but with in-person attendance sessions at certain locations for any who want to gather face-to-face. To view specific locations and register for the event, please fill out the following form: https://forms.gle/DAv4hKBM6LwjYehA8.

If you have any questions about the event, please reach out to Connor Reid at past-president@afs-oc.org. We look forward to seeing you there!