GI-2026-12-reg4: Regulations Amending the Arctic Shipping Safety and Pollution Prevention Regulations and the Administrative Monetary Penalties and Notices (CSA 2001) Regulations

If you own or operate a fishing vessel 24 metres or longer in Canada's Arctic waters, these rules directly apply to you — there are 23 Canadian-flagged fishing vessels affected, owned by 14 businesses, with three small businesses among them. The biggest out-of-pocket cost for most operators is installing a second non-magnetic compass if your vessel is 500 gross tonnage or above — that runs roughly $12,500 per vessel for purchase and installation, and existing large fishing vessels need to have this done by January 1, 2027. New vessels being built for Arctic operations will also need a second echo-sounder and transducer (about $3,000). The good news is that most operators already voluntarily meet many of these requirements, so the total industry-wide compliance cost is estimated at only about $193,000 over ten years — and you'll also need to spend a few extra minutes per voyage reviewing marine mammal migration information when planning your route.