Residents enjoying the Parksville-Qualicum Beach Wildlife Management Area are reminded to follow restrictions now in place that require all dogs to be on a leash.

The regulations are necessary to protect wildlife, particularly birds which suffer stress and lose critical energy reserves when chased by dogs. During the critical migration period between March 1 and April 30 no dogs are permitted on the beach at Parksville Bay (from the Englishman River to the foot of Doehle Road), from French Creek to the end of Seacrest Place, and the Little Qualicum Estuary (from the end of Seacroft Road to the Little Qualicum River). Fires, camping and motorized vehicles are also prohibited in the Wildlife Management Area year-round.

The prohibitions were established through the Wildlife Management Area Use and Access Regulation made under the Wildlife Act. While most fines levied tend to be a ticket of $115, violators can be subject to a penalty of up to $50,000 and/or six months in jail for more serious offences.

The Parksville-Qualicum Beach Wildlife Management Area was first established in 1993. It was last enlarged in 2013 to include a five-kilometre stretch of riparian habitat along the Englishman River which will help sustain a sensitive steelhead trout fishery and protect community water supplies.

The Ministry of Forests, Lands and Natural Resource Operations works to maintain and restore the province’s ecological diversity of fish and wildlife species and their habitats. One way the ministry meets these goals is through the management of the province’s various types of conservation lands, including the establishment of wildlife management areas under Section 4 of the Wildlife Act. This designation gives the ministry additional tools to manage the land and associated land uses.

To view a map of the Parksville-Qualicum Wildlife Management Area, visit: https://www.flickr.com/gp/bcgovphotos/8hhQfe

Media Contacts:

Media Relations
Ministry of Forests, Lands and Natural Resource Operations
250 356-526