Fisheries and Oceans Canada announced a call for projects to protect and recover aquatic species at risk. The Canada Nature Fund for Aquatic Species at Risk (CNFASAR) puts $77.5 million over five years, or $15.5 million a year, into projects that protect and rebuild aquatic species at risk across the country.

In partnership with Indigenous communities and organizations, provinces and territories, industry and academia, the CNFASAR supports multi-year, multi-partner and multi-species stewardship projects that focus on specific areas or threats to advance recovery measures.

  • Projects in the following nine priority areas may be eligible for funding:
    • Fraser and Columbia Watersheds (BC)
    • Rocky Mountains’ Eastern Slopes (AB)
    • Southern Prairies (AB, SK, MB)
    • Arctic (NU, NWT, YT, Arctic Ocean)
    • Lower Great Lakes Watershed (ON)
    • St. Lawrence Lowlands (QC)
    • Southern Gulf of St. Lawrence Rivers (NB, NS, PEI)
    • Bay of Fundy and Southern Uplands Watersheds (NS, NB)
    • Southern Newfoundland (NL)
  • Projects that target the following two priority marine threats may be eligible for funding:
    • Fishing interactions such as entanglements and bycatch of aquatic species at risk;
    • Physical and acoustic disturbance, including vessel collisions and marine noise.
  • Under this round of the CNFASAR, projects that will help to address recovery measures for aquatic species at risk in geographical areas outside of these priority places, or addressing other freshwater or marine threats, will also be eligible.

The call for proposals closes on November 16, 2026.

For further information about the call for projects or to apply, click here.