Animal Care Guidelines
BMSC Animal Use Principles:
BMSC is committed to the humane and ethical care and use of animals.
BMSC adheres to the principle that all research involving animals must be justifiable and have good scientific or pedagogical merit.
BMSC adheres to the principle that justifiable animal use in scientific research and teaching is only acceptable if it has the potential to contribute to the understanding of fundamental biological principles or to the development of knowledge that can reasonably be expected to benefit humans or other animals.
BMSC complies with Canadian Council on Animal Care Guidelines and policies with the Russell-Burch tenet of, “Replacement, Reduction, Refinement”.
The BMSC Animal Care Committee (ACC) ensures that all animal users are informed of, and comply with, institutional and CCAC animal care and use policies.
Please read the BMSC Animal Care Committee Terms of Reference. *Updated Terms of Reference will be posted in early 2026.
Animal Use Protocol (AUP) Submission Process
1. Apply For Your Respective Permit(s):
2. Submit Your Animal Use Protocol (AUP)
Please allow for 60 days for a full AUP review. As a small institution, the BMSC Animal Care Committee meets quarterly to review AUPs. As such, the time from AUP submission to review and approval may take longer than your Home Institution. Please take this into consideration when planning your AUP submission and proposed start date.
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AUP submission deadlines:
- February 2 for proposed research start dates between April 1 – May 31
- April 1 for proposed research start dates between June 1 – July 31
- June 1 for proposed research start dates between August 1 and October 31
- September 1 for proposed research start dates between November 1 and March 31 of the next calendar year
- For research involving vertebrates & cephalopods, submit an AUP Form – Vertebrates & Cephalopods. For more information see CCAC Requirement for Submitting an AUP
- For collection of any animals at BMSC which are destined for transport and use at a different institution, submit an AUP Form – Collections for External Use
- At any point, you may apply for an amendment to your AUP via the AUP Research Form – Amendment. Note, the magnitude of the amendment will effect processing time
- Multi-year AUPs must be renewed every year with an AUP Renewal Form for a maximum of three years
For more information on the AUP approval process, please see The BMSC Animal Care Committee Terms of Reference at the top of the page.
Please send all AUP forms to the Animal Care Coordinator
Tips for Completing Your AUP:
- Researchers are welcome and encouraged to seek advice from the Head of Animal Care concerning their AUPs prior to submission.
- Researchers are also encouraged to use the various CCAC Guidelines as a reference
- SOPs for the care and use of animals should be referred to within your AUP wherever appropriate. Species specific animal care SOPs can be found below. *All BMSC SOPs are currently undergoing review and revisions. Updated SOPs will be posted soon.
Invert Use Form (IUF) Submission Process
1. Apply For Your Respective Permit(s):
2. Submit Your Invert Use Form (IUF)
The Invert Use Form (IUF) is intended for research projects conducted at BMSC that involve live invertebrates (excluding cephalopods), and therefore conform to CCAC’s Category of Invasiveness “A”. The IUF does not require BMSC Animal Care Committee (ACC) approval. Submission of an IUF allows the BMSC Animal Care team to support invertebrate research.
An IUF needs to be submitted by the Primary Investigator prior to the collection or use of invertebrates at BMSC.
NOTE: The CCAC requires submission and approval of an Animal Use Protocol (AUP) for any research activities involving invertebrate collection that has the potential to capture non-human vertebrates or cephalopods. If there is a possibility of incidental capture of vertebrates during the collection of your study species, please contact the BMSC Animal Care Coordinator: ac.coord@bamfieldmsc.com
IUF submission deadlines:
- February 2 for proposed research start dates between April 1 – May 31
- April 1 for proposed research start dates between June 1 – July 31
- June 1 for proposed research start dates between August 1 and October 31
- September 1 for proposed research start dates between November 1 and March 31 of the next calendar year
- For research involving invertebrates (excluding cephalopods) submit an IUF. At any point you may amend your submitted IUF via email to the BMSC Animal Care Coordinator: ac.coord@bamfieldmsc.com
- For collection of any invertebrates (excluding cephalopods) destined for transport and use at a different institution, submit an IUF – Collections for External Use.
- For research involving vertebrates & cephalopods, submit an AUP Form – Vertebrates & Cephalopods.
- For collection of any animals at BMSC which are destined for transport and use at a different institution, submit an AUP Form – Collections for External Use
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Please send all IUF forms to the Animal Care Coordinator
Tips for Completing Your IUF:
- Researchers are welcome and encouraged to seek advice from the Head of Animal Care concerning their IUFs prior to submission.
- SOPs for the care and use of organisms should be referred to within your IUF wherever appropriate. Species specific care SOPs can be found below. *All BMSC SOPs are currently undergoing review and revisions. Updated SOPs will be posted soon.
INSTRUCTORS – Before You Arrive:
If the use of vertebrates or cephalopods is a requirement for your course, submission of an Animal Use Protocol (AUP) Form – Education is required. Approval of the AUP by the BMSC Animal Care Committee (ACC) is required prior to the collection or use of animals.
The CCAC requires all animal-based teaching and training activities undergo a Pedagogical Merit review once every four years (or if significant changes to the course has occurred). The principle objective is to assess whether live animals are, and continue to be, essential in achieving successful learning outcomes. The BMSC Executive Director will assign the review of this form to a minimum of two independent experts in pedagogy and/or animal-replacement alternatives prior to the BMSC Animal Care Committee (ACC) reviewing the Education AUP. See the CCAC – Pedagogical Merit FAQs for more information. Please complete and submit the Pedagogical Merit (For Instructors) and submit it with your Education AUP.
All Instructors, TAs, and students handling vertebrates or cephalopods requires Animal User Training from their Home Institution.
Education AUPs are valid for one year, and can be renewed annually up to an additional 3 years (4 years total). Please use the AUP Education Form – Renewal.
Amendments to Active AUPs that have been Approved can be submitted via the AUP Education Form – Amendment.
If you are only using invertebrates (excluding cephalopods), there is no need to submit an AUP. Please email the Head of Animal Care with a list of proposed invertebrates, as well as the dates of the course and proposed collection methods and sites.
Note: All educational activities are covered under BMSC’s Education Permits including: DFO Scientific Licence and ITC Permits, and Huu-ay-aht First Nations Heritage Investigation Permit. For access to these permits, or to see if your planned activities fall within BSMC’s permits please email the Animal Care Coordinator.
Please allow for 60 days for a full AUP review. NOTE: review of Pedagogical Merit may increase the time between AUP submission and approval, please plan accordingly.
2026 Submission deadlines for all AUPs:
- February 2 for proposed course start dates between April 1 – May 31
- April 1 for proposed course start dates between June 1 – July 31
- June 1 for proposed course start dates between August 1 and October 31
- September 1 for proposed course start dates beginning after November 1 and before March 31 of the next calendar year
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Please email all AUP and Pedagogical forms to the Animal Care Coordinator
Tips for Completing Your AUP:
- Instructors are welcome and encouraged to seek advice from the Head of Animal Care concerning their AUPs prior to submission.
- Instructors are also encouraged to use the various CCAC Guidelines as a reference
- SOPs for the care and use of animals should be referred to within your AUP wherever appropriate. Species specific animal care SOPs can be found below. *All BMSC SOPs are currently undergoing review and revisions. Updated SOPs will be posted soon.
Animal User Training:
All personnel working with non-human vertebrates or cephalopods must complete the required animal user training (part 1 and 2) from their Home Institution that complies with CCAC’s approved Animal User Training. A record of the training must be submitted along with their AUP. To access your Home Institution’s animal user training:
- University of Victoria – https://www.uvic.ca/research/conduct/home/animalcare/index.php (Access and Training tab)
- University of British Columbia – https://animalcare.ubc.ca/training
- Simon Fraser University – https://www.sfu.ca/research/resources/animal-care/animal-care-training-and-orientation
- University of Calgary – https://research.ucalgary.ca/animalhealth/animalhealth
- University of Alberta – https://www.ualberta.ca/research/research-support/research-ethics-office/support/training/animal-research-ethics-training/index.html
If you are not affiliated with one of these home institutions, you can still access animal user training through: The Experimental Fish – Canadian Aquaculture Institution.
Animal Collection Reporting:
BMSC is required by the Canadian Council on Animal Care (CCAC) and Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO) to submit reports of all animals used and collected for research and teaching purposes. All researchers and instructors must report their collections to BMSC within one week of the end of their research project/course.
Please email the Animal Care Coordinator to obtain a copy of the 2026 Organism Collection Reporting Template.
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