While doing your research, pay attention to the timeline and interplay between scientific research and government policy initiatives.
Before investigating the science and government policy behind a particular piece of legislation (act/statute) or regulation, it is helpful to understand how it came into existence, and how government policy plays a role in this legislative process.
Jurisdiction: You need to know which jurisdiction (e.g. federal or provincial) passed the particular legislation or regulation. Both the federal government and provincial government legislate in the area concerning the environment. The federal government's major aquatic legislation is the Fisheries Act. British Columbia also has statutes governing both fish and the environment.