Fishery Notice

Invertebrates

Crab - Fraser River Waters - Area J (Subarea 29-8 - Boundary Bay):

Open 08:00 hours July 15 to 16:00 hours November 30, 2017 to commercial fishing 
for Dungeness and Red Rock Crab by ring net, dip net, and trap in Crab 
Management Area J (i.e. Subarea 29-8 - Boundary Bay).

VARIATION ORDER NO 2017-297 IS IN EFFECT


NEW IN 2017 IN AREA J:

No More Bait Ban During The First Two (2) Days Of The Fishery:
The bait ban for the first 2 days of the fishery has been lifted. Bait can now 
be used and crabs can be retained during the first two days of the fishery.

Plastic Buoy Tags Now Required:
In addition to marking each trap with an approved plastic tag from the service 
provider, each surface buoy (float) attached to a trap must also have an 
approved plastic tag from the service provider attached to it. The float tag 
must be attached in a way so that is easily visible above the surface of the 
water (e.g. on the top of the float). 
 
Extra Plastic Trap and Buoy Tags: Now 20 Percent
Each vessel will be issued a total number (each) of plastic trap and buoy tags 
equal to their trap limit plus 20 percent (not 10 percent as in 2016) to allow 
for replacements. 

If the vessel master requires more replacement plastic trap or buoy tags than 
the 20 percent allotted (not 10 percent as in 2016), a complete new set of 
replacement tags shall be issued.


ADDITIONAL REMINDERS:

Trap Limits:
The trap limit for the 2017 season in Area J is 150 traps per licence.  

Trap size:
The maximum size of traps used to fish for Dungeness Crab is 355 litres in 
volume. A trap with a diameter of 44 inches (112 cm) and a height of 14 inches 
(36 cm) is 355 litres in volume.

Escape Holes:
All crab traps must be fitted with at least two escape holes that are not more 
than 100 mm below the top of the frame. Both of the escape holes must be at 
least 105 mm in diameter.

Single Lines and Buoys:
A line and buoy shall be attached to each and every trap fished in Area J 
(Boundary Bay). No ground lines are permitted. Fishermen are reminded to keep 
buoys out of the navigation channels.

Hanging Bait Ban:
All bait must be contained within hard plastic bait containers having a screw 
top lid. Bait containers may have holes drilled in them but holes shall not be 
larger than 8 mm in diameter. Bait containers that do not meet the requirements 
are not permitted in any traps fished.

Single Haul:
Hauling of crab trap gear including lines and buoys attached to traps will be 
permitted only once per day. This is referred to as single hauling.

Daylight Fishing Only: 
Setting and hauling of crab traps is permitted only between one hour before 
sunrise and one hour after sunset.

Male Retention Only:
No person shall catch and retain or possess any female crab.

Soft Shell Crab:
Soft-shell crab may not be retained or possessed in the commercial crab 
fishery. This prohibition also applies to crab buyers and processors.

"Soft-shell crab" means a crab whose shell is not fully hardened, and yields to 
finger pressure.  A crab with a Durometer measurement of 70 units or less is 
defined as a soft-shell crab.  

Size Limits: 
No person shall retain or possess any Dungeness crab smaller than 165 mm, 
measured as the maximum distance in a straight line through the greatest 
breadth of the shell. 

No person shall retain or possess any red rock crab smaller than 115 mm, 
measured as the maximum distance in a straight line through the greatest 
breadth of the shell.

Each fisher shall ensure that their measuring gauge is accurate.

Marking of traps and buoys with plastic tags:
All crab traps fished under the authority of this licence shall have approved 
plastic tags attached to each trap. All tags shall indicate the licence year 
and have an identification number unique to each individual vessel. Each trap 
tag shall be attached to the trap so that it is visible without opening the 
trap. 

In addition, each buoy shall have a plastic buoy tag attached to it. Each buoy 
tag shall be attached to the buoy so it is visible above the surface of the 
water (e.g. on the top of the buoy). The buoy tags shall be distinct from the 
trap tags.

Only those plastic crab trap or buoy tags that have been reported and 
registered to be fished shall be attached to traps or buoys. Plastic trap or 
buoy tags will be obtained from the approved service provider. 

Each vessel will be issued a total number (each) of plastic trap and buoy tags 
equal to their trap limit plus 20 percent to allow for replacements. 

If the vessel master requires more replacement plastic trap or buoy tags than 
the 20 percent allotted, a complete new set of replacement tags shall be 
issued.  New replacement tags shall be marked with the letters "RP" and be a 
different colour than the original set issued.  New replacement tags shall also 
indicate the licence year and be unique to each individual vessel.

Note: To receive replacement plastic trap or buoy tags, the harvester must 
contact their area crab manager. The area crab manager will contact the service 
provider regarding issuing a complete new set of replacement tags.

If the harvester is issued replacement plastic trap or buoy tags, all other 
plastic trap or buoy tags (depending on which type of plastic tag is being 
replaced) must be removed and returned to DFO not later than the 21st day of 
the month following the issue date. Tags that have been replaced are invalid 
after that date.

The vessel master shall arrange with the approved service provider to have crab 
trap and buoy tag numbers for tags that meet the requirements of the 
Department, entered into a database and submitted to the Department within 24 
hours of being issued the trap or buoy tags.

Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) Chips:
All crab traps fished shall be marked with a radio frequency identification 
(RFID) chip attached to the buoy.  Where single traps are marked by individual 
buoys, the RFID chip shall be attached to the buoy rather than to the trap.  

RFID chips shall be placed on buoys, as required, in such a manner that they 
can be scanned by an on-board chip reader.

All radio frequency identification (RFID) chips shall be scanned by the on-
board chip reader immediately upon removal from the water. No dragging of gear 
is permitted prior to scanning of the tags.

Canada/US Boundary:
No gear shall be fished in US waters; this includes all buoys, lines and 
traps.  The Canada/US International Boundary in Boundary Bay is most accurately 
determined by visual observation utilizing the range markers located at Point 
Roberts and at the Peace Arch. The NAD 83(WGS84) latitude of IBC Monument No. 4 
at Point Roberts and Monument No. 5 at Peace Arch is 49 degrees 00.125 minutes 
north latitude. The NAD 83 (WGS84) latitude of the midpoint of the Canada/US 
International Boundary in Boundary Bay, between Monuments No. 4 and 5, is 49 
degrees 00.130 minutes north latitude.   

Best Fishing Practices:
Release all by-catch species with the least possible harm. Retention of 
flatfish, finfish, and soft, female, and undersized Dungeness crab is 
prohibited. 

To improve FSC access and to reduce conflicts, keep gear away from areas 
fronting First Nation reserves. 
Buoy lines should be appropriate for water depth and tide cycles.
Keep crab buoys brightly painted and in accordance with licence conditions.

Minimize wash in harbours, particularly at boat launches, marinas and other 
wharves. 

Avoid pulling crab traps through beds of eel grass.
If commercial harvesters are replacing active crab traps with ones that have 
been inactive for more than 18 days they should transfer the RFID chip from the 
active trap to the replacement trap. This RFID replacement activity will help 
minimize violation errors associated with reporting violations of soak and trap 
limits. 

Electronic Monitoring:
All vessels must have installed an electronic monitoring (EM) system or provide 
100% observer coverage; and have approved plastic trap tags and RFID chips for 
all traps fished. 

All radio frequency identification (RFID) tags shall be scanned by the on-board 
tag reader immediately upon removal from the water. If an RFID chip fails to be 
read, that trap shall be removed immediately from the water until the chip is 
either repaired or replaced.
The service provider for Area J is Pacific Coast Fishery Services Inc. (250-931-
7686).

This service provider can provide EM coverage, plastic trap tags & RFID chips, 
enter logbook data, and conduct biological sampling with designated observers.

Service providers may require additional information as part of their agreement 
with licence eligibility holders to ensure that observers can locate the active 
vessels for the on-board biological data collection requirement and to ensure 
proper delivery of the electronic monitoring program.

Harvest Logs:
The vessel master shall maintain a log of all harvest operations and provide 
this information in both hard (paper) copy and electronic copy to the 
Department in accordance with the timing set out below. The content and format 
of the log (paper and electronic) shall meet the requirements as as defined by 
Fisheries and Oceans Canada's Shellfish Data Unit.

The harvest and fishing location information recorded in the harvest log shall 
be complete and accurate. 

The information for each day's harvest operations shall be recorded in the 
harvest log not later than midnight of that day.

The vessel master shall enter latitude/longitude co-ordinates in the location 
field of the harvest log for each string or group of traps.  A string is 
defined as traps connected by a line.  A group is defined as single trap or 
short strings of traps in a distinct area (e.g. a bay) not crossing an Area or 
Subarea boundary with no two traps more than 0.5 nautical miles (1 km) apart.  

The vessel master shall:

(a) In the case of a string of traps, record a new line of harvest information 
with a new latitude/longitude coordinate pair to represent one end of the 
string; or

(b) In the case of a group of traps, record a new line of harvest information 
with a new latitude/longitude coordinate pair to represent the centre point of 
the group of traps; and 

(c) Record Latitude/longitude coordinate pairs using degree decimal minute 
format, with information provided to the third decimal point.

The vessel master shall enter their Fishing Identification Number, (Vessel 
Master FIN) from their Fisher Registration Card (FRC) in the space provided at 
the top of each harvest log page.

The harvest log shall be kept on board the licensed vessel.

The harvest log shall be produced for examination on demand of a fishery 
officer or an observer.

The licence holder shall ensure the completed log pages (original copy) and 
electronic copy of the log are forwarded not later than 28 days following the 
end of each month in which fishing occurred to: 
Fisheries and Oceans Canada Shellfish Data Unit 
Pacific Biological Station 3190 Hammond Bay Road, 
Nanaimo, BC, V9T 6N7 
Tel: (250) 756-7022 or (250) 756-7306

In the event that a licence holder does not fish under authority of this 
licence, the licence holder shall submit a nil report.  The nil report shall 
include one page from the harvest logbook identifying the vessel, licence tab 
number and the year with 'nil' entered in the body of the log; the licence 
holder shall sign the nil report.

Fish Slip Information:
An accurate written report shall be provided on a fish slip of all fish caught 
and retained under the authority of this licence. 
A report shall be made even if the fish are used for bait, personal consumption 
or disposed of otherwise.
The vessel master shall submit slips not later than seven days after landing.  
Slips shall be mailed to:
Department of Fisheries and Oceans
Fisheries Management Data Unit
Suite 200 - 401 Burrard Street
Vancouver, BC  V6C 3S4 

Fish slip books may be purchased directly from the printer, Proforma Business 
Forms, phone (604)596-6133. Alternately fish slips can be downloaded free of 
charge, from the DFO website. For more information, see the website 
http://www.pac.dfo-mpo.gc.ca/stats/fishslips-carnets/index-eng.html, or phone 
the FM Data Unit message line at (604)666-2716.

Licencing: 
Please see the National Online Licencing System (NOLS) at http://www.dfo-
mpo.gc.ca/fm-gp/sdc-cps/licence-permis-eng.htm


FOR MORE INFORMATION:

Further information and requirements are documented in the 2017 Conditions of 
Licence, and in the 2017 Crab Integrated Fisheries Management Plan which can be 
found at the WAVES website:
http://waves-vagues.dfo-mpo.gc.ca/waves-vagues/ 

These documents are available upon request from:

Anna Magera
Resource Manager
Lower Fraser Area 
Area J 
Tel: (604) 916-6743
E-mail: anna.magera@dfo-mpo.gc.ca

Fisheries & Oceans Operations Center - FN0606
Sent June 30, 2017 at 1611

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Printed from the Pacific Region web site on July 7, 2024 at 0120