Fishery Notice

The Ahousaht, Ehattesaht, Hesquiaht, Mowachaht/Muchalaht and Tla-o-qui-aht 
First Nations' (T'aaq-wiihak Nations') AABM chinook salmon demonstration 
fishery by troll will open July 24, 2017 at 00:01 hours until further notice.

The following areas are open to vessels under 25 feet, with the exception of 
Rockfish Conservation Areas and the Nootka Island Shoreline/Bajo Reef closed 
Area:

that portion of Area 124 extending seaward from the surfline to 9 nautical 
miles seaward of the surfline;

that portion of Area 125 extending seaward from 1 nautical mile seaward of the 
surfline to 9 nautical miles seaward of the surfline;

that portion of Area 126 southeasterly of a line from Grassy Island, running 
parallel with the Area 125 boundary, beginning seaward from 1 nautical mile 
seaward of the surfline (49° 54.007' N, 127°17.156' W) to 9 nautical miles 
seaward of the surfline (49° 47.840' N, 127° 25.062' W); and 

portions of Area 24: sub-areas 24-6, 24-8, 24-9 and that portion of sub-area 24-
2 seaward of a line commencing at Starling Point Light (49°23.647 N, 126°13.849 
W) then heading 270 degrees true West to the opposite shoreline of Sydney Inlet 
(49°23.646 N, 126°15.742 W).

The following areas are open to vessels over 25 feet, with the exception of 
Rockfish Conservation Areas:

that portion of Area 125 extending seaward from 5 nautical miles seaward of the 
surfline to to 9 nautical miles seaward of the surfline;

that portion of Area 126 southeasterly of a line from Grassy Island, running 
parallel with the Area 125 boundary, beginning seaward from 5 nautical miles 
seaward of the surfline (49° 50.922' N, 127° 21.108' W) to 9 nautical miles 
seaward of the surfline (49° 47.840' N, 127° 25.062' W).

Excluded Rockfish Conservation Areas are:

Those portions of Subareas 125-2 and 125-3 that lie inside a line that begins 
at 49°37.900'N 127°01.111'W in water then to 49°37.900'N 126°52.600'W in water 
then to 49°33.500'N 126°52.600'W in water then to the beginning point (West of 
Bajo Reef - Chart 3604).

Those portions of Subareas 24-1, 124-3, 124-4, 125-1, 125-2 and 125-5 that lie 
inside of a line that begins at 49°23.526'N 126°27.818'W north of Matlahaw 
Point then to 49°19.500'N 126°23.900'W
in water then to 49°17.000'N 126°31.200'W in water then to 49°22.100'N 126°
44.700'W in water then to 49°25.067'N 126°34.598'W Hesquiat Peninsula then 
following the southerly shore of Hesquiat Peninsula to the beginning point 
(Estevan Point - Chart 3603).

That portion of Subarea 24-6 that lies inside a line that: begins at 49°
13.560'N 125°57.887'W in water then through Morfee Island to 49°13.300'N 125°
56.750'W Dunlap Island then following the westerly shoreline of Dunlap Island 
to 49°12.941'N 125°56.373'W Dunlap Island then to 49°12.100'N 125°57.048'W 
Vargas Island then westerly following the shoreline of Vargas Island to 49°
12.600'N 125°58.132'W Vargas Island then to the beginning point (Vargas Island 
to Dunlap Island - Chart 3603).

Excluded Nootka Island Shoreline/Bajo Reefs Area is:
That portion of sub-areas 25-13, 125-1, 125-2 and 125-3 shoreward of a line 
drawn from Belmont Point located at 49° 47.528' N and 126° 55.605' W to a point 
located at 49° 44.965; N and 127°01.823' W (located approximately 1.9 nautical 
miles west of Ferrer Point), then southeasterly approximately 13 nautical miles 
to a point located at 49° 37.900' N and 126° 52.600' W, then southwesterly to a 
point at 49° 33.500' N and 126° 52.600' W, the to the Red Can Buoy located at 
49° 33.806' N and 126° 49.976' W then to a point located approximately 2 
nautical miles east at 49°34.125' N and 126° 46.942' W, then to the Nootka 
Island shoreline at a point located near Beano Creek at 49° 36.341' N and 126° 
45.141' W.

The remaining chinook TAC for this fishery is 4,086 pieces. 

Species and amounts permitted for sale:
Chinook: Trip limit of 200 pieces. All chinook retained for sale must be 
greater than 55cm fork length (head on) and 44cm (head off). 

Chum and pink: Bycatch of chum and pink may be retained for sale.

Halibut: Troller vessels over 25 feet may retain for sale a daily limit of 2 
pieces per vessel to a maximum of 8 pieces per trip.  Mosquito vessels under 25 
feet may retain for sale a daily limit of 1 piece per vessel to a maximum of 4 
pieces per trip. The lesser of the daily limit or the trip limit will apply. 
All halibut retained for sale must be greater than 81.3 cm (32 inches) head on 
measured in a straight line, passing over the pectoral fin, from the tip of the 
lower jaw with the mouth closed to the extreme end of the middle of the tail or 
head off more than 61.0 cm (24 inches), measured in a straight line from the 
base of the pectoral fin at its most anterior point to the extreme end of the 
middle of the tail. All halibut sold will be counted against the commercial 
quota holdings of the T'aaq-wiihak Nations.

Rockfish: A daily limit of 7 pieces per vessel to a maximum of 2pieces per trip 
may be retained for sale. All quota applicable rockfish species sold will be 
counted against the commercial quota holdings of the T'aaq-wiihak Nations.

Lingcod: Troller vessels over 25 feet may retain for sale a daily limit of 4 
pieces per vessel to a maximum of 16 pieces per trip.  Mosquito vessels under 
25 feet may retain for sale a daily limit of 2 pieces per vessel to a maximum 
of 8 pieces per trip. The lesser of the daily limit or the trip limit will 
apply. All lingcod retained for sale must be greater than 65 cm head on 
measured from the tip of the nose to the tip of the tail or head off, greater 
than 50 cm measured along the shortest length of the body to the tip of the 
tail. All lingcod sold will be counted against the commercial quota holdings of 
the T'aaq-wiihak Nations.

All fish encountered in this fishery must be retained with the exception of: 
1. Dogfish from all Areas, 
2. Undersize chinook from all Areas, 
3. Sockeye from all Areas, and 
4. Wild coho from offshore Areas (PFMA's 124, 125, 126). 
Amounts of fish retained above the sale limits described above and all other 
non-sale fish species permitted to be retained will be counted against each 
T'aaq-wiihak Nation's Food, Social, and Ceremonial (FSC) allocations.

Fishing shall be permitted by trolling with barbless hook and line gear only. 
For vessels over 25 feet, the use of 6 inch plugs is required.

All harvesters must file a start fishing report (hail out) prior to 
participating in the fishery by calling or texting 250-266-0418 or emailing 
alex@taaqwiihak.ca or completing the report online at www.taaq.ca.

A vessel designated to harvest fish shall be identified by an Identification 
Number and by affixing an Identification Flag that is clearly visible, legible 
and unobstructed. Designation to partake in this fishery must accompany the 
participant while fishing or transporting fish harvested in this fishery. 

All fish caught in this fishery are to be landed at the designated landing 
sites: 
Zeballos Government Dock/Mid-Island Ice;
Lions Gate Fisheries dock, Tofino;
Fourth Street Dock, Tofino; and
Gold River Fuel Dock, Gold River.

Transferring of catch from one vessel to another is not permitted without 
written permission in advance from the First Nation's Fishery Manager that the 
harvester is registered with.

All participants must obtain a Landing Slip, in order to sell any fish caught 
under the authority of this licence. All fish sold in this fishery must be 
accompanied by a Sales Slip. 

All fish landed will be validated by dockside monitors from Ecotrust Canada. 
Harvesters must permit Ecotrust Canada monitors access to their catch at 
landing sites for the validation procedure. J.O. Thomas and Associates monitors 
will also be sampling Chinook (and coho when applicable) for coded-wire tags.

All halibut retained for sale must be tagged by a Ecotrust Canada dockside 
monitor prior to sale.

Harvesters will maintain a logbook and submit a completed report to the 
Ecotrust Canada dockside monitor at each landing. Landing slips will not be 
issued by the Ecotrust Canada dockside monitor without the submission of 
completed logbook reports. 

T'aaq-wiihak harvesters are reminded to refer to the communal licence 
authorizing this fishery for complete details. Copies of the licence are 
available from the DFO Resource Manager, Peter Hall (250-720-4445) and the 
T'aaq-wiihak Fisheries Manager, Alex Gagne (250-266-1071).

Environment and Climate Change Canada (ECCC) is monitoring seabird by-catch to 
determine potential impact on bird populations under current fishing effort and 
bird numbers. Fishers are requested to submit all dead birds entangled in nets 
to ECCC for species confirmation and DNA analysis to determine the colony of 
origin.

Please call your local charter patrol to organize pick-up, drop carcasses off 
at a local DFO office, or contact ECCC directly by calling the Wild Bird 
Mortality Reporting Line 1-866-431-2473 (BIRD). Handle birds with gloves, 
double bag dead birds. Label bag with date, time, location, fishery opening and 
vessel name (Skipper name isn't needed). Alternatively, please send photographs 
of birds with a reference object such as a coin, and the date, time, location, 
fishery opening and vessel name to laurie.wilson@canada.ca. Questions: contact 
Laurie Wilson (laurie.wilson@canada.ca, 604-862-8817).

Fisheries and Oceans Canada is interested in reports of sea turtles in BC 
waters.  By documenting sightings we are able to learn more about how, when, 
and where these turtles are using our waters.  If you see a sea turtle, please 
call this toll-free phone number: 1-866-I SAW ONE (1-866-472-9663).  Please 
include information such as the type of sea turtle seen (i.e. leatherback), the 
location, and time of sighting. 
          
Fishers should be advised that whales can be encountered in the fishing area. 
Fishers should take precautionary measures to avoid fishing near whales to 
avoid potential contact with fishing gear. If a whale becomes entangled in 
fishing gear, fishers should immediately call the Observe, Record, Report (ORR) 
line at 1-800-465-4336. Fishers are advised not to attempt to free the whale of 
the fishing gear as this can pose a serious threat to the safety of the fisher 
and the animal. 

Fishers are advised to notify local DFO managers or patrol vessels to report 
abandoned, lost, or entangled gear.

FOR MORE INFORMATION:

Peter Hall, Resource Manager, Port Alberni (250) 720-4440

Fisheries & Oceans Operations Center - FN0691
Sent July 21, 2017 at 1332

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