Fishery Notice

The Area G troll plug fishery will open on 00:01 hours August 1, 2017 in 
portions of Areas 123 and 124 described below. This will extend the area open 
for the current fishery to include portions of Areas 123 to 127 described 
below. The fishery will remain open until the catch target for the July/August 
fishery has been achieved. 

A catch update will be provided as available and the fishery may close on short 
notice if required. Harvesters are reminded of the WCVI inshore commercial 
troll conservation boundary line implemented annually to protect returning WCVI 
chinook stocks. 

Effective 00:01 hours, August 1, 2017 until further notice, the Area G troll 
fishery opens in the following areas:

Those portions of areas 123 to 127 seaward of a line commencing: at a point 
located at, 50° 47.114' N, 128° 29.024' W (approximately 2.0 nautical miles 
west of Cape Scott) then continuing to,
50 43.895'N, 128 28.072'W then continuing to,
50 41.443'N, 128 25.906'W then continuing to,
50 38.787'N, 128 24.879'W then continuing to,
50 35.258'N, 128 20.671'W then continuing to, 
50 31.321'N, 128 15.760'W then continuing to, 
50 18.630'N, 128 01.400'W then continuing to,
50 05.739'N, 127 59.339'W then continuing to,
50 04.812'N, 127 57.981'W then continuing to,
50 02.763'N, 127 48.844'W then continuing to,
49 59.856'N, 127 48.844'W then continuing to,
50 00.322'N, 127 45.077'W then continuing to,
50 01.894'N, 127 42.323'W then continuing to,
49 56.536'N, 127 33.396'W then continuing to,
49 47.509'N, 127 13.664'W then continuing to,
49 41.352'N, 127 04.383'W then continuing to,
49 32.911'N, 126 54.415'W then continuing to,
49 29.735'N, 126 41.109'W then continuing to,
49 21.890'N, 126 40.163'W then continuing to,
49 20.255'N, 126 39.268'W then continuing to,
49 19.124'N, 126 37.537'W then continuing to,
49 18.191'N, 126 35.266'W then continuing to,
49 17.973'N, 126 25.470'W then continuing to,
49 19.019'N, 126 23.115'W then continuing to,
49 14.370'N, 126 20.321'W then continuing to,
49 07.223'N, 126 09.229'W then continuing to,
49 02.154'N, 125 58.760'W then continuing to,
49 00.206'N, 125 52.465'W then continuing to,
48 51.731'N, 125 37.827'W then continuing to,
48 43.094'N, 125 17.138'W then continuing to,
48 39.411'N, 125 10.580'W.

The following portions of Area 123 are excluded from the fishing area and will 
remain closed:

That portion of Troll Zone 10 within the area bounded by the following 
coordinates:
48 38.325'N  125 35.864'W
48 33.414'N  125 43.089'W
48 30.505'N  125 33.516'W
48 35.541'N  125 26.246'W, and

Those portions of Troll Zones 14 and 15a within the area bounded by the 
following coordinates,
48 52.068 N 125 30.653 W
48 48.876 N 125 27.788 W
48 46.971 N 125 35.184 W
48 47.950 N 125 36.418 W,

Harvesters are reminded that this fishery is a mandatory plug fishery only with 
the following troll gear restrictions: plugs equipped with one single, barbless 
hook. The plug size shall be no smaller than 6 inches (15.2 cm) as measured 
from the tip of the nose to the tip of the tail of the plug (excluding the 
hook).

The target species is chinook, incidental catch of chum and pink may be 
retained. Sockeye, coho and steelhead may not be retained. The minimum size 
limit for Chinook is 55 cm fork length (head on), and 44 cm (head off).

The target catch for July/August is 16,500 chinook.  Estimated catch to July 30 
is 7,682.

Variation Order No. 2017-G-TR-WCVI-007


Fishers are reminded that the dockside catch validation pilot program 
implemented in the past three seasons will continue in 2017 from April 19 until 
September 30. All fish caught under the authority of an Area G licence must be 
delivered to designated landing sites. Please refer to your 2017-18 Area G 
Conditions of Licence for details. This program will operate in conjunction 
with the Coded Wire Tag sampling program and will be conducted by JO Thomas and 
Associates. The ability to utilize the JO Thomas's CWT sampling crew to collect 
catch validation data create efficiencies which help minimize validation costs.

Harvesters are reminded that: 
Commercial trolling is not permitted in Rockfish Conservation Areas. These 
closures are listed at the website address 
http://www.pac.dfo-mpo.gc.ca/fm-gp/maps-cartes/rca-acs/index-eng.htm or can be 
accessed at DFO district offices.

Sampling for coded wire tags from landed chinook is essential. In order to 
facilitate sampling, fishers are asked to call J.O. Thomas and Associates 24 
hours in advance toll-free at 1-866-638-6301 before they land their catch with 
the following information:

Landing location
Estimated date and time of landing
Processor/company
Area(s) fished
Number of chinook on-board

Note that calls to this number between Monday and Friday during office hours 
(08:00 to 16:00) will be answered in person. Calls made after office hours and 
on weekends will be directed to a voicemail box where this information can be 
left.

Freezer vessels are required to retain ALL heads from chinook and coho salmon 
caught and retained. These heads must be delivered at the time of off-loading 
of the salmon catch and be made available for examination by representatives of 
the Department. Contact J.O. Thomas and Associates Ltd. at 1-866-638-6301 
between 08:00 and 16:00 hours for instructions relating to these heads. 

Note: Chinook/coho head bags and labels will be provided at no cost by the 
Department and can be picked up at the following DFO offices between 08:00 and 
16:00 hours:

Mail Room, 2nd floor reception, 200 - 401 Burrard St, Vancouver
Front counter, main entrance, 315 - 940 Alder St. Campbell River
Commissionaire, main entrance, 3190 Hammond Bay Rd., Nanaimo
Front counter, main entrance, 4706 Tebo Ave., Port Alberni
Front counter, main entrance, 8585 Wollason Rd, Port Hardy
Front counter, 417 2nd Ave W, Prince Rupert
Front counter, 137 Bay St, Queen Charlotte City 
Front counter, 12551 No. 1 Road, Richmond
Front counter, 4250 Commerce Circle, Victoria

Alternative arrangements for receiving or picking up packages can be arranged: 
Phone DFO toll-free at 1-866-483-9994 for more information.

As an alternative to retaining the whole head from retained chinook and coho, 
fishers can opt to keep the upper jaw and head, from the tip of the nose back 
to 1 cm behind the eye. These "snouts" must be cut from the top of the head, 
with the cut travelling one centimetre posterior (behind) the eye, to the back 
corner of the mouth. There is no need to retain the lower jaws or gill plates.

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:

Bryan Rusch 250-756-7294

Fisheries & Oceans Operations Center - FN0745
Sent July 31, 2017 at 1035

Return to Main Menu

Visit Fisheries and Oceans Canada on the Web at http://www.pac.dfo-mpo.gc.ca
Printed from the Pacific Region web site on July 4, 2024 at 0925