Fishery Notice

DATE: March 2, 2018 
 
WCVI

The next possible overflight is Sunday March 4 weather dependent). 
The shore based dive team aboard the F/V Seaveyor 1 is in Barkley Sound to 
assess the spawns found near Forbes Island. 

First Nation contractors continue to conduct herring spawn reconnaissance, 
supplemental surface spawn surveys and FSC catch monitoring on the west coast 
of Vancouver Island in:
Area 23; 
Area 24; and, 
Area 25


AREA 23 - Barkley Sound
2600 tonnes 
From Cabbage Rocks to St Innes (Test Vessel)
TEST 1: Feb 20 on 800 tons at Cabbage Rocks: 3.0%; 19.5cm; 62m:55f;13-2-41-  2-
6 (24.2g:79.8g)
TEST 2: Feb 20 on 300 tons at Cabbage Rocks: 7.5%; 20.0cm; 48m: 44f;25-3-16-0-1 
(29.7g:107.7g)
TEST 3: Feb 20 on 300 tons at St Ines: 5.8%;20.8cm;50.7m:39f;18-2-18-  0-1
(31.4g:110.7g)
TEST 4: Feb 21 on 1000 tons at Food Islets: 5.3%;20.2cm;48m:52f;21-4-27-  0-1 
(24.9g:99g)
TEST 5: Feb 21 on 500 tons at David Island: 7.7%;20.5cm;58m:40f;28-3-9- 0-1 
(27.7g:100.7g)
Feb 26 - Active spawn reported by First nations charter and spawn flight at 
David Island, Forbes Island and, near Salmon Beach.
Feb 27 - spawn has stopped. 
March 2 - DFO dive program in area to assess spawn.
ROE TEST CODE:Date;Location;roe yield;fish size;males:females;#1-#2-#3-#spawned-
#juvenile;(roe weight gm:fish weight gm)


AREA 24 - Clayoquot Sound
3000 tonnes (Test vessel estimate)
Fish located mostly near Sydney Inlet
Jan 9 - Hesquiaht Harbour small spawn near Anton Spit (surface survey done)
Feb 12 - Hesquiaht Harbour small spawn near Anton Spit (surface survey done)
Feb 21 - Hesquiaht Harbour small Spawn near Leclair Point approx. half a mile 
long (surface survey done)
Feb 22 - Sydney Inlet 600 tons (estimated by local Herring Charter)
Feb 24 - Sydney Inlet 3000 tons (total for area includes estimate by test 
vessel)
TEST 6: (not representative)
TEST 7: Feb 24 on 800 tons at Starling Point: 4.8%; 21.3cm; 47m: 43f;13-7-23-0-
0 (37.4g:113.6g)
TEST 8: Feb 24 on 1000 tons at Starling Point: 5.4%; 21.1cm; 42m: 45f;16-5-24-0-
0 (34.0g:115.7g)
ROE TEST CODE:Date;Location;roe yield;fish size;males:females;#1-#2-#3-#spawned-
#juvenile;(roe weight gm:fish weight gm)


AREA 25 - Nootka Sound
13,000 tonnes (estimated by test vessel)
No spawn observed
TEST 9: Feb 25 on 3000 tons at Saavedra Islands: 3.8%; 21.5cm; 42m 45f 
Test 10: Not representative
TEST 11: Feb 25 on 5000 tons at Saavedra Islands: 4.7%; 20.8.3cm; 36m 53f
Fish located From Bajo reef to Boston Point (on Feb 27 most of the fish 
concentrated on the outside area) 
Area 25 Esperanza Inlet
3000 tons (estimated by test vessel)
Test vessel currently in Esperanza
No spawn observed, but significant predator activity in Nuchatlitz area.
Test 12: Feb 26 on 1000 tons at Centre Island 10.5 % 20.8 cm  40m 46f
Test 13: March 2 on 300 ton at Double Island 10.7% 20.9 cm 40m 43f - 39-1-3-2-0 
(27.4 gm:118 gm)
ROE TEST CODE:Date;Location;roe yield;fish size;males:females;#1-#2-#3-#spawned-
#juvenile;(roe weight gm:fish weight gm)


AREA 27 - Quatsino Sound
Spot spawn reported by locals Near Matthew Island in forward Inlet.  DFO vessel 
will survey spawn early next week.  
No Spawn on Kelp operating in area 27 this year.
TOTAL WCVI: 21,600 tons


PLEASE NOTE: The primary objective of the herring test seine vessel program is 
to collect herring biological samples from Areas 23-25 for stock assessment 
purposes (e.g. size of fish, age distribution of fish in each sample).  Herring 
stock locations and estimates are collected as part of the stock assessment 
program to locate herring stocks.  It is part of the sampling process to 
collect biological samples, and do not cover all areas.  The tonnage of stocks 
for each area provided in this notice are in season estimates only, and do not 
reflect the biomass of stocks in the area.  The estimates of stock biomass will 
be provided in the analysis which will be undertaken in the post season period, 
following the collection of biological samples as well as herring spawn 
distribution and abundance data. 
The vessel selected to collect biological samples for herring stock assessment 
in 2018 is the F/V Proud Canadian with skipper Philip Dupuis.  The test vessel 
will operate on WCVI for 20 days in 2018.  No fish will be retained for sale. 

FOR MORE INFORMATION: Mike Spence DFO Port Alberni 250 720 4448

Fisheries & Oceans Operations Center - FN0157
Sent March 2, 2018 at 1427

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Printed from the Pacific Region web site on April 19, 2026 at 0208