Fishery Notice

The 2019/2020 Crab by Trap Integrated Fisheries Management Plan (IFMP) has been 
approved by the Regional Director General, Pacific. The Draft IFMP was posted 
on January 11, 2019 for a 30 day review period (FN0032).


NOTES FOR 2019:
 
The maximum number of traps that may be fished by a vessel in Areas: 

Area A: the maximum number of traps permitted to be fished is set out in the 
licence. The maximum number of traps permitted to be fished in McIntyre Bay 
between 00:01 hours April 1, 2019 and November 1, 2019 and 00:01 hours January 
1, 2020 and March 31, 2020 is one-half the total trap allocation indicated on 
the vessel licence. McIntyre Bay is defined as those portions of Subareas 1-5 
and 101-4 to 101-10 that lie east of the meridian passing through 132°04' west 
longitude, and west of the meridian passing through 131°30' west longitude, 
except for that portion of Subarea 101-10 that lies southeasterly of a line 
that begins at 54°09'N and 131°40'W [Rose Spit] then to 54°12'N and 131°38'W 
then to 54°14.9'N and 131°30.7'W

Area B: the maximum number of traps permitted to be fished from 08:00 hours 
April 1, 2019 to 23:59 hours November 30, 2019 and from 08:00 hours March 1, 
2020 to 23:59 hours March 31, 2020 is 316. The maximum number of traps 
permitted to be fished in the Nass Estuary from 12:00 hours October 1, 2019 to 
23:59 hours November 15, 2019 is 158, (one half the total trap allocation.  The 
Nass Estuary is described as those portions of Subareas 3-12, 3-18 and the Nass 
River estuary inside a line that begins at 54°58.995'N and 130°06.270'W 
[Ramsden Point Light] then to a point on shore at 54°56.5'N and 130°04.2'W, 
located three nautical miles southwest of Arrandale on Mylor Peninsula, then 
following the shoreline to 54°58.933'N and 129°50.385'W [Leading Point] then to 
54°59.620'N and 129°53.467'W [east of Mill Bay] then following the shoreline to 
55°00.626'N and 130°00.329'W [Nass Point] then due west to 55°00.626'N and 130°
03.350'W, (on the opposite mainland shore) then following the shoreline to the 
beginning point. The maximum number of traps permitted to be fished in Subareas 
5-4 to 5-8, 6-3, 6-4, and 6-23 is 158 traps. Area B Crab harvesters wishing to 
retain king crab must contact the North Coast Crab Fisheries Manager to express 
interest in this opportunity. King crab harvesters must participate in a review 
of licence conditions, followed by an inspection of traps with the North Coast 
Fisheries Manager or delegate. All King crab traps fished shall be in 
accordance with Area B conditions of licence and the 2019/20 Crab Integrated 
Fisheries Management Plan.

Area E: 350 traps per licence with the following exceptions:

Quatsino: 200 traps per licence from January 1 to June 30 and October 1 to 
December 31. 37 traps per licence from July 1 to September 30.

Tofino: In the Tofino Trap Limit Area, Area 24, the maximum number of traps 
permitted to be fished is 48.
In the Outside Tofino Trap Limit Area ("the Hole"), the maximum number of traps 
permitted to be fished is 97. 
In Areas 23, 24, 124 and Subareas 123-2 to 123-9, (E-Tofino Option Area), the 
maximum number of traps permitted to be fished is 254 (inclusive of the traps 
fished in area 24 and the Hole).

Sooke: 60 traps per licence within subarea 20-6 and 60 traps per licence within 
subarea 20-7.

Area G: 350 traps per licence.

Area H: 208 traps per licence.

Area I: The maximum number of traps permitted to be fished from 08:00 hours 
June 15, 2019 to 07:59 hours July 5, 2019 is 100.  The maximum number of traps 
permitted to be fished from 08:00 hours July 5, 2019 to 16:00 hours November 
30, 2019 is 200.

Area J: The maximum number of traps permitted to be fished from 08:00 hours 
July 15, 2019 to 16:00 hours November 30, 2019 is 150.

Holding Cages
The language in the Conditions of Licence for holding cages has been updated to 
clarify marking and transportation requirements. Please review your licence 
conditions

Plastic Trap Tags 
Plastic trap tags will be required for the 2019 to 2020 fishing seasons. The 
tags will be specific to each vessel. A 10% allowance will be is issued for 
lost traps. If the vessel master requires more tags than the 10% allotted for 
lost traps a replacement request must be made to the area Manager. 

RFID Chips
All crab traps fished shall be marked with a Radio Frequency Identification 
(RFID) chip registered in the vessel's RFID chip inventory for this licence 
period. Where single traps are marked by individual buoys, the RFID chip may be 
attached to the buoy rather than to the trap. The vessel master shall scan 
every RFID chip as the trap is hauled on board.  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.

Harvest Logs and Reporting
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 in the conditions of licence. 
All harvesters must use the new logbook design issued in 2018 (available from 
your Service Provider).

Each line must have the Vessel Master's name and signature, as well as your 
individual Fisher Identification Number (FIN). Know your FIN.  It will be on 
your Fisher Registration Card (FRC). If you do not know your FIN, you can call 
the National Online Licencing System (NOLS) and they can help you.

The new logbook needs one entry per day of fishing in the same Subarea at the 
same depth and same soak time. If you are fishing in different Subareas on the 
same day, you will need entries for each of the different Subareas. For 
example, if you haul 10 strings of 10 traps in the same subarea at the same 
depth range, you will have one line representing 100 traps for that day if they 
all had the same soak time. If you haul 50 more traps on the same day in a 
different Subarea, you will record those traps on a separate line.

Each entry needs to have a single set of representative coordinates 
(latitude/longitude) for each Subarea where fishing occurred.

Nearly all of the crab caught are Dungeness, but remember to note the species 
on your logbook. Some crab harvesters still keep red rock crabs on occasion.  

Soak time is how long your traps have been in the water before you haul them. 
This can be recorded in days or hours.  

Know your Subarea. Your Service Provider can help you with this if you need 
maps or other tools to let you know which Subarea you are fishing in.


Section B - Octopus by-catch.  When you catch and keep an octopus, record it in 
Section B.  Use the line number from the crab catch above in Section 'A' and 
record the count and weight.


Section C - Description of Traps.  This is where you will record the 
measurements for the traps you are using.  You can do this once at the start of 
the year if your traps do not change during the year.  Otherwise, record any 
changes to trap types that you make on another page.


Soft-shell
The durometer measurement, which measures shell hardness, remains unchanged at 
70 units based on industry advice. No person shall catch or retain any soft-
shell crab as a condition of licence.

Haul Restrictions

Areas A and B: harvesters may only haul their traps once per day.

Area E common areas and Quatsino Option Areas: harvesters may only haul their 
traps once per calendar week from February 1 to April 30.
 
Tofino Option Area: harvesters may only haul their traps once per calendar week 
from January 1 to March 31.

Sooke Option Area: harvesters may only haul their traps once per calendar week 
from February 1 to April 30.
In Subareas 20-1 and 20-2 Harvesters may only haul their traps 3 times per 
calendar week from May 1 to January 31.
In Subareas 20-3 to 20-7 harvesters may only haul their traps two times per 
calendar week from May 1 to January 31.

Area G: harvesters may only haul their traps once per calendar week from 
January 15, to April 15.

Area H: harvesters may only haul their traps once per calendar week from 
January 15, to April 15.

A calendar week is described as 00:01 hours Sunday to 23:59 hours Saturday 
evening.

Areas I and J: Traps may be hauled once a day, during daylight hours only.

Maximum Soak Time
The maximum soak time for fishing gear remains unchanged at 18 days.

Best Management Practices
New for 2019-20 is Area G commercial harvesters have agreed as part of the Best 
Management Practices to not set their gear in Stag Bay at Hernando Island. 
There is a map on page 24 of the Commercial Harvest Plan or you contact the 
fishery manager for a description of this area.

The approved 2019/2020 Crab By Trap IFMP can be found at https://waves-
vagues.dfo-mpo.gc.ca/Library/40777613.pdf

Refer to the 2019/2020 Integrated Fishery Management Plan and the 2019/2020 
Commercial Harvest Fishing Plan for the detailed commercial fishing plan and 
area descriptions, information on the North Coast and the Area 28/29 fishery, 
closed area descriptions, and contact numbers. 

FOR MORE INFORMATION:

Area A and B - Dillon Buerk 250-627-3477,
Dillon.buerk@dfo-mpo.gc.ca

Areas E and G - David Fogtmann 250-339-3799, 
david.fogtmann@dfo-mpo.gc.ca

Area H - Mike Kattilakoski 250-756-7315, 
mike.kattilakoski@dfo-mpo.gc.ca

Areas I and J - Marisa Keefe 604-666-6390
Marisa.Keefe@dfo-mpo.gc.ca

Fisheries & Oceans Operations Center - FN0344
Sent April 12, 2019 at 1019

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 June 13, 2026 at 0625