Fishery Notice

Effective June 14, 2024 at 00:01 hours to 23:59 hours March 31, 2025, recreational fishing for Chinook salmon will be closed on the Skeena River watershed and all rivers and lakes in Region 6 flowing into PFMAs 3 to 6, not including the Kitimat River and Nass River watersheds. 

These management measures are being implemented to address on-going concerns for North Coast and Skeena Chinook.  

Please refer to the online BC Sport Fishing Guide, Freshwater Region 6, for a complete list of the recreational salmon regulations for all lakes and rivers of Region 6: http://www.pac.dfo-mpo.gc.ca/recfish 

Variation Order #: 2024-RCT-211, 2024-RFQ-212

NOTES AND REMINDERS:

Barbless hooks are required when fishing for salmon in tidal and non-tidal waters of British Columbia.

No fishing is allowed within 100 meters of any government facility operated for counting, passing or rearing fish.
It is illegal to willfully foul hook a salmon. If you accidentally foul hook a salmon in the ocean, it may be retained if the species is open to retention. If you accidentally foul hook a salmon in any lake or stream, including the tidal parts of coastal streams, it may not be retained and you must release it immediately with the least amount of harm as possible.
The term "marked", "hatchery marked", or "adipose fin clipped" means a fish that has a healed scar in place of the adipose fin.

All anglers must have a licence to fish in non-tidal waters in BC. Apply for your BC non-tidal waters recreational fishing licence and non-tidal salmon surcharge at: https://www2.gov.bc.ca/gov/content/sports-culture/recreation/fishing-hunting/fishing/recreational-freshwater-fishing-licence 

Anglers are advised to check at: http://bcsportfishguide.ca and https://www2.gov.bc.ca/gov/content/sports-culture/recreation/fishing-hunting/fishing/fishing-regulations for fishing closures and other recreational fishing regulations and information.

Fishers are encouraged to participate in the Salmon Sport Head Recovery program by labelling and submitting heads from hatchery marked Chinook and Coho Salmon to head depots. The head-off measurement can be used by enforcement officers to assess compliance on size limits if you remove the head from Chinook or Coho. Recovery of microscopic coded-wire tags found inside hatchery marked Chinook and Coho heads provide critical information for coast-wide Salmon stock assessment programs. Contact the Salmon Sport Head Recovery Program toll free at 1-866-483-9994 for further information.

Report suspicious activity or violations by email at DFO.ORR-ONS.MPO@dfo-mpo.gc.ca or by calling the 24-hour, toll-free Observe, Record, and Report line at 1-800-465-4336 or 604-607-4186 in greater Vancouver.

The 24-hour, toll-free information line for fishery notices regarding openings and closures is 1-866-431-3474 or 604-666-2828 in greater Vancouver. 

FOR MORE INFORMATION:

Contact Darren Chow by calling 250-624-3441

Fisheries & Oceans Operations Center - FN0551
Sent June 13, 2024 at 1457

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Visit Fisheries and Oceans Canada on the Web at http://www.pac.dfo-mpo.gc.ca
Printed from the Pacific Region web site on September 7, 2024 at 1902