Fishery Notice

The Area B Johnstone Strait Chum fishery will be managed as a full fleet derby fishery. Subject to in-season assessment information, the fishery will open for 10 hours on October 21, 2024 and for 6 hours on October 22, 2024. The start of this fishery is planned to occur in a harmonized area encompassing the lower portion of Area 12 and the upper portion of Area 13 as described below on dates that respect the intent of the Interior Fraser Steelhead window closure for Areas 12 and 13.

Area 12:

Effective from 08:00 hours to 18:00 hours on October 21 and 08:00 hours to 14:00 hours on October 22, seine will open for Chum Salmon in the following sub-areas:
12-1;

a portion of 12-2 (closed south or inside of a line from a boundary sign at 50 degrees 28.570 minutes north by 126 degrees 18.117 minutes west to a boundary sign at 50 degrees 28.393 minutes north and 126 degrees 15.279 minutes west (Adam River boundary));

a portion of 12-3 (closed south or inside a line from a boundary sign at 50 degrees 29.137 minutes north and 126 degrees 34.245 minutes west to a boundary sign at 50 degrees 29.255 minutes north and 126 degrees 36.680 minutes west (Tsitika River boundary));

12-4, 12-5;

a portion of 12-6 (closed north of a line from Donegal Head on Malcolm Island (50 degrees 37.740 minutes north by 126 degrees 49.463 minutes west) to Success Point on Bonwick Island (50 degrees 40.839 minutes north by 126 degrees 39.452 minutes west);

12-20, 12-21 and 12-24.

The seine ribbon boundary will not be in effect.

Area 13:

Effective from 08:00 hours to 18:00 hours on October 21 and 08:00 hours to 14:00 hours on October 22, seine will open for Chum Salmon in the following sub-areas:

13-6 (closed south of a line from a point on Quadra Island located at 50 degrees 10.739 minutes north and 125 degrees 21.250 minutes west to a point on the Vancouver Island shoreline located at 50 degrees 10.513 minutes north and 125 degrees 22.597 minutes west);

13-7 (excluding Deepwater Bay, from the boundary sign at 50 degrees 11.434 minutes north and 125 degrees 20.268 minutes west to the boundary sign at 50 degrees 10.861 minutes north and 125 degrees 20.885 minutes west);

13-8 to 13-10;
13-11 (excluding that portion lying west of a line from Bodega Point on Quadra Island to a boundary sign on Quadra Island located at 50 degrees 16.390 minutes north and 125 degrees 22.620 minutes west;

13-27 to 13-29;

13-30 (excluding the Amor de Cosmos Creek mouth boundary, closed in those waters surrounding the mouth of the Amor de Cosmos Creek inside the radius of a circle 337 m in diameter intersecting the shoreline at 50 degrees 21.862 minutes north and 125 degrees 41.164 minutes west [east of the creek mouth] and 50 degrees 21.658 minutes north and 125 degrees 41.630 minutes west [west of the creek mouth]);

13-31, 13-32, 13-35;

13-40 (excluding that portion lying west of a line running from the boundary sign on West Thurlow Island located at 50 degrees 24.622 minutes north and 125 degrees 45.312 minutes west (approximately 1.5 miles east of Eden Point) to the boundary sign on the opposite shoreline on Hardwicke Island located at 50 degrees 25.072 minutes north and 125 degrees 46.000 minutes west.

The seine ribbon boundary will not be in effect.

Minimum bunt mesh size 100 mm. The use of power skiffs is not permitted.

Variation Order Numbers 2024-SAL-B-JST-SN-017, 2024-SAL-B-JST-SN-018, 2024-SAL-B-JST-SN-019, 2024-SAL-B-JST-SN-020 in effect.

NOTES AND REMINDERS:

The target species to be retained is Chum Salmon. Pink Salmon may also be retained. There is non-retention and non-possession of Sockeye, Coho, Chinook, and Steelhead.

A valid 2024/25 Salmon Area B licence (complete with licence conditions) must be on-board the vessel while fishing. Brailing and sorting your catch prior to placing fish in the hold and operating revival tanks are required in this fishery.

Vessel masters must, prior to leaving for the fishing grounds, either phone AMR at 1-888-387-0007, or submit the details via e-log, to complete a start fishing report and announce their intention to fish.

At the end of each fishing day and prior to 08:00 hours of the next day, the vessel master must, as a condition of licence, record their catch information in either in their Salmon Log Book and report their catch by calling AMR at 1-888-387-0007 or submit their catch information via e-log.
Within 24 hours of the end of a fishing trip and prior to commencing a subsequent fishing trip, the vessel master shall either phone in or submit via e-log an End Fishing Report.  Should a vessel master decide not to fish after having obtained a Trip Identification Number the vessel master shall phone in or submit via e-log a Trip Cancellation report.

In Area 12, mooring in Robson Bight (Michael Bigg) Ecological Reserve will only be permitted 24 hours prior to a commercial opening. The west and east boundaries are identified by a 4x8 foot white sign with 3x3 foot orange sign in the centre. The location of the west boundary is 50 degrees 29.759 minutes N by 126 degrees 37.592 minutes W and the location of the east boundary is 50 degrees 29.107 minutes N by 126 degrees 30.365 minutes W. In addition vessels will not be permitted to moor in Robson Bight proper during commercial fishery openings.

Lost Gear Reporting:

The licence holder/operator must report any of their lost fishing gear within 24 hours of returning to port at the end of the fishing trip. Reports of lost gear must be submitted to Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO) by completing the Lost Fishing Gear form available online at: http://www.dfo-mpo.gc.ca/fisheries-peches/commercial-commerciale/reporting-declaration-eng.html. If using an electronic logbook, the licence holder/fishing vessel operator must report any of their lost fishing gear to DFO by completing the section reserved for that purpose in the electronic logbook.

Retrieved Gear Reporting:

The licence holder/operator must report the retrieval of any of their own previously reported, lost gear within 24 hours of returning to port at the end of the fishing trip. Reports of retrieved gear must be submitted to Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO) by completing and submitting the Retrieval of Previously Reported Lost Fishing Gear form available online at: http://www.dfo-mpo.gc.ca/fisheries-peches/commercial-commerciale/index-eng.html. Retrieval can only occur during the validity period of these licence conditions and only in relation to the specific type of gear authorized to be used by these licence conditions. If using an electronic logbook, the licence holder/fishing vessel operator must report the retrieval of any of their own, previously reported, lost gear to DFO by completing the section reserved for that purpose in the electronic logbook.

As required by the US Marine Mammal Protection Act regulations, all countries exporting fish and fish products to the United States must comply with the updated import provisions, which include requirements to report and record all incidental fishery-related interactions with marine mammals. This aligns with reporting requirements under the Marine Mammal Regulations. The link to the online National form and instructions for filling in and reporting can be found at: http://www.dfo-mpo.gc.ca/species-especes/mammals-mammiferes/report-rapport/page01-eng.html. For more information, please see FN0388 (2018).

The Government of Canada recognizes that Southern Resident Killer Whales face imminent threats to their survival and recovery. In May, the Government Of Canada shared the 2024 and 2025 management measures to be implemented this spring and summer that help address the key threats of reduced prey availability (primarily Chinook salmon) and acoustic and physical disturbance. These measures include salmon fishery closures, Interim Sanctuary Zones that restrict vessels from entering (including fishing), Speed Restricted Zones that restrict vessels to a maximum of 10 knots in designated areas (including fishing), minimum approach distances, and a number of voluntary measures including to stop fishing (do not haul gear) and reduce speed to less than 7 knots when within 1,000 metres of killer whales and let them pass, and a voluntary speed reduction zone in Tumbo Channel.

For more information about the 2024 management measures, please visit https://www.canada.ca/southern-resident-killer-whales or contact the Marine Mammal Team at DFO.SRKW-ERS.MPO@dfo-mpo.gc.ca

For more information on the best ways to help whales while on the water, when on both sides of the border, please visit: bewhalewise.org.

If a marine mammal 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 animal of the fishing gear as this can pose a serious threat to the safety of the fisher and the animal. If your vessel strikes a whale, or if you observe a sick, injured, distressed, or dead marine mammal in B.C. waters, please contact the hotline immediately or VHF Channel 16.

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 species of sea turtle seen (e.g. leatherback), the location and time of sighting.

Environment and Climate Change Canada continues to monitor seabird by-catch in net fisheries. Please retain and provide all dead birds entangled in nets to DFO, or call the BC Wild Bird Mortality Line (1-866-544-4744). Handle birds with gloves, double bag dead birds and label each with date, time, location, and store them on ice. Alternatively, send a photograph of birds with a reference object (e.g. coin) to Laurie.Wilson@ec.gc.ca. For more information contact Laurie Wilson (Laurie.Wilson@ec.gc.ca, 604-862-8817).
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:
Please contact Madeline Wanless by emailing Madeline.Wanless@dfo-mpo.gc.ca

Fisheries & Oceans Operations Center - FN1064
Sent October 11, 2024 at 1203

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Printed from the Pacific Region web site on October 28, 2024 at 0327