Fishery Notice

Area 4 Sockeye

The seine fishery will open for daylight hours only (06:00 to 22:00 hours) daily from 06:00 hours Monday, August 4, 2025 to 22:00 hours Thursday, August 7, 2025  in Subareas 4-5, 4-9, 4-12 seaward of a line from the prominent point south of Tsum Tsadai Inlet to the red can buoy positioned approx. 0.7 nautical miles south of Kitson Island to the red flashing light west of Agnew Bank to the southernmost point of Coast Island thence true east to Ridley Island, and west of a line from the westernmost point of Croasdaile Island true north to Smith Island, and south of a line from Gamble Point to Parry Point & 4-15 south of a line from Clara Point To Hanmer Point. 
Min bunt mesh 70 mm. 

Variation Order No.  2025-051-SAL-A-4-SN (August 4) in effect.
Variation Order No.  2025-052-SAL-A-4-SN (August 5) in effect.
Variation Order No.  2025-053-SAL-A-4-SN (August 6) in effect.
Variation Order No.  2025-054-SAL-A-4-SN (August 7) in effect.

Note: All portions of 4-12 except for that portion north of 53 degrees 59 minutes 05 seconds and south of 54 degrees 04 minutes 00 seconds and east of 130 degrees 14 minutes 00 seconds and west of 130 degrees 11 minutes 00 seconds (this excludes the west shore of Kennedy Island from the shallow net restriction) and 4-15 are restricted to 3.75 strip nets.

During the period of this seine fishery, Area 4 may open to a gill net fishery. When this happens, seines are requested to move out of 4-12 and 4-15 to avoid the main concentration of gill net vessels.

This fishery is directed towards Sockeye salmon; retention of Pink permitted. There is non-retention of Coho, Chinook, Chum and steelhead.  

SOCKEYE ITQ

This is an Individual Transferable Quota sockeye fishery. The aggregate seine quota for this week is 19,800 Sockeye salmon.  The individual transferable quota share of Sockeye is 1.515% (e.g. 1/66 licenses).  This equates to 300 Sockeye per licence.

Rules for quota transfer and other specifics for this demonstration fishery will be outlined in a separate fishery notice.  For further information, please review your Conditions of License.

CATCH MONITORING

100% landed catch validation is mandatory for the Area 4 seine ITQ fishery and individual vessel masters will be required to make arrangements for dockside validations with the salmon offload observer service provider authorized by the Department which is:

JO Thomas & Assoc.
734 2 Ave West
Prince Rupert, BC  V8J 1H3

Hail-In Phone Number :  1-888-624-2646  or (250)624-4026

Catch from the Area 4 seine ITQ fishery must be landed at one of these designated landing sites:

Aero Trading, 1080 Skeena, Port Edward, BC V0V 1G0
Canfisco Oceanside, 181 George Hills Way, Prince Rupert, BC , V8J 1A3
Canfisco Seal Cove, PO Box 550, Prince Rupert, BC, V8J 3R5
Coast Tsimshian Fish Plant, 100 Shashaak St, Lax Kw'alaams, BC, V0V 1H0
North Delta Seafoods, Port Edward, BC VOV 1G0 


Companies wishing to be a designated landing site for seine fisheries occurring in Areas 3 and 6 or anyone wishing more information should contact Corey Martens at corey.martens@dfo-mpo.gc.ca or (250) 627-3404. 

At-Sea Observers:

At-sea observers may be deployed into the Area 4 seine fishery. When requested, all vessels are required to take on board an at-sea observer. Please see your conditions of licence for further details.


NOTICE TO ALL SEINE FISHERS:

Fishers are reminded of the following conditions of licence:
-	offloading of all catch by a validator prior to moving between areas or to another fishery is mandatory;  
-	all vessels must enter Management Area 4 with clean holds and proper hail procedures.  
-	Brailing and sorting your catch prior to placing fish in the hold is mandatory. Operating revival boxes are also mandatory, and may be used to revive fish prior to release. 
-	a mandatory logbook and phone-in program is in place. Note that a phone report is required for all fishing activity even if no fish are caught. Failure to report zero catches may result in over estimation of total catch. 

Vessel operators are reminded to keep wake and wash to a minimum in Prince Rupert Harbour, Porpoise Harbour and Venn Passage, and specifically the Digby Island and Metlakatla dock areas.

Vessel operators are reminded to display proper navigation lights and have them turned on from sunset to sunrise.  Failure to display proper navigation lights is a contravention of the Collision Regulations.

Notes:

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).

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. 

NOTICE TO ALL SEINE FISHERS:

Vessel operators are reminded to keep wake and wash to a minimum in Prince Rupert Harbour, Porpoise Harbour and Venn Passage, and specifically the Digby Island and Metlakatla dock areas.

Vessel operators are reminded to display proper navigation lights and have them turned on from sunset to sunrise.  Failure to display proper navigation lights is a contravention of the Collision Regulations.

Throughout the fishery opening, on-ground sampling technicians will be randomly collecting salmon bio-samples for stock assessment purposes.  Your cooperation is appreciated.

Fishers are reminded that a mandatory logbook and phone-in program is in place. Note that a phone report is required before starting to fish and for all fishing activity even if no fish are caught. Failure to report zero catches may result in over estimation of total catch. See your conditions of licence for more information.




   FOR MORE INFORMATION:

   Corey Martens - 250-627 3404

Fisheries & Oceans Operations Center - FN0756
Sent August 2, 2025 at 1034

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Printed from the Pacific Region web site on June 13, 2026 at 0621