Fishery Notice

In 2018, Area B seine Fraser River sockeye harvest opportunities will be 
managed as an Individual Transferable Quota (ITQ) demonstration fishery and 
will be based on available commercial TAC. Sufficient quota is required to 
participate in any fishery opening listed below.  

Vessel Masters are reminded that overages must be covered by a quota 
reallocation within 24 hours of landing and validation, vessels are not 
permitted to recommence fishing until all overages have been covered, and an 
increase in the TAC cannot be used to cover an overage.  The quota being 
transferred to a vessel in an overage situation must be quota that was 
available prior to the TAC increase.  For further details refer to Appendix 7 
of the Integrated Fisheries Management Plan.   

The involvement of the Area B seine fleet in the Area 29 Gulf Sockeye fishery 
is dependent on the Area B Seine Harvest Committee developing and implementing 
a fishing plan that is aligned with coho impacts available for the fishery.  
This approach limits the amount of 'Boat Days' to a target allocation of 
approximately 75 Boat Days for the entire Area B fleet for the remaining 2018 
Sockeye fishery.  
This fishing opportunity is possible due to the cooperation between Fisheries 
Management staff and the Area B Harvest Committee to actively manage this 
weekly fishing plan.  As a result, Area B vessel masters and vessels must have 
a valid 2018 Area B Seine Licence and also be **designated by their 
representative Working Group body** and **subsequently by the Area B Harvest 
Committee** to participate in this fishery. This fishery will not proceed 
should undesignated seine vessels attend or attempt to participate in this 
fishery.
The number of vessels participating in this fishery is not limited, however 
there is the requirement for observers in this fishery. If **four or fewer 
vessels are participating in this fishery, all vessels must carry a certified 
observer**. If five or more vessels are participating in this fishery, a 
minimum of four vessels must carry a certified observer.
If fewer than four certified observers are available from the service provider 
then approval to proceed with fewer than four certified observers is required 
from the Resource Manager.

At this time the Area B cumulative individual quota in pieces for each Area B 
licence is increased to 13,300 Sockeye salmon based on a share of 0.28411% and 
a commercial TAC of 4,681,421 Sockeye.  Each individual quota amount (in 
pieces) will change if the available commercial TAC changes in-season and is 
cumulative for the season.  These commercial TACs are for the purpose of 
calculating the individual quota amounts for Area B and H vessels only.  The 
vessel master must account for any fish caught to date and any reallocation 
made. 

Area 29:

Seines remains open to fishing from 06:00 hours until 21:00 hours daily until 
further notice in Subareas 29-3, 29-4, 29-6, and 29-10 in waters no shallower 
than 45 metres (approximately 27 fathoms). Minimum bunt mesh size 70 mm.  The 
use of power skiffs is permitted.

Vessel Masters are requested to avoid fishing in the vicinity of Killer Whales 
when they are present in these areas.

V.O. 2018-STN-SN-007, 2018-STN-SN-008, 2018-STN-SN-009, 2018-STN-SN-010, 2018-
STN-SN-011

The available commercial Fraser River sockeye TAC will be distributed over the 
course of the fishery (in increments) rather than all at once and will be 
announced by fishery notice and adjusted if necessary following Fraser Panel 
meetings (usually Tuesday and Friday) depending on abundance and stock 
composition.  

The vessel must have sufficient allocations (ITQ) of Sockeye salmon to 
participate in this fishery.  It is the responsibility of the vessel master to 
cease fishing when the vessel quota for Fraser River Sockeye salmon is 
achieved. For further details please refer to the guidelines for the 2018 ITQ 
demonstration fishery which are available in Appendix 7 of the 2018 Integrated 
Fisheries Management Plan for Southern BC at the following link. IFMP Southern: 
http://waves-vagues.dfo-mpo.gc.ca/Library/40694306.pdf

For 2018 there is a new minimum approach distance for Killer Whales being 200m, 
in all Canadian Fisheries waters in the Pacific Ocean and British Columbia. For 
other whales, dolphins and porpoises the minimum approach distances is 100m. 

NOTE:

1. The target species in this fishery is Sockeye salmon; fishers are requested 
to release any hatchery marked sockeye as these fish are hatchery raised 
sockeye and part of a recovery program designed to increase the numbers of 
Cultus Lake sockeye.  The incidental catch of Pink and Chum salmon may be 
retained in the Areas open to fishing.  There will be non-retention of Coho, 
Chinook and Steelhead. This fishery has been designed to address stocks of 
concern constraints.

2. A valid 2018/19 Salmon Area B licence (complete with licence conditions), 
logbook requirements, operating revival tanks and brailing are mandatory in 
this fishery as well as a legal requirement.

3. 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.
 
4. 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.

5. 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. 

6. Catch validation is mandatory and individual licence holders are required to 
make their own arrangements with a landing observer service provider authorized 
by the Department. Licence holders that plan to harvest Fraser River sockeye 
salmon must register with the landing observer service provider in advance of 
the fishery to confirm arrangements.  For further information contact J.O. 
Thomas and Associates (ph: 1-866-930-4000).

7. Prior to any dockside landing of fish, the vessel master shall hail in to 
the designated landing observer service provider at 1-866-930-4000 between 
06:00 hours and 18:00 hours seven days per week and provide the following 
information:

- vessel name;
- vessel registration number;
- name and Fisher Identification Number of the vessel master;
- contact phone number;
- date, time, port and location of landing of the fish;
- name of fish buying station where fish are to be landed;
- product type;
- estimated number of pieces by species;
- area fished; and
- sub-area fished.

A landing observer shall be present during all landing of catch to record the 
number and weight of each species of salmon delivered.  All salmon shall be 
landed at one of the following locations:  Campbell River, French Creek, 
Greater Vancouver, Port Hardy, Port McNeill, Port Renfrew and Quadra Island. 

The vessel master shall deliver only to packers designated for the quota 
fishery.  The vessel master shall retain a copy of the validation record 
provided by the packer at each delivery.

If the vessel leaves the quota fishery to fish in another fishery the catch 
shall be landed and verified by a landing observer prior to entering the other 
fishery.

8. Quota will be transferable in whole or in part within Area B as well as 
between Area H.  Transfers to other gears are not allowed.  Quota may be 
reallocated as a percent (for the season) or by pieces (temporarily to cover an 
overage).  In all instances overages accrued in-season must be covered by a 
quota reallocation, even if associated with a change in TAC. Reallocations 
associated with overages must be made within 24 hours of landing. In addition, 
vessels will not be permitted to continue fishing (start fishing report) until 
all overages are covered. Contact Erika Watkins at 250-286-5882 or 
Erika.Watkins@dfo-mpo.gc.ca for more information.

9. Please note changes to transporting of salmon.  Please see Part III of your 
conditions of licence for additional details.  Instructions for the Salmon 
Transfer Log, and the Salmon Transfer Log may be found on our web page in 
section 'Additional Licensing Services Forms' at:
http://www.pac.dfo-mpo.gc.ca/fm-gp/licence-permis/licence-commercial-eng.html.

10. As required by new US comparability requirements, all countries exporting 
fish and fish products to the United States must record marine mammal 
interactions in a consistent manner. As such, Canada has committed to updating 
licence conditions for all marine commercial and First Nation economic 
fisheries. The link to the online National form and instructions for filling in 
and reporting can be found here: http://www.dfo-mpo.gc.ca/fm-gp/mammals-
mammiferes/documents/report/Fish-Harvester-Form-Eng.pdf
For more information, please see FN0388.

11. Environment and Climate Change Canada (ECCC) is monitoring seabird by-catch 
to determine potential impact on bird populations under current fishing effort 
and bird numbers. Fishers are requested to submit all dead birds entangled in 
nets to ECCC for species confirmation and DNA analysis to determine the colony 
of origin.

Please call your local charter patrol to organize pick-up, drop carcasses off 
at a local DFO office, or contact ECCC directly by calling the Wild Bird 
Mortality Reporting Line 1-866-431-2473 (BIRD). Handle birds with gloves, 
double bag dead birds. Label bag with date, time, location, fishery opening and 
vessel name (Skipper name isn't needed). Alternatively, please send photographs 
of birds with a reference object such as a coin, and the date, time, location, 
fishery opening and vessel name to laurie.wilson@canada.ca. Questions: contact 
Laurie Wilson (laurie.wilson@canada.ca, 604-862-8817).

12. Fisheries and Oceans Canada is interested in reports of sea turtles in BC 
waters.  By documenting sightings we are able to learn more about how, when, 
and where these turtles are using our waters.  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 type of sea turtle seen (i.e. leatherback), the 
location, and time of sighting. 

13. Fishers should be advised that whales can be encountered in the fishing 
area. Fishers should take precautionary measures to avoid fishing near whales 
to avoid potential contact with fishing gear. If a whale 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 whale of 
the fishing gear as this can pose a serious threat to the safety of the fisher 
and the animal. 

14. Fishers are advised to notify local DFO managers or patrol vessels to 
report abandoned, lost, or entangled gear.

The next update on the progress of Fraser River sockeye runs and fishing 
opportunities will be available on Friday, September 14, 2018 following the 
Fraser River Panel meeting. 

The 24 hour toll-free phone-in line for fisheries notices is 1-866-431-3474.

FOR MORE INFORMATION 
Christine Bukta, Resource Manager 250-286-5888

Fisheries & Oceans Operations Center - FN1048
Sent September 21, 2018 at 2008

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