Fishery Notice

DATE: March 1  

WCVI

Herring spawn flight Feb 28 was conducted covering Area 23 - 25. Area 25 - 
light active spawning in Outer Nuchatlitz and off Rosa Island. In Area 24 there 
was lots of bird, whale and, sea lion activity in Hesquiaht Harbour. 

The next possible overflight is Monday March 4 (weather dependent). 

Test Boat was in Area 24 Feb 27 -28 moved to Area 25 evening of Feb 28 
currently in the Friendly Cove area.

First Nation contractors continue to conduct herring spawn reconnaissance, 
supplemental surface spawn surveys and FSC catch monitoring on the west coast 
of Vancouver Island in:

"	Area 23 
"	Area 24
"	Area 25 

Area 23 Barkley Sound

2000 tonnes 

From Cabbage Rocks to Chrow Islands (Test Vessel)

TEST 1: Feb 23 on 50 tons at Food Islets: 6.0%; 18.8cm;80m:52f;35-5-13- 1-0 
(17.5 :75.3g)
TEST 2: Feb 24 on 50 tons at Cabbage Rocks: 9.8%; 20.0cm; 57m: 57;43-4-10-1-0 
(22.7g:86.9g)
TEST 3: Feb 24 on 300 tons at Chrow Island 7.8%; 19.7cm; 62m: 43f;33-4-6-  1-0 
(23.9g:94.4g)
2 test sets for water hauls (no fish caught) 

Feb 23: Test Vessel Proud Canadian - approximately 700 tonnes in area.  
Feb 24: Test vessel reporting approximately 1100 tonnes sounded in area.  Fish 
are showing inside western shore of Barkley Sound from Chrow Island to David 
Island.
Feb 25: Test Vessel sounded on the outside of Forbes into Cabbage rocks total 
estimated sounded in area up to 2000 tonnes.

Area 24 Clayoquot Sound

1000 tonnes

TEST 6: Feb 26 on 200 tons at Hootla Kootla fish were all juveniles in twest 12 
to 15 cms. 

Feb 24: spawn in Hesquiaht Harbour on western shore near inner Basin.  First 
Nation Charter will survey the area Feb 26.
Feb 26: First Nation Charter reported 700 tonne sounded near Hootla Kootla and 
eastern edge of Openit Peninsula. 
Feb 28: test boat 1000 tonne in Hootla Kootla Area, a test set showed all 
juvenile herring.
March 1: Active bird, whale and sea lion activity in Hesquiaht

Area 25 Nootka Sound

2000 tonnes

March 1:  test vessel Proud Canadian sounded Yuquot Pt to Maquinna Point in the 
morning estimate approximately 2000 tonne in area.

Area 25 Esperanza Inlet

No estimate to date

Feb 28:  Spawn flight observed spawn in Outer Nuchatlitz and off Rosa Island.  
First Nation Charter will be in area to survey tomorrow.

TOTAL WCVI: 5000 tonnes

Please note: The primary objective of the herring test seine vessel program is 
to collect herring biological samples from Areas 23-25 for stock assessment 
purposes (e.g. size of fish, age distribution of fish in each sample).  Herring 
stock locations and estimates are collected as part of the stock assessment 
program to locate herring stocks in as part of the sampling process to collect 
the biological samples, and do not cover all areas.  The tonnage of stocks for 
each area provided in this notice are in season estimates only, and do not 
reflect the biomass of stocks in the area.  The estimates of stock biomass will 
be provided in the analysis which will be undertaken in the post season period, 
following the collection of biological samples as well as herring spawn 
distribution and abundance data. 

The vessel selected to collect biological samples for herring stock assessment 
in 2018 is the F/V Proud Canadian with skipper Philip Dupuis.  The test vessel 
will operate on WCVI for 20 days in 2019.  No fish will be retained for sale.
	

FOR MORE INFORMATION: Mike Spence DFO Port Alberni 250 720 4448

Fisheries & Oceans Operations Center - FN0172
Sent March 1, 2019 at 1005

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Printed from the Pacific Region web site on June 10, 2026 at 2116