Fishery Notice

Invertebrates

Crab - Fraser River Waters - Area J (Subarea 29-8 - Boundary Bay):

Open 08:00 hours July 15 to 16:00 hours November 30, 2019 to commercial fishing 
for Dungeness and Red Rock Crab by ring net, dip net, and trap in Crab 
Management Area J (i.e. Subarea 29-8 - Boundary Bay).

Variation Order NO 2019-366 IS IN EFFECT 


RFID Chip Limits

As part of Electronic Monitoring, Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) chips 
registered in the vessel's inventory will be made up of a set of "Main" RFID 
chips equal to their trap limit, plus a secondary set of "Spare" chips equal to 
20 percent of their trap limit to allow for replacements. 

Vessel masters shall arrange with the approved service provider to update the 
vessel's entire RFID chip inventory (i.e. Main and Spare chips) at the 
beginning of the fishing season. These RFID chip numbers shall be entered into 
a database and submitted to the Department within the first 30 days of fishing 
for this licence period. 

If the vessel master requires more replacement chips than the 20 percent 
allotted, the vessel master may contact the service provider to request new 
chips. 

Holding Cages

The language in the conditions of licence for holding cages has been updated to 
clarify marking and transportation requirements. Please review your licence 
conditions.  

Logbooks

Please read fishery notice FN0327-COMMERCIAL - Invertebrates: Crab - Coast-
wide - Changes to Commercial Crab Logbooks

http://notices.dfo-mpo.gc.ca/fns-sap/index-eng.cfm?
pg=view_notice&DOC_ID=206916&ID=all

Commercial Area Reselection

Please read fishery notice FN0344-COMMERCIAL: Invertebrates - Crab - All Areas -
 2019/20 Crab by Trap IFMP Approval
 
https://notices.dfo-mpo.gc.ca/fns-sap/index-eng.cfm?
pg=view_notice&DOC_ID=220486&ID=all

ADDITIONAL REMINDERS:

2019 Trap limits:

The trap limit for the 2019 season in Area J is 150 traps per licence.  

Escape Holes:
All crab traps must be fitted with at least two escape holes that are 105 mm in 
diameter and not more than 100 mm below the top of the frame.

Hanging Bait Ban:

The use of hanging bait is prohibited in Area J. All bait must be contained 
within hard plastic bait containers having a screw top lid. Bait containers may 
have holes that are 8 mm in diameter or smaller drilled in them. Bait 
containers that do not meet the requirements described above are not permitted 
in any traps fished.

Single Lines and Buoys:

A line and buoy shall be attached to each and every trap fished in Area J 
(Boundary Bay). No ground lines are permitted. Fishers are reminded to keep 
buoys out of the navigation channels.

Single Haul:

Hauling of crab trap gear will be permitted only once per day. This is called 
single hauling.

Daylight Fishing Only: 

Setting and hauling of crab traps is permitted only between one hour before 
sunrise and one hour after sunset.

Male Retention Only:
No person shall catch and retain or possess any female crab.

Soft Shell Crab:

Soft-shell crab may not be retained or possessed in the commercial crab 
fishery. This prohibition also applies to crab buyers and processors. 

"Soft-shell crab" means a crab whose shell is not fully hardened, and yields to 
finger pressure. A crab with a durometer measurement of 70 units or less is 
defined as a soft-shell crab.  

Size Limits:

No person shall retain or possess any Dungeness crab smaller than 165 mm, 
measured as the maximum distance in a straight line through the greatest 
breadth of the shell.
 
No person shall retain or possess any red rock crab smaller than 115 mm, 
measured as the maximum distance in a straight line through the greatest 
breadth of the shell.

Each fisher shall ensure that their measuring gauge is accurate. 
Canada/US Boundary:

No gear shall be fished in US waters; this includes all buoys, lines and traps. 
The Canada/US International Boundary in Boundary Bay is most accurately 
determined by visual observation utilizing the range markers located at Point 
Roberts and at the Peace Arch. The NAD 83 (WGS84) latitude of IBC Monument No. 
4 at Point Roberts and Monument No. 5 at Peace Arch is 49 degrees 00.125 
minutes north latitude. The NAD 83 (WGS84) latitude of the midpoint of the 
Canada/US International Boundary in Boundary Bay, between Monuments No. 4 and 
5, is 49 degrees 00.130 minutes north latitude.

Best Management Practices:

Release all by-catch species with the least possible harm. Retention of 
flatfish, finfish, and soft, female, and undersized Dungeness crab is 
prohibited.

To improve FSC access and to reduce conflicts, keep gear away from areas 
fronting First Nation reserves. 

Buoy lines should be appropriate for water depth and tide cycles.

Keep crab buoys brightly painted and in accordance with licence conditions. 

Minimize wash in harbours, particularly at boat launches, marinas and other 
wharves.

Avoid pulling crab traps through beds of eel grass.

If commercial harvesters are replacing active crab traps with ones that have 
been inactive for more than 18 days they should transfer the RFID chip from the 
active trap to the replacement trap. This RFID replacement activity will help 
minimize errors associated with reporting violations of soak and trap limits.

Service Provider:

The service provider for Area J is Pacific Coast Fishery Services Inc. (250-931-
7686).

This service provider can provide EM coverage, plastic trap tags & RFID Chips, 
enter logbook data, and conduct biological sampling with designated observers.

Service providers may require additional information as part of their agreement 
with licence eligibility holders to ensure that observers can locate the active 
vessels for the on-board biological data collection requirement and to ensure 
proper delivery of the electronic monitoring program.

Electronic Monitoring:

All vessels must have installed an electronic monitoring (EM) system or provide 
100% observer coverage; and have approved plastic trap tags and RFID chips for 
all traps fished.

All radio frequency identification (RFID) tags shall be scanned by the on-board 
tag reader immediately upon removal from the water. If an RFID chip fails to be 
read, that trap shall be removed immediately from the water until the chip is 
repaired or replaced.

Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) Chips:

All crab traps fished shall be marked with a radio frequency identification 
(RFID) chip attached to the buoy. Where single traps are marked by individual 
buoys, the RFID chip shall be attached to the buoy rather than to the trap.  

RFID chips shall be placed on buoys, as required, in such a manner that they 
can be scanned by an on-board chip reader.

All radio frequency identification (RFID) chips shall be scanned by the on-
board chip reader immediately upon removal from the water. No dragging of gear 
is permitted prior to scanning of the tags.

Plastic Tags:

All crab traps fished under the authority of a commercial crab by trap licence 
shall have approved plastic tags, with the current licence year and an 
identification number unique to each individual vessel, attached to each trap. 
Only those plastic crab trap tags that have been reported and registered to be 
fished shall be attached to traps. Each vessel will be issued a total number of 
tags equal to their trap limit plus 20 percent to allow for replacements.

If the vessel master requires more replacement tags than the 20 percent 
allotted, a complete new set of replacement tags shall be issued. New 
replacement tags shall be marked with the letters "RP" and be a different 
colour than the original set issued. New replacement tags shall also indicate 
the licence year and be unique to each individual vessel.

Please note: To receive replacement plastic tags, the harvester must contact 
their area crab manager. The area crab manager will contact the service 
provider regarding issuing a complete new set of replacement tags. If the 
harvester is issued a new set of replacement plastic tags, all other plastic 
tags must be removed and returned to DFO not later than the 21st day of the 
month following the issue date. Tags that have been replaced are invalid after 
that date.

Harvest Log and Fishing Location Information:

The harvest log shall be kept on board the licenced vessel.

The harvest log shall be produced for examination on demand of a fishery 
officer or an observer.

The licence holder shall ensure the completed log pages (original copy) and 
electronic copy of the log are forwarded not later than 28 days following the 
end of each month in which fishing occurred to: 

Fisheries and Oceans Canada, Shellfish Data Unit, Pacific Biological Station, 
3190 Hammond Bay Road, Nanaimo, BC, V9T 6N7
Tel: (250) 756-7022 or (250) 756-7306

In the event that a licence holder does not fish under authority of this 
licence, the licence holder shall submit a nil report. 

Fish slip Information:

An accurate written report shall be provided on a fish slip of all fish caught 
and retained under the authority of this licence. A report shall be made even 
if the fish are used for bait, personal consumption or disposed of otherwise.

The vessel master shall submit slips not later than seven days after landing. 
Slips shall be mailed to:

Department of Fisheries and Oceans, Fisheries Management Data Unit, Suite 200 - 
401 Burrard Street, Vancouver, BC, V6C 3S4 

Fish slip books may be purchased directly from the printer, Proforma Business 
Forms, phone (604)596-6133. Alternately fish slips can be downloaded free of 
charge, from the DFO website. For more information, see the website 

http://www.pac.dfo-mpo.gc.ca/stats/fishslips-carnets/index-eng.html,

or phone the FM Data Unit message line at (604)666-2716.

Licencing: 

Please see the National Online Licensing System (NOLS) at
http://www.dfo-mpo.gc.ca/fm-gp/sdc-cps/licence-permis-eng.htm

FOR MORE INFORMATION:
Further information and requirements are documented in the 2019 Conditions of 
Licence, and in the 2019 Crab Integrated Fisheries Management Plan which can be 
found at the WAVES website:

https://waves-vagues.dfo-mpo.gc.ca/Library/40777613.pdf

These documents are available upon request from:

Marisa Keefe
Areas I & J
A/Resource Manager
Fraser and Interior Area 
Tel: (604) 666-6390
E-mail: marisa.keefe@dfo-mpo.gc.ca


FOR MORE INFORMATION:

Marisa Keefe
Areas I & J
A/Resource Manager
Fraser and Interior Area 
Tel: (604) 666-6390
E-mail: marisa.keefe@dfo-mpo.gc.ca

Fisheries & Oceans Operations Center - FN0595
Sent June 28, 2019 at 1245

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