Fishery Notice

This notice amends FN0579 to correct the end date of the finfish area closure. The complete corrected notice is as follows:

Effective 00:01 hours June 30 until 23:59 October 31, 2022 the following portion of subareas 23-2 and 23-3 will be closed to angling for all finfish:
 
That portion of subarea 23-2 south of a line drawn from Bilton Point easterly to Coleman Creek. Pocahontas Point is the southern boundary of this area; and

That portion of subarea 23-3 north of a line drawn from Chup Point easterly to Hissin Point. Pocahontas Point is the northern boundary of this area.  
  
A proposal set forth by the Alberni Valley Sport Fishing Advisory Committee to increase the finfish closure area around Uchucklesit Inlet, that comes into effect on June 30, 2022 to protect Henderson Sockeye Salmon, was approved by the Area 23 Harvest Committee at a meeting on May 27, 2022. The attendees at this meeting were representatives from the Maa-nulth, Tseshaht and Hupacasath First Nations, stakeholders from the commercial gill net and seine fisheries, the Alberni Valley Sport Fishing Advisory Committee, and DFO staff. 

This notice updates the Uchucklesit Inlet closed area in FN0415 from 00:01 June 30, 2022 until 23:59 October 31, 2022. 

Variation Order # 2022-RCT-290 in effect.


NOTES AND REMINDERS:
Barbless hooks are required when fishing for salmon in tidal and non-tidal waters of British Columbia.

The term "marked", "hatchery marked", or "adipose fin clipped" means a fish that has a healed scar in place of the adipose fin.

Fishers are encouraged to participate in the Salmon Sport Head Recovery program by labelling and submitting heads from hatchery marked Chinook and Coho Salmon to head depots. New 2022 condition of license for Chinook and Coho head-off length equivalents support participation. The head-off measurement can be used by enforcement officers to assess compliance on size limits if you remove the head from Chinook or Coho. Recovery of microscopic coded-wire tags found inside hatchery marked Chinook and Coho heads provide critical information for coast-wide stock assessment. Contact the Salmon Sport Head Recovery Program toll free at 1-866-483-9994 for further information

All anglers must have a licence to fish in tidal waters in BC. Apply for your BC tidal waters recreational fishing licence and salmon conservation stamp at https://www.pac.dfo-mpo.gc.ca/fm-gp/rec/licence-permis/index-eng.html.

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. 

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: 1-800-465-4336 or VHF Channel 16.

The Government of Canada recognizes that Southern Resident Killer Whales face imminent threats to their survival and recovery. On April 29, 2022, the Government announced a suite of management measures to be implemented this 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), minimum vessel approach distances, Seasonal Slowdown Areas where vessels are required to slow down to 10 knots while in these areas and a number of voluntary measures including to stop fishing (do not haul gear) within 1,000 metres of killer whales and let them pass. For more information about the 2022 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

Consult the online BC Sport Fish Guide at https://www.pac.dfo-mpo.gc.ca/fm-gp/rec/index-eng.html for the latest closures, regulations, and restrictions.

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 Christie Morrison by emailing Christie.Morrison@dfo-mpo.gc.ca or calling 250-720-4440.

Fisheries & Oceans Operations Center - FN0715
Sent July 13, 2022 at 1520

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Printed from the Pacific Region web site on April 19, 2024 at 0000