Fishery Notice

This notice amends FN0730 to correct the coordinates for Juan de Fuca Strait. The full revised fishery notice follows.

The Government of Canada recognizes that Southern Resident Killer Whales face imminent threats to their survival and recovery and has implemented measures to support the recovery of this endangered population. 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. This notice provides information on planned fisheries management measures for recreational and commercial salmon for the recovery of Southern Resident Killer Whales that will be in place from:

-00:01 hours July 15, 2022 until 23:59 hours October 31, 2022 for Subareas 121-1 and 121-2 at Swiftsure Bank;
-00:01 hours July 15, 2022 until 23:59 hours October 31, 2022 for Subarea 20-1 in the Juan de Fuca Strait;
-00:01 hours August 1, 2022 until 23:59 October 31, 2022 for Subarea 20-5 in the Juan de Fuca Strait; and
-00:01 hours August 1, 2022 until 23:59 September 30, 2022 for Subarea 29-3 at the mouth of the Fraser River.

For management measures for Fraser Chinook stocks Southern British Columbia, please reference 
https://waves-vagues.dfo-mpo.gc.ca/Library/4106110x.pdf

1.Swiftsure Bank

Those portions of Subareas 121-1 and 121-2 inside a line drawn from a point in water on the boundary between Subareas 21-0 and 121-2 at 48°41.218' N and 124°59.527' W southeasterly to a point in water at 48°40.709' N and 124°57.999' W, then southeasterly to Bonilla Point at 48°35.732' N and 124°43.063' W, then southerly to a point in water at the international boundary with the United States of America/Fishing Zone 5 at 48°29.607' N and 124°43.634' W, then northwesterly to a point in water at 48°34.000' N and 124°54.200' W, then true west to a point in water at 48°34.000' N and 124°59.464' W, and then northerly in a straight line back to the point of commencement, there will be no recreational and commercial fishing for salmon from July 15, 2022 until October 31, 2022.
 
That portion of Subarea 121-2 inside a line drawn from a point in water on the boundary between Subareas 121-2 and 121-3 at 48°33.995' N and 125°13.000' W easterly to a point in water at 48°34.000' N and 125°06.000' W, then southeasterly to a point in water at 48°32.100 N and 125°01.759' W, then southwesterly to a point in water at 48°30.864' N and 125 04.376' W, then southeasterly to a point in water at the international boundary with the United States of America/Fishing Zone 5 at 48°28.849' N and 124°59.876' W, then southwesterly following the international boundary with the United States of America/Fishing Zone 5 to a point in water at 48°24.577' N and 125°13.000' W, and then northerly in a straight line back to the point of commencement, there will be no recreational and commercial fishing for salmon from July 15, 2022 until October 31, 2022. 

2.Juan de Fuca Strait

That portion of Subarea 20-1 inside a line drawn from Bonilla Point Light at 48° 35.732' N and 124°43.063' W easterly following the shoreline to a point on land near Vancouver Point at 48°35.110' N and 124°40.790' W, then southerly to a point in water at 48°31.211' N and 124°40.901' W, then easterly approximately 4 nautical miles to a point in water at 48°31.134' N and 124°34.896' W, then northerly to a point in water at 48°32.328' N and 124°34.860' W, then southeasterly to a point in water at 48°30.507' N and 124°27.480' W, then southerly to a point in water at the international boundary with the United States of America at 48°25.162' N and 124°27.480' W, then northwesterly following the international boundary with the United States of America to a point in water at 48°29.607' N and 124°43.634' W, and then northerly in a straight line back to the point of commencement, there will be no recreational and commercial fishing for salmon from July 15, 2022 until October 31, 2022. 
That portion of Subarea 20-5 inside a line drawn from a point in water approximately 1 nautical mile south of Otter Point at 48°20.334' N and 123°49.382' W southeasterly to a point in water at 48°17.715' N and 123°40.747' W, then easterly to a point in water approximately 0.5 nautical miles south of Race Rocks Light at 48°17.372' N and 123°31.936' W, then southerly to a point in water at the international boundary with the United States of America at 48°13.504' N and 123°32.325' W, then northwesterly following the international boundary of the United States of America to a point in water at 48°15.905' N and 123°49.585' W, and then in northerly in a straight line back to the point of commencement, there will be no recreational and commercial fishing for salmon from August 1, 2022 until October 31, 2022.

3.Mouth of the Fraser River

That portion of Subarea 29-3 inside a line drawn from a point in water at 49°17.519' N and 123°20.404' W easterly to a point in water located on the boundary between Subareas 28-7 and 29-3 at 49°17.400' N and 123°15.867' W, then southerly following the Subarea boundary to a point on land near Point Grey at 49°15.995' N and 123°15.860' W, then southerly following the shoreline to Point Grey at 49°15.936' N and 123°15.860' W, then southwesterly to the north side of North Arm Jetty Light at 49°15.443' N and 123°16.772' W, then southerly to the south side of North Arm Jetty Light at 49°15.437' N and 123°16.779' W, then southwesterly to a point in water located on the boundary between Subareas 29-3 and 29-10 at 49°13.258' N and 123° 17.117' W, then westerly to a point in water at 49°13.349' N and 123°20.797' W, and then northerly in a straight line back to the point of commencement, there will be no recreational and commercial fishing for salmon from August 1, 2022 until September 30, 2022.

In addition, recreational and commercial salmon fishing closures are in effect in Subarea 18-9 and portions of Subareas 18-2, 18-4 and 18-5 from May 27 until October 31, 2022 based on first confirmed presence of Southern Resident Killer Whales in the area (more information can be found in Fisheries Notice FN0500); all fishing is prohibited (with some exceptions) from June 1 until November 30, 2022 in the Interim Sanctuary Zones located in a portion of Subarea 18-4 (Pender Island) and Subareas 18-5 and 18-11 (Saturna Island) - more information can be found in Fisheries Notice FN0523. 

The Southern Resident Killer Whale population is small and declining, with only 73 individuals remaining, not including two new calves reported in March and April 2022. The population is exposed to a number of anthropogenic threats, including underwater noise and disturbance from vessels. Given the imminent threats the whales are facing, additional management measures are in effect:

Vessels must stay 400 metres away from killer whales (with some exceptions) in all southern BC coastal waters between Campbell River and just north of Ucluelet until May 31, 2023.

Vessels must travel at no more than 10 knots (with some exceptions) from June 1, 2022 until November 30, 2022 in the Seasonal Slowdown Areas located in portions of Subareas 121-1, 121-2 and 21-0.
The Government is also asking vessel operators to respect the following voluntary measures:
-Stop fishing (do not haul gear) within 1,000 metres of killer whales and let them pass;
-Reduce speed to less than 7 knots when within 1,000 metres of the nearest marine mammal;
-When safe to do so, turn off echo sounders and fish finders; and 
-Place engine in neutral idle and allow animals to pass if your vessel is not in compliance with the approach distance regulations.

For further information on the suite of Southern Resident Killer Whale mandatory and voluntary management measures, please visit: https://www.canada.ca/southern-resident-killer-whales 

FOR MORE INFORMATION:

Marine Mammal Team 
DFO.SRKW-ERS.MPO@dfo-mpo.gc.ca

Fisheries & Oceans Operations Center - FN0972
Sent August 31, 2022 at 1038

Return to Main Menu

Visit Fisheries and Oceans Canada on the Web at http://www.pac.dfo-mpo.gc.ca
Printed from the Pacific Region web site on April 19, 2024 at 2356