Fishery Notice

This notice is a reminder to advise fishers of the recreational Chinook management measures and Chinook fishing opportunities in place for the 2023 season for Vancouver Area portions Area 28 and 29, including Southern Strait of Georgia, Howe Sound, Burrard Inlet, Fraser River approach and main stem tidal and non-tidal waters.

The following measures are in effect for the following areas:

Strait of Georgia South - Area 28 and 29 (with the exception of those portions of Areas 28 and 29 listed in the section below):
-Currently in effect to 23:59 hours July 31: Chinook non-retention; 

-00:01 hours August 1 to 23:59 hours August 31:  1 Chinook per day with a maximum size limit of 80 cm on marked and unmarked Chinook.

-00:01 hours September 1 to 23:59 hours December 31: 2 Chinook per day.

Subarea 28-9

-Currently in effect to 23:59 hours August 12: No fishing for Chinook; 

-00:01 hours August 13 to 23:59 hours August 31, the daily limit for Chinook salmon is one(1) per day.

-Effective 00:01 hours September 1 until 23:59 hours December 31, the daily limit for Chinook salmon is two (2) per day.

Portions of Southern Strait of Georgia, Howe Sound and Burrard Inlet - Subareas 28-7 to 28-8; Subarea 28-1, and that portion of Subarea 28-2 that lies southerly of a line drawn due east from Halkett Point on Gambier Island (49 26.735'N, 123 19.302'W) to a point (49 26.550'N, 123 14.317'W) on the mainland corresponding with the southeast point of the Lions Bay RCA; and those portions of 29-3 to 29-5 that lie east of a line from Gower Point (49 23.021'N, 123 32.166' W) near Gibsons to Shah Point on the southern tip of Valdes Island (49 01.695'N, 123 35.721'W):

-Currently in effect to 23:59 hours August 31: No fishing for Chinook; 

-00:01 hours September 1 to 23:59 hours December 31: 2 Chinook per day.

Approaches to Fraser River and tidal water of the Fraser River - Subareas 29-6, 29-7, 29-9 to 29-17 and the non-tidal (Region 2) waters of the Fraser River from Mission Bridge to the confluence with Sawmill Creek:

-Currently in effect until further notice: No fishing for Salmon (Note: Fishing opportunities for specific Salmon stocks may be considered at a later date).

For all areas, any in-season changes or terminal opportunities based on abundance will be announced by subsequent Fishery Notice(s). Fishers are reminded to check the DFO website before they go fishing for current regulations in effect that day.

Coast-wide Recreational Fisheries:

For the recreational fishery, the annual aggregate limit for Chinook salmon is ten (10) in all tidal waters coast-wide.

Variation Orders: 2023-RCT-017; 2023-RCT-061; 2023-RFQ-066 in effect.


FOR MORE INFORMATION: Contact your local Fisheries and Oceans Canada office or visit our website at http://www.pac.dfo-mpo.gc.ca.

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.

The Government of Canada recognizes that Southern Resident Killer Whales face imminent threats to their survival and recovery. On April 26, 2023, 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), Speed Restricted Zones that restrict vessels to a maximum of 10 knots in designated areas (including fishing), minimum approach distances and a number of voluntary measures including to stop fishing (do not haul gear) and reduce speed to less than 7 knots when within 1,000 metres of killer whales and let them pass.

For more information about the 2023 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. For more information on the best ways to help whales while on the water, please visit: bewhalewise.org.

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.

Anglers are advised to check http://bcsportfishguide.ca for fishing closures and other recreational fishing information.

Rockfish Conservation Areas (RCAs) are currently in effect and are closed to all fin-fishing.  Descriptions of RCAs and other closures such as finfish closed areas, salmon non-retention areas, and other recreational fishing information, can be found on the internet at: https://www.pac.dfo-mpo.gc.ca/fm-gp/rec/index-eng.html

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. 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 Salmon stock assessment programs. Contact the Salmon Sport Head Recovery Program toll free at 1-866-483-9994 for further information.

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.

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 species of sea turtle seen (i.e. leatherback), the location and time of sighting. 

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.

Fisheries & Oceans Operations Center - FN0707
Sent July 20, 2023 at 1358

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Visit Fisheries and Oceans Canada on the Web at http://www.pac.dfo-mpo.gc.ca
Printed from the Pacific Region web site on May 14, 2024 at 1018