Fishery Notice

Category(s):

RECREATIONAL - Salmon

Subject:

FN0291-RECREATIONAL - Salmon - Chinook - Portions of Areas 12, 13, and 15 to 20 - Chinook Management Measures - Effective April 1, 2024

This Fishery Notice announces the re-opening of the mark-selective fisheries that were approved with the 2023/24 Southern Salmon Integrated Fisheries Management Plan.

Area 12 (portions of Broughton Archipelago and Knight Inlet):

Effective 00:01 hours April 1, 2024, until 23:59 hours July 14, 2024, the daily limit for Chinook is one (1) Chinook per day hatchery marked or unmarked, with a maximum 80 cm size limit on unmarked Chinook. For clarity, there is no maximum size limit on hatchery marked Chinook.

These measures apply in the following waters:
Subareas 12-27, 12-28, 12-35, 12-38, and 12-40; and

That portion of 12-26 north of line from Dinner Point on Village Island (50°37.628'N, 126°30.322'W) across to a point on the opposite shore on Turnour Island (50°37.536'N, 126°29.845' W); AND east of the Lower Clio RCA boundary line at 50°35.397'N, 126°31.982'W; 50°34.943'N, 126°32.080'W; and
That portion of 12-39 northeast of a line from Gordon Point on Broughton Island (50°45.885'N, 126°44.158'W) across to the RCA boundary on Eden Island (50°45.510'N, 126°42.831'W); AND those portions of Subarea 12-39 east of the Eden-Bonwick-Midsummer-Swanson Islands RCA; and

That portion of Subarea 12-41 north of a line from Popplewell Point (50º50.756'N, 126º57.317'W) to the RCA boundary at Bourmaster Point (50º50.700'N, 126º55.574'W).

Reminder: The minimum size for all Chinook is 62 cm in Area 12 (excluding Subarea 12-14).

Area 13 (Portions of Bute Inlet and Ramsay Arm):

These measures apply in the following waters:

That portion of Subarea 13-19 northerly of a line that runs from 50°19.584'N, 125°00.292'W (on Raza Island) to 50°19.9463'N, 125°01.9274'W (southeast of Frances Bay); and

Subarea 13-21.

Reminder: The minimum size for Chinook is 62 cm in Area 13.

Area 15 (portions of Toba Inlet):

These measures apply in the following waters:

That portion of 15-5 north of a line from Tibbs Point on Raza Island (50°18.731'N 124°57.980'W) to Connis Point on West Redonda Island (50°18.287'N 124°55.177'W); AND north of a line from Dean Point on West Redonda Island (50°17.147'N, 124°47.172'W) across to a point on East Redonda Island (50°17.145'N, 124°46.989'W); AND north of a line from Price Point (50°09.399'N, 124°39.165'W) to East Redonda Island (50°10.075'N,124°41.763'W); and

That portion of Subarea 15-6 (in Toba Inlet) west of a line drawn from a boundary sign at Snout Point to a boundary sign on the opposite shore.

Reminder: The minimum size for Chinook is 62 cm in Area 15.

Area 16 (portions of Sechelt and Jervis Inlets):

Effective 00:01 hours April 1, 2024, until 23:59 hours July 14, 2024, the daily limit for Chinook is one (1) Chinook per day hatchery marked only.

These measures apply in the following waters:

Subareas 16-6, 16-9, 16-12; and

That portion of Subarea 16-7 westerly of the Salmon Inlet RCA boundary following a meridian passing through at 123°43.00'W (near Black Bear Bluff); and

That portion of Subarea 16-8 west of a line from a point on land at 49°41.5'N, 123°48.4'W, across to a point on the other shore at 49°41.1'N, 123°47.7'W; and

That portion of Subarea 16-10 north of a line from a point on land at 49°40.0'N, 124°04.3'W, across to a point on the other shore at 49°40.0'N, 124°05.1'W; and

That portion of Subarea 16-11 north of a line from a point on land at 49°44.99'N, 124°15.57'W, across to Ball Point (corner of the Hardy Island RCA) at 49°45.10'N, 124°13.75'W; and

That portion of Subarea 16-13 south of a line from a point on land at 49°50.7'N, 123°55.2'W then across to a point on the opposite shore at 49°50.2'N, 123°52.9'W.

Reminder: The minimum size for Chinook is 62 cm in Area 16.
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Area 17 (portions of the Gulf Islands)

Effective 00:01 hours April 1, 2024, until 23:59 hours July 14, 2024, the daily limit for Chinook is one (1) Chinook per day, hatchery marked only.

These measures apply in the following waters:

Subareas 17-6 and 17-9.

Reminder: The minimum size for Chinook is 62 cm in Area 17.

Area 18 (portions of the Gulf Islands)

Effective 00:01 hours April 1, 2024, until 23:59 hours May 31, 2024, the daily limit for Chinook is one (1) Chinook per day, hatchery marked only.

These measures apply in the following waters:

Subareas 18-6, 18-7, and 18-10.

Effective 00:01 hours June 1, 2024, until 23:59 hours July 31, 2024, the daily limit for Chinook is one (1) Chinook per day, hatchery marked only.

These measures apply in the following waters:

That portion of Subarea 18-6 west of a line from Isabella Point on Saltspring Island (48°44.0239'N, 123°25.5622'W) to Harry Point on Piers Island (48°42.6137'N, 123° 25.1697'W) and west of a line from Indian Point on Piers Island (48°42.1410'N 123°25.4996'W), then through the red buoy U16, then through the green marker on the metal pilings, then due south to a point on Vancouver Island (48°41.6714'N 123°25.5501'W); and

Subarea 18-7.

Reminder: The minimum size for Chinook is 62 cm in Area 18.

Area 19 (Victoria and Saanich Inlet)

Effective 00:01 hours April 1, 2024, until 23:59 hours May 31, 2024, the daily limit for Chinook is one (1) Chinook per day, hatchery marked only.

These measures apply in the following waters:

Subareas 19-1, and 19-3 to 19-8.

Effective 00:01 hours June 1, 2024, until 23:59 hours July 31, 2024, the daily limit for Chinook is one (1) Chinook per day, hatchery marked only.

These measures apply in the following waters:

Subareas 19-7 and 19-8.

Reminder: The minimum size for Chinook is 45 cm in Subarea 19-1, 19-3, and 19-4. The minimum size for Chinook is 62 cm in Subareas 19-5 to 19-12.

Subarea 20-5 (portion of Beecher Bay):

Effective 00:01 hours April 1, 2024, until 23:59 hours July 31, 2024, the daily limit of Chinook is one (1) Chinook per day, hatchery marked only.

These measures apply in the following waters:

That portion of Subarea 20-5 north of a line drawn from (48°19.554'N, 123°37.768'W) to (48°19.589'N, 123°36.533'W) then following the shoreline of Frazer Island easterly to the RCA boundary at (48°19.700'N, 123°36.267'W,) then to (48°19.633'N, 123°35.681'W).

Reminder: The minimum size for Chinook is 45 cm in Area 20.

Variation Order: 2024-RFQ-117

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.

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.

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.

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 - FN0291
Sent March 25, 2024 at 1031

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Printed from the Pacific Region web site on October 9, 2024 at 0332