Fishery Notice - Fisheries and Oceans Canada Subject: FN0871-RECREATIONAL - Salmon - Coho - Area 13, 14, and Subareas 15-2 to 15-6 - Coho Management Measures- Effective September 1, 2023 In the 2023/24 Southern BC Salmon Integrated Fisheries Management Plan (IFMP) the Department proposed the continuation of an assessment fishery to assist in the development of status information for Georgia Basin Coho. The purpose of the assessment is to use additional fishery sampling to support the determination of the status of natural origin Coho. The Department will use Food, Social, and Ceremonial (FSC), and recreational Coho fisheries to collect samples of both marked and unmarked (wild) Coho by allowing some retention of unmarked Coho (in addition to existing hatchery-marked retention) during a time when Interior Fraser Coho have already migrated through the area. Samples collected will be analyzed using new Parental Based Tagging (PBT) along with regular DNA which will allow accurate determination of hatchery origin Coho from natural origin Coho within a management or assessment unit. The application of these tools will use fishery data from the northern Strait of Georgia area and escapement information from hatcheries on the east coast of Vancouver Island. Recreational harvesters are required to participate in and provide samples to existing creel programs, and through the Avid Angler Program in order to assist with this assessment. Areas 13, 14, and Subareas 15-2, 15-3, 15-4, 15-5 and 15-6: -Effective 00:01 hours September 1, 2023, until 23:59 hours September 30, 2023, Two (2) Coho per day, of which only one may be unmarked (wild). -Effective 00:01 hours October 1, 2023, to 23:59 hours December 31, 2023, the above-noted areas revert back to two Coho per day, hatchery marked only, except those portions of Subareas 14-11 and 15-1 that have terminal opportunities as noted below. Reminder: Recreational harvesters are required to participate in and provide samples to existing creel programs, and through the Avid Angler Program in order to assist with this assessment. For clarification, the Coho quota remains two (2) per day, marked or unmarked, in that portion of Subarea 15-1, north of a line from Albion Point (locally known as Black Point) to Scotch Fir Point, until 23:59 hours October 15. All other portions of Subarea 15-1 remain at two (2) Coho per day, hatchery marked only. Also, Subarea 14-11 remains at two (2) Coho per day, of which only one may be unmarked, from 00:01 hours September 1, until 23:59 hours December 31, 2023. All existing finfish closures and other local area measures remain in effect in these areas. Fishers are reminded that they are responsible for checking their local regulations before commencing any fishing activity. The minimum size limit for Coho Salmon in these waters is 30 cm. Variation Orders: 2023-RFQ-065; 2023-RCT-058 Notes: 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 and Oceans Canada Operations Center - FN0871 Sent August 21, 2023 at 11:34 Visit us on the Web at http://www.pac.dfo-mpo.gc.ca If you would like to unsubscribe, please submit your request at: http://www-ops2.pac.dfo-mpo.gc.ca/fns-sap/index-eng.cfm?pg=manage_subscription If you have any questions, please contact us via e-mail to: DFO.PACOpsCentre-CentredesOpsPAC.MPO@dfo-mpo.gc.ca
ReplyReply All