British Columbia 1Waters

-90/91 British Columbia 1Waters UBRARY 2 ^ 2011 PACIFIC BIOLOGICAL STATIOM NANAIMO.B.C April 1,1990- March 31,1991 INCLUSIVE • ^| Fisheries Peches f^oriorlo1 I"l and Oceans et Oceans V_y<Xl ldvld IMPORTANT NUMBERS Search and Rescue or Diver Distress (604) 732-4141 or ask operator for marine distress Environmental Emergency (24-hour) 666-6100 Sport Fishing Information (24-hour) 1-800-663-9333 or 666-2268, in Vancouver Sport Fishing Information (8:00-16:00) 666-0383/0583 Sport Head Recovery Program (collect) 291-6401 Recreational Fisheries Division 666-0419/3271 Recreational Fisheries Advisor 666-2768 Distress Safety and Calling Channel 16 Weather Broadcast Service Channels 21B, WX1, WX2, WX3, WX4 Shellfish Information (24-hour) 666-3169 (including red tide updates) Observe, Record and Report (ORR) Fish and Wildlife Violations, Littering or Pollution Call toll free 1-SO0-663-9453 DFO/4389 Minister of Supply and Services Canada 1990 Cat. No. Fs 1-43/199IE ISBN 0-662-17673-1 Egalement disponible en francais SOW le titre: Guide de la peche sportive 1990/91 dans les eaux a mar>-e de la Coiombie-Britannique. Produced by: Communications Branch, Pacific Region, DFO Photo contributions gratefully acknowledged: Rick Harbo, Ron Ptolemy, Phil Edgell and Neil Bourne; Illustrations by Bernie Lyon. -Cfc. British Columbia Tidal Waters CONTENTS Daily and Possession Limits 2 Restrictions, General 3 Salmon 5 How You Can Tell the Difference — Coho, Chinook, and Pink 12 Chinook Conservation 14 Special Limits 15 How to Release Salmon 17 Salmonid Enhancement Program 19 Pacific Salmon Foundation 20 Salmonid Head Recovery Program, Depots 21 Finfish, Other Than Salmon 26 Shellfish 31 Research Programs 41 Licences 44 Reporting Violations (fold out map) centre flap Boating Safety Tips 46 Consulting Process 48 Creel Survey, Diary Program 50 Fishing Methods 51 Commercial Fishing Vessels 52 Closures 54 Finfish 54 Salmon 72 Shellfish Contaminated Areas 75 Dioxin Closures and Restricted Areas 88 DFO District Offices Inside Back Cover DAILY LIMITS This list is a general guide to daily limits by species. It is your responsibility to check closed areas and closed seasons for specific species and areas. Abalone:north of Cape Caution 12 south of Cape Caution 6 or 4 Clams: combined species total of 75 (varies depending on species and area) Crabs: depending on species and area 4 or 6 Eulachons: 20 kg Flounder and sole: 8 Greenling and lingcod combined: 3 Halibut: (Note: daily and possession limits are same) 2 Herring: 20 kg Lingcod and greenling combined: 3 Mussels: depending on species and area: 12, 25 or 75 Octopus: 1 Oysters: in shell 15 removed from shell one-half litre Perch: 8 Pink or spiny scallops: 75 Prawns and shrimp: in the shell 12 kg shells removed 4 kg Rockfish: combined rockfish and sculpins 8 Salmon: 2 or 4 (see species for area/time closures and varying limits) Rock scallops: north of Cape Caution 0 south of Cape Caution 6 Sea urchins: 12 Shrimp and prawns:in the shell 12 kg shells removed 4 kg Sole and flounder: 8 Spiny or pink scallops: 75 Sturgeon: 1 Trout: Cutthroat north of Cape Caution 4 Cutthroat south of Cape Caution 2 POSSESSION LIMITS The possession limit is the number of fish (all species) that an angler has in his/her possession, at any given time, EXCEPT AT PLACE OF ORDINARY RESIDENCE. Shrimp, Prawns and Halibut One single-day limit. All Other Fish and Shellfish Two single-day limits. RESTRICTIONS, GENERAL It is illegal to: • use gear on a line designed to catch more than one fish at a time except when fishing for herring. • use more than one line when sport fishing in the tidal waters of the Pitt River (downstream of the CPR bridge) and in the Fraser River tidal waters (down stream from- Mission CPR bridge). Gear designed to catch a maximum of two fish at one time (bar rig) is permitted in this area. • use more than one hook in the waters of Burrard Inlet near the mouth of the Capilano River from the 14th St. Pier to Prospect Light on the seawall of Stanley Park to the north tower of the Lion's Gate Bridge from August 1 to Decem ber 31, 1990. The hook must have a single point which measures no greater than 15 mm between the point and the shank of the hook. • to use anything but a single hook and artificial lures from August 1 until Sept. 15 in the waters of Discovery Passage and Campbell River bounded by a line true east of the fish ing boundary sign at Orange Point to the middle of the channel, then southeasterly down the middle of the channel to the intersection of a line true east from the fishing bound ary sign on Tyee Spit. • possess, except at place of ordinary residence, any fish caught while sport fishing that is dressed or packed so that the fish cannot be identified, counted or measured — for example, crabs with outer shell removed or fillets without skin. • purchase or possess fish caught under special licence con ditions, i.e. Indian Food Fish Licence. (NOTE: prior to purchasing fish, you are advised to establish the source of the fish being sold. It is suggested that you obtain a receipt at time of purchase. Under the Fisheries Act, various penal ties may be assessed for infractions of B.C. Fishery Regu lations.) • buy, sell, barter or attempt to buy, sell or barter any fish caught in sport fishing. • use stones, clubs, firearms, explosives, or chemicals to molest, injure or kill fish. • snag or attempt to snag fish. • trap or pen fish on their spawning ground, or in rivers or streams leading to spawning grounds. • fish with a fixed weight (sinker) greater than one kg unless a downrigger is used, in which case the fishing line must be attached to the downrigger by means of an automatic release clip. The clip must free the fishing line when the fish takes the lure, allowing the fish to be re trieved by rod and reel or separate handline. • use a gurdy, downrigger or ether implement or appliance that is activated by a source of power other than by hand when sport fishing ( a medical exemption can be provided for those unable to use a manual downrigger). • use a net of any kind for sport fishing, except: a) a dip net may be used when landing a fish caught by angling and b) one gillnet or set net may be used when fishing for smelts or eulachons, provided the mesh size is greater than 25 mm and the length does not exceed 7.5 m. A floating buoy clearly marked with the name of the operator must be at tached to each end of the net. • use a dip net except when landing fish. • use torches, spears, gaff hooks or snares in sport fishing except that a gaff hook may be used in place of a landing net as an aid to landing a fish caught on a legal line or rod and reel. • use artificial lights (including light sticks) while sport fishing. • fish for salmon and trout for personal use except by angling. • fail to record forthwith, on your licence, in ink, any chinook salmon caught and retained. • catch and retain chinook salmon without a valid conser vation stamp affixed to your licence. YOU AND THE LAW The British Columbia Tidal Waters Sport Fishing Guide is intended for general information purposes only. Where there is a discrepancy between this guide and any federal enactment or regulation, the enact ments or regulations are the final authority. The en actments or regulations arc subject to change from time to time and it is the responsibility of the fisher man to keep informed of the current enactments and regulations. Depending on availability, applicable enactments, regulations, amendments and publica tions pertaining thereto may be obtained from the local Fishery Officer. SALMON Five species of salmon are indigenous to the coastal waters of British Columbia. All may be taken in the tidal water sport fishery (see closures section for area/time closures) but at present only chinook and coho may be taken in the non-tidal waters of the province. An immature salmon of any species is classified in the sea as a grilse. A male salmon which measures between 30 and 50 cm and that has matured after only one year in the sea is known as a jack. Salmon vary in shape and colour at different stages of ma turity. Generally, all species of salmon are a silvery blue- green when far from their home streams and change to tones of brown as they approach their rivers. Wild coho stocks, especially in Georgia Strait are show ing signs of serious decline - in both escapement and catch. A special task force, including fisheries managers, scientists, and habitat and enhancement experts, has been set up by DFO to address the problem. Data collec tion and technical analysis are already fairly well along. The goal is to attain the greatest possible long-term benefits from the coho resource by working together on a program of fishery management, habitat protection, and resource enhancement objectives. Throughout 1990, the task force will be consulting with advisory groups representing all fishing sectors and pro viding information to those interested in contributing to the solutions. Implementation of remedial measures is expected to begin in 1991. There is no annual limit for any species of Pacific salmon except chinook. However, all species other than chinook must be at least 30 cm long. The combined daily limit for all species is 4.

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