This just arrived this afternoon.
A commercial pink salmon fishery in Howe Sound starting tomorrow morning at 0600 hrs to last 3 days with 15 hours fishing per day. This should effectively remove any pinks from upper Howe Sound. Pink salmon are currently worth about $0.25 per pound to the fishermen or about $1 per fish. No mention of what the sport fishery is worth to the economy.
What is the size of the pink population that a commercial fishery can be justified? What is the size of the spawning escapement? Is there a spawning target?
If this upsets you then contact the person at the bottom of the fishery notice to voice your opinion.
Category(s):
COMMERCIAL - Salmon: Seine
Fishery Notice - Fisheries and Oceans Canada
Subject: FN0771-COMMERCIAL- Salmon: Seine - Area B - Pink Limited Participation Opening in Area 28 - Squamish
Area 28
A limited opportunity fishery for two seine vessels will occur from 06:00 hours
to 21:00 hours daily from August 22 to August 24, 2013 in Subareas 28-4 and 28-
5. Minimum bunt mesh size of 70 mm. All catch must be sorted and brailed.
The Area B Seine Harvest Committee has proposed a limited opportunity fishery
near the mouth of the Squamish River to target pink salmon. This limited
opportunity will assess the ability to harvest pink salmon by seine in the
terminal areas of the Howe Sound. The target species is pink and all other
species encountered must be released.
The Department has authorized a maximum of two (2) Area B Seine vessels with
observers to fish in this limited opportunity fishery. Arrangements to
participate in this fishery must be co-ordinated with the Area B Harvest
Committee. This fishery will not proceed should undesignated seine vessels
attend or attempt to participate in this fishery.
Variation Order No. 2013-STN-SN-001, 2013-STN-SN-002, 2013-STN-SN-003
NOTE:
1. The target species in this fishery is pink salmon. There will be non-
retention of sockeye, coho, chinook, chum and steelhead. None
of these species may be aboard a vessel that is engaged in fishing unless they
are being revived in the revival tank immediately prior to release.
2. Seine vessel masters are reminded that operating revival tanks and
brailing are mandatory as condition of their licence and are legal requirements.
Harvesters are required to release all non-possession/non-retention species to
the water with the least possible harm. Operating revival boxes are mandatory
and may be used to revive fish prior to release.
3. The mandatory logbook and phone-in program will be in effect similar to the
Johnstone Strait chum fishery. Vessel masters are reminded to provide start
and end fishing reports to the service provider by phoning Archipelago Marine
Research Limited at 1-888-387-0007. Vessel masters are also reminded that
within 48 hours of stopping fishing to offload catch or within two (2) hours of
completing offloading catch, whichever comes first, to provide to the service
provider the weight by species (in pounds) of fish offloaded. Note that a
phone report is required for all fishing activity even if no fish are caught.
Failure to report zero catches may result in the over estimation of total catch.
4. Fishers are reminded it is an offence under Section 7 of the Marine Mammals
Regulations to disturb marine mammals. Fishers are advised to follow the Be
Whale Wise: Marine Wildlife Guidelines for Boaters, Paddlers and Viewers (BWW)
which are available from local Fisheries Offices or on-line at
http://www.pac.dfo-mpo.gc.ca/fm-gp/species-especes/mammals-mammiferes/view-observer-eng.htm to avoid disturbing local killer whales and other marine
mammals.
5. Fishers are requested to avoid fishing among birds and not to run the net if
birds are near the net. Fishers are requested to retain all dead birds which
are entangled and to release live and unharmed birds by placing them in the
water. Please check all birds for metal bird bands (rings) on the leg. If a
bird is banded please contact Laurie Wilson with the band number and capture
date and location at 1-866-431-2473 (BIRD) or by the email below. Handle birds
with gloves, double bag dead birds and label each bird with date, time, and
location and store them on ice. Please call your local charter patrol to
organize pick-up or drop them off at a local DFO office. Alternatively, please
send photographs of birds with a reference object such as a coin, and the date,
time and location to
laurie.wilson@ec.gc.ca. Your names and vessel names do not
need to be identified or included.
6. Fisheries and Oceans Canada is interested in reports of sea turtles in BC
waters. By documenting sightings we are able to learn more about how, when and
where these turtles are using our waters. 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 type of sea turtle seen (i.e. leatherback), the
location, and time of sighting.
FOR MORE INFORMATION:
Barbara Mueller
Resource Manager
(604)666-2370
Fisheries and Oceans Canada Operations Center - FN0771
Sent August 21, 2013 at 14:14
Visit us on the Web at
http://www.pac.dfo-mpo.gc.ca If you have any questions or would like to unsubscribe, please contact us via e-mail to:
OpsCentre@pac.dfo-mpo.gc.ca 
Author
Topic: Squamish Pink Commercial Seine fishery (Read 18957 times)