Fishery Notice

2014 Prawn and Shrimp by Trap Season Opening

Fisheries & Oceans Canada (DFO) would like to remind all prawn and shrimp by 
trap (W and FW) licence eligibility holders, vessel owners and operators of 
the requirement to provide real-time in-season electronic transmission of the 
vessel location and set/haul locations to DFO and the certified At-Sea-Observer 
company for this fishery, J.O. Thomas & Associates Ltd. This information 
supports the spawner index testing program. Please refer to notice FN0289, that 
arrangements for services must be made by April 28, 2014 and to contact the 
Pacific Prawn Fishermen's Association (604-523-1528) or J.O. Thomas & 
Associates Ltd. (604-291-6340) for more information. 

Open 12:00 hours May 8, 2014 until further notice for all species of shrimp, 
including prawns, by trap gear, in the following areas: 

1. Area 11.

2. Area 12 except for the Robson Bight - Michael Bigg Ecological Reserve 
closure area (Section 3.3.5 of the Commercial Harvest Plan). 

3. Areas 13 to 17. Note advisory for Sponge Reefs in Sections 3.3.8 and 3.3.11 
of the Commercial Harvest Plan off Parksville and Entrance Island. Note Special 
Management Area in Salmon and Sechelt Inlets -  Subareas 16-5 to 16-8 where 
reduced trap and string limits apply.

4. Area 18 except for the Satellite Channel Ecological Reserve closure area 
(Section 3.3.13 of the Commercial Harvest Plan). Note advisory for Sponge Reef 
in Sections 3.3.14 of the Commercial Harvest Plan around the Outer Gulf Islands.

5. Area 19. Note advisory for Sponge Reefs in Section 3.3.15 of the Commercial 
Harvest Plan in waters less than 40 m depth in Saanich Inlet and "VENUS" 
scientific array outside of Pat Bay at the location described in Section 3.3.16 
of the Commercial Harvest Plan. Note Special Management Area in Saanich Inlet - 
Subareas 19-7 to 19-12 where reduced trap and string limits apply.

6. Subareas 20-1 to 20-5. Note moorage buoy advisory on Constance Bank at 
48º18.00 N and 123º 22.50 W in 117 meters in Section 3.3.19 of the Commercial 
Harvest Plan. 

7. Areas 21 and 22.

8. Area 23 except for the Pacific Rim National Park, Broken Group Islands 
closure area (Section 3.3.22 of the Commercial Harvest Plan). Note Neptune 
Project Advisory in Section 3.3.24 of the Commercial Harvest Plan. Note Special 
Management Area in Alberni Inlet - Subareas 23-1 to 23-3 where reduced trap and 
string limits apply.

9. Area 24.

10. Area 25. Note advisory for Sponge Reefs in Section 3.3.25 of the Commercial 
Harvest Plan in Tahsis Narrows in the vicinity of Mozino Point in waters less 
than 80 meters depth.

11. Areas 26 to 27.  

12. Subareas 28-1 to 28-7, 28-9, 28-11 to 28-14 except for the Porteau Cove, 
Whytecliffe Park, and Point Atkinson Reef closure areas (Section 3.3.27 of the 
Commercial Harvest Plan). Note advisory for Sponge Reefs in Section 3.3.28 of 
the Commercial Harvest Plan around Passage Island and Defence Islands. Note 
Special Management Areas in Howe Sound and Indian Arm - Subareas 28-1 to 28-5 
and 28-11 to 28-14 where reduced trap and string limits apply. 

13. Subareas 29-1 to 29-7, 29-9 and 29-10. Note advisory for Sponge Reefs in 
Section 3.3.29 of the Commercial Harvest Plan at McCall Bank, Halibut Bank, 
Passage Island, Foreslope Hills, and outer Galiano Island.

14. Areas 111, 121, 123, 124, 125, 126, and 127.

Subareas are described in the Pacific Fishery Management Area Regulations. 

Variation Order Number 2014-198.      

Note: 

- This notice applies to South Coast and Fraser River Areas 11 to 29 and 
Offshore Areas 111, 121, and 123 to 127 inclusive.  Please refer to the North 
Coast notice for Areas 1 to 10, 101 to 110, 130, and 142.

- On the first day of the fishery, May 08, 2014, harvesters will be permitted 
to set their gear and haul and reset it once only, provided they do so by 19:00 
hours. 

- Effective May 9, 2014, hauling of prawn and shrimp by trap gear, line and 
buoys is permitted only once per day as a condition of licence in all areas of 
the coast. This is referred to as single hauling. 

- In all areas, after opening day, all setting and hauling of prawn and shrimp 
traps will be permitted only between 0700 hrs (7:00 am) and 19:00 hours (7:00 
pm) and hauling of traps will be permitted only once per day.

- All in season area closures will be implemented at 1900 hrs unless otherwise 
announced. 

- Vessel masters are advised to carefully consider stability and weather 
conditions when loading their vessels and packing gear. 

- J.O. Thomas is the service company selected by industry to provide: trap 
tags, logbooks, hail in, set/haul data, and the in season at-sea observer 
program.  The hail in number is 1-866-930-4000. Timely and accurate hails by 
Subarea are required by condition of licence.

- Licence holders and vessel masters are reminded that all vessels must have a 
DFO-approved vessel monitoring system reporting vessel location every 15 
minutes. 

- Vessel masters are reminded that the conditions of licence require the string 
location and the haul time to be recorded in the harvest logbook "Time of Haul" 
column within ½ hour of hauling, and before the next string is hauled.  
 
- The minimum size limit for prawns is 33 mm measured as carapace length. The 
minimum size for tailed prawns is 22 mm telson length.  

- Traps must be sorted and undersized prawns released as each trap comes on 
board.

- All berried prawns must be released.

- A total of 300 traps on 6 strings may be fished or 500 traps on 10 strings 
where traps have been reallocated (stacked licence) prior to licencing. These 
trap and string limits do not apply in the Special Management Areas.  
   
- Trap and string limits are reduced in Special Management Areas in: Howe Sound 
and Indian Arm (Subareas 28-1 to 28-5 and 28-11 to 28-14); Alberni Inlet 
(Subareas 23-1 to 23-3); Salmon / Sechelt Inlets (Subareas 16 -5 to 16-08); and 
Saanich Inlet (Subareas 19-7 to 19-12). In these areas, a total of 150 traps on 
3 strings may be fished or 250 traps on 5 strings where traps have been 
reallocated (stacked licence) prior to licencing.

- The Sooke Harbour and Basin Coonstripe shrimp fishery in Subareas 20-6 and 20-
7 is anticipated to open 1200 hrs November 01, 2014. Fishers will be limited to 
50 traps as a condition of licence. This opening will be confirmed by a Fishery 
Notice in late October. 

- All "W" and "FW" licence eligibility holders other than those with zero trap 
allocations due to transfers may fish and report octopus.  All harvesters are 
required to accurately report information about the octopus catch. Closures to 
the harvest of octopus are described in the Commercial Harvest Plan.

- Harvesters are reminded that section 25(1) of the Fisheries Act prohibits all 
pre-fishery fishing efforts or the setting of any fishing gear or apparatus 
prior to the opening time at 12:00 hours May 08, 2014.  

- All frozen and fresh product on board must be in a condition that it can be 
readily measured and identified by species. Freezing of whole or tailed product 
in solid blocks or tubs of ice will require that the harvester provide randomly 
selected samples to be thawed for inspection by Fishery Officers.

- Harvsters are advised of a sponge reef advisory for the protection of sponges 
off Parksville, Achilles Bank, Entrance Island, Galiano and Outer Gulf Islands, 
Defence Islands, Passage Island, McCall Bank, Halibut Bank, Foreslope Hills, 
Saanich Inlet, and Tahsis Inlet. 
  
Refer to the 2014/15 Prawn and Shrimp by Trap Integrated Fisheries Management 
Plan for the detailed commercial harvest plan, closed area descriptions, 
Special Management Area (SMA) restrictions and contact numbers for further 
information or clarification. The 2014/15 Integrated Fisheries Management Plan 
for Prawn and Shrimp by Trap is available from DFO contact information on the 
internet at: 
www.pac.dfo-mpo.gc.ca/fm-gp/ifmp-eng.html


FOR MORE INFORMATION):

Laurie Convey 250-756-7233
David Fogtmann 250-339-3799
Bridget Ennevor 604-666-6390
Mike Kattilakoski 250-756-7315

Fisheries & Oceans Operations Center - FN0317
Sent April 17, 2014 at 1506

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