Fishery Notice

The commercial Prawn and Shrimp by Trap fishery will close coastwide for the 
balance of the year effective 19:00 hours Monday, June 16, 2014.

Spawner Index Sampling will continue to the end of the season. Vessel Masters 
are reminded to provide assistance to the observers.

Fishery continues 1900 hours June 13, 2014 until 19:00 hours June 16, 2014 for 
all species of shrimp, including prawns, by trap gear, in the following areas:

1. Area 11.
2. Area 12-1 to 12-30, 12-35, 12-37 to 12-42 except for the Robson Bight - 
Michael Bigg Ecological Reserve closure area (Section 3.3.5 of the Commercial 
Harvest Plan). 
3. Subareas 13-1 to 13-14, 13-18 to 13-42.
4. Area 14. Note advisory for Sponge Reefs in Section 3.3.8 of the Commercial 
Harvest Plan off Parksville and on Achilles Bank.
5. Subareas 16-2 to 16-9, 16-13 to 16-16, 16-18 to 16-22. Note Special 
Management Area in Salmon and Sechelt Inlets, Subareas 16-5 to 16-8, where 
reduced trap and string limits apply.
6. Subareas 17-1 to 17-4, 17-8, 17-13 to 17-20, that portion of 17-12 
westerly of the meridian passing through 124o04.372'W at Winchelsea Islands, 
and that portion of 17-11 lying westerly of the meridian passing through 
124o04.372'W at Winchelsea Islands. Note advisory for Sponge Reefs in Section 
3.3.11 of the Commercial Harvest Plan off Entrance Island. 
7. Subareas 18-1 to 18-3, 18-5 to 18-11 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.
8. Area 19-1 to 19-6. 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.
9. 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. 
10. Areas 21 and 22.
11. Area 24.
12. Area 25-1 to 25-2, 25-4, 25-5, 25-7, 25-8, 25-10 25-11, 25-12, 25-14, 25-
15. 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.
13. Subareas 27-1 to 27-7, 27-9 to 27-11.  
14. Subareas 28-6, 28-7, 28-9, 28-11, 28-13, 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. 
15. Subareas 29-6, 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.
16. Areas 111, 121, 123, 124, 125, 126, and 127.

Subareas are described in the Pacific Fishery Management Area Regulations. 

Variation Order Number 2014-276. Variation Order 2014-276 is revoked effective 
19:00 hours June 16, 2014.

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.
- 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 1900 hrs (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.
- All traps shall contain a biodegradable escape mechanism ("rot cord") to 
allow bycatch to escape in event traps are lost.
- 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.
- 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.
- Harvesters 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 (This is included in the notice text):

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

Fisheries & Oceans Operations Center - FN0481
Sent June 13, 2014 at 1415

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