Fishery Notice

Category(s):
RECREATIONAL - Salmon
Subject:
FN1130-Recreational - Salmon: Coho - Portions of Area 29 - Fraser River Mouth and Fraser River Tidal Waters - Opening - October 31, 2024 and November 2, 2024


This notice advises fishers of recreational Hatchery Marked Coho Salmon fishing opportunities in the Fraser River mouth and tidal portions of the Fraser River mainstem.

Waters: Subareas 29-6, 29-7, 29-9 and 29-10 (Fraser River mouth)

Management measures - Coho Salmon:

Effective October 31, 2024 to December 31, 2024
- The daily limit for Coho salmon is two (2) hatchery marked per day.

Waters: Subareas 29-11 to 29-14, and 29-17 (Tidal Waters of the Fraser River downstream of the Port Mann Bridge) 

Management measures - Coho Salmon:

Effective October 31, 2024 to November 30, 2024
- The daily limit for Coho salmon is two (2) hatchery marked per day.

Waters: Subareas 29-15 and 29-16 (Tidal Waters of the Fraser River from the Mission Bridge downstream to the Port Mann Bridge)

Management measures - Coho Salmon:

Effective November 2, 2024 to November 30, 2024
- The daily limit for Coho salmon is two (2) hatchery marked per day.


Variation Orders in effect: 2024-RCT-446, 2024-RFQ-447, 2024-GMB-018.


NOTES AND REMINDERS:

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.

Sport fishers are reminded of the importance of catch monitoring programs for recreational fisheries. As a condition of their BC Tidal Waters Sport Fishing Licence, fishers are required to provide complete and accurate information regarding their catch and fishing activities upon request of DFO creel surveyors stationed at marinas and boat launches. DFO Creel surveyors are designated authorities of Fisheries and Oceans Canada under s.61(5) of the Fisheries Act; please be respectful when asked to report catch and allow biological sampling. Refusal to report catch and/or harassment of creel surveyors will not be tolerated and may result in charges laid.
"Internet Recreational Effort and Catch Reporting program (iREC): Sport Fishers are reminded that it is a condition of their BC Tidal Waters Sport Fishing Licence to complete their iREC report online before their reporting deadline. The assigned reporting period, the web address of the iREC reporting program, a unique access ID and the reporting deadline is printed on each adult licence. A report must be completed even if you did not fish during your reporting period, and also if you fished, even if you caught nothing. iREC reports are used to estimate recreational effort and kept and released catches of finfish and shellfish. For further information see FN0330 or contact the Sport Fishing Report Team at DFO.SportFishingReport-RapportPecheSportive.MPO@dfo-mpo.gc.ca"
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.
Please contact the nearest Fisheries and Oceans Canada office or visit our website at http://www.pac.dfo-mpo.gc.ca

FOR MORE INFORMATION:
Please contact the nearest Fisheries and Oceans Canada office or visit our website at http://www.pac.dfo-mpo.gc.ca

Fisheries & Oceans Operations Center - FN1130
Sent October 25, 2024 at 1445