Fishery Notice

The commercial prawn and shrimp by trap fishery closes coastwide for the balance of the year effective 1900 hours June 12, 2026. 

Spawner index sampling will continue to the end of the season. Vessel masters are reminded to provide assistance to the observers.  

VMS will stay active for 10 days after the coastwide closure, and must stay operational until all commercial product is offloaded. If you will have commercial product on board after June 22, please contact J.O. Thomas during office hours to ensure VMS stays operational. You are not required to contact J.O. Thomas if prawns are offloaded prior to June 22, 2026.

Fishery continues until 1900 June 12, 2026 for all species of shrimp, including prawns, by trap gear, in the following areas:

Area 11

Subareas 12-1 to 12-31, 12-35 -12-42 except for the Robson Bight - Michael Bigg Ecological Reserve closure described as: that portion of Subarea 12-3 from a point on shore due north to a point at 50°30.33' N and 126°37.47' W then east to a point at 50°29.65' N and 126°30.23' W then due south to the shoreline; and, portions of Subarea 12-27 (Gwaxdlala/Nalaxdlala (Lull/Hoeya) marine refuge)as follows:
That portion of Subarea 12-27 that lies inside a line that begins at 50° 41.336' N, 126° 02.560' W then easterly following the shoreline into Lull Bay, then following the shoreline to 50° 41.119' N, 125° 57.484' W then southerly to 50° 39.979' N, 125° 57.488' W then westerly following the shoreline to 50° 39.667' N, 126° 02.558' W then northerly to the beginning point.
Area 13-1 to 13-21, 13-23 to 13-41
Area 14 except for the Glass Sponge Reef Closures off Parksville and Achilles Bank (see Glass Sponge Reef closures link below)
Subareas 15-1, 15-3 to 15-6 
Subareas 16-1 to 16-17 and 16-19 to 16-22
Subareas 17-1 to 17-3, 17-8, 17-13 to 17-17, and 17-21 except for the Glass Sponge Reef Closure off Gabriola (Entrance) Island (see Glass Sponge Reef closures link below). 
Subarea 18-1 to 18-5, and 18-7 to 18-11 except: 
Satellite Channel Ecological Reserve closure descried as: portions of Subareas 18-6 and 18-7 starting at 48°42.472' N and 123°30.216' W, then to 48°42.815' N and 123°28.800' W, then to 48°41.883' N and 123°28.285' W, then to 48°41.540' N and 123°29.699' W, and then back to the point of origin;
Glass Sponge Reef Closures around the Outer Gulf Islands (see Glass Sponge Reef closures link below)
Subarea 19-1 to 19-7
Area 20
Area 21
Area 22
Area 23 23-8 to 11, except for the Pacific Rim National Park, Broken Group Islands closure described as: Those waters of the Broken Group Islands in Barkley Sound within park boundaries as shown, since 1989, on Canadian Hydrographic Service Chart 3671.
Subarea 24-1 to 24-14
Subarea 25-1, 25-2, 25-7 to 25-14 and 25-16
Areas 26 to 27
Subareas 28-11 to 28-14 except: 
Porteau Cove: That portion of Subarea 28-4, east of a line drawn from a white fishing boundary sign located on the south shore of Porteau Cove to a white fishing boundary sign located on the north shore of Porteau Cove. 
Whytecliffe Park:  That portion of Subarea 28-2 bounded by a line commencing from the most southerly point of Whytecliff Park; thence in a straight line to a point located 100 metres east of the most south-easterly point of Whyte It.; thence following the southern shoreline of Whyte It. at a distance of 100 metres to a point lying 100 metres from the most south-westerly point of Whyte It.; thence in a straight line to a point lying 100 metres west of Whytecliff Point; thence following the shoreline at a distance of 100 metres in a northerly direction to a point 100 metres north of Lookout Point; thence following the shoreline at a distance of 100 metres in an easterly direction to a point 100 metres perpendicular to the most northerly point of Whytecliff Park; thence to the most northerly point of Whytecliff Park on the mainland.
Point Atkinson Reef: That portion of Subarea 28-6 bounded by a line commencing at the southwest entrance to Starboat Cove thence seaward in a southwest direction for 85 metres, thence westerly following the shoreline for 100 metres, thence in a northeast direction to a point on land. 
Glass Sponge Reef Closures at Lost Reef, Brunswick Point, Lions Bay and Kelvin Grove, Halkett Point, Bowyer Island, Dorman Point, Queen Charlotte Channel, Defence Islands, East Defence Islands and Anvil Island (see Glass Sponge Reef closures link below).
False Creek (Subarea 28-8)(Navigation closure) 
Burrard Inlet (Subarea 28-10)(Navigation closure)
Subareas 29-4 except within 3 nautical miles of Thrasher Rock, and 29-6 to 29-10 except for the Glass Sponge Reef Closures at Sechelt, Halibut Bank, Queen Charlotte Channel, Foreslope Hills, and Outer Gulf Islands (see Glass Sponge Reef closures link below) and 29-11 to 29-17.
Areas 111, 121, 123 to 127 except for the Offshore Pacific Seamounts and Vents Fishery Closure (Section 3.3.28 of the Commercial Harvest Plan).
   
Note: 
This notice applies to South Coast and Fraser River Areas 11 to 29 and Offshore Areas 111, 121, and 123 to 127.  Please refer to the North Coast notice for Areas 1 to 10, 101 to 110, 130, and 142.

For Strait of Georgia and Howe Sound sponge reef closure areas see the following website and Fishery Notices:
https://www.dfo-mpo.gc.ca/oceans/ceccsr-cerceef/closures-fermetures-eng.html

Phase I
FN0571 https://notices.dfo-mpo.gc.ca/fns-sap/index-eng.cfm?pg=view_notice&DOC_ID=172180&ID=all
 
Phase II
FN0205 https://notices.dfo-mpo.gc.ca/fns-sap/index-eng.cfm?pg=view_notice&DOC_ID=219517&ID=all

Phase III
FN0039 https://notices.dfo-mpo.gc.ca/fns-sap/index-eng.cfm?pg=view_notice&DOC_ID=254231&ID=all

On the first day of the fishery, May 13, 2026, harvesters are permitted to set their gear and haul and reset it once only, provided they do so by 19:00 hours. 

Effective May 14, 2026, 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 07:00 hours (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 19:00 hours unless otherwise announced. These closures will be announced by fishery notice and voicemail recording on Tuesdays and Fridays, with the respective closures coming into place on Fridays and Mondays.

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 out, set/haul data, and the in season at-sea observer program.  The hail out number is 1-866-930-4000.
 
Every person working on a vessel that is fishing under a communal commercial licence must be designated by the First Nation that holds the licence. The designation must be made in writing and include the person's name and reference the communal commercial licence. The designation must be carried on-board and be produced on request of any Fishery Officer. First Nations licence holders interested in obtaining an example template to use to designate their harvesters may contact a DFO Resource Manager. 

All vessels must have a DFO-approved vessel monitoring system reporting vessel location every 15 minutes. For each VMS unit installation, replacement, transfer to another vessel, or change to the licence holder, a completed National Vessel Monitoring System (VMS) Form (https://dfo-mpo.gc.ca/fisheries-peches/sdc-cps/vessel-monitoring-surveillance-navire/index-eng.html) shall be forwarded by email to DFO.VMSRegistration-EnregistrementSSN.MPO@dfo-mpo.gc.ca. 

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 one-half 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 prior to licencing. These trap and string limits are reduced in the Special Management Areas (Section 4.5.2 of the Commercial Harvest Plan). 
    
All traps shall contain a biodegradable escape mechanism ("rot cord") to allow bycatch to escape in event traps are lost.

All harvesters are required to accurately report information about the octopus catch. Closures to the harvest of octopus are described in Section 3 of 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 1200 h May 13, 2026.
  
Only prawns or shrimp that are permitted to be retained under the authority of the commercial licence shall be on board the licenced vessel. 

The maximum size of containers used for frozen-at-sea prawn tails is 946 ml. All containers of frozen-at-sea prawn tails must be carry a label supplied by J.O. Thomas.

Any entanglement in fishing gear of a marine mammal or collision between a vessel and a marine mammal shall be reported immediately to DFO by telephone at 1-800-465-4336 and http://www.dfo-mpo.gc.ca/species-especes/mammals-mammiferes/report-rapport/page01-eng.html.

Any lost fishing gear shall be reported within 24 hours of landing in port after determining the gear was lost using the form at https://internet.dfo-mpo.gc.ca/en/login

Refer to the 2026/27 Prawn and Shrimp by Trap Integrated Fisheries Management Plan for the Commercial Harvest Plan, closure area descriptions, Special Management Area (SMA) restrictions and contact numbers for further information or clarification. To obtain a copy of the current Prawn and Shrimp by Trap Integrated Fisheries Management Plan (IFMP): Contact Dillon Buerk at Dillon.buerk@dfo-mpo.gc.ca. 

FOR MORE INFORMATION:

Dillon Buerk dillon.buerk@dfo-mpo.gc.ca
Karen Martz karen.martz@dfo-mpo.gc.ca
Brittany Myhal brittany.myhal@dfo-mpo.gc.ca  
Tamara Brown tamara.brown@dfo-mpo.gc.ca

Fisheries & Oceans Operations Center - FN0561
Sent June 5, 2026 at 1430

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Visit Fisheries and Oceans Canada on the Web at http://www.pac.dfo-mpo.gc.ca
Printed from the Pacific Region web site on October 28, 2026 at 1644