Fishery Notice

Effective from 00:01 hours September 1, 2026, until 23:59 hours March 31, 2027, the daily limit for the tidal recreational fishery for Chum Salmon in Area 26 and the following portions of Area 25 will be increased to four (4) per day:

A portion of Subarea 25-4 northerly of a line from Argonaut Point (49 degrees 43.248 minutes North by 126 degrees 29.479 minutes West) to the southernmost point on the island at the mouth of Galiano Bay (49 degrees 42.714 minutes North by 126 degrees 28.427 minutes West) then directly across to the Vancouver Island shore at 49 degrees 42.648 minutes North by 126 degrees 28.520 minutes west; and southeasterly of a line in Hisnit Inlet beginning near the entrance to Valdes Bay, located at a point at 49 degrees 43.900 minutes North by 126 degrees 29.633 minutes West then drawn southwesterly to the opposite shore to a point located at 49 degrees 43.710 minutes North by 126 degrees 30.336 minutes West; and

A portion of Subarea 25-5 at the head of Tlupana Inlet southerly of a line beginning near a point located at 49 degrees 46.768 minutes North by 126 degrees 28.827 minutes West then drawn easterly to the opposite shore to a point located at 49 degrees 46.679 minutes North by 126 degrees 27.351 minutes West; and westerly of a line in Nesook Bay beginning at a point located at 49 degrees 45.899 minutes North by 126 degrees 26.365 minutes West then drawn southerly to the opposite shore to a point located at 49 degrees 45.468 minutes North by 126 degrees 26.048 minutes West.

Variation Order Number 2026-RFQ-375 in effect.

Fishers are remined to refer to FN0705 and FN0673 that describes finfish closure areas and areas closed to salmon retention in Areas 25 and 26 or to check online here: http://bcsportfishguide.ca.

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

The Government of Canada recognizes that Southern Resident Killer Whales (SRKW) face imminent threats to their survival and recovery. Management measures have been implemented to help address the key threats of reduced prey availability (primarily Chinook Salmon), and acoustic and physical disturbance. These measures include salmon fishery closures, Interim Sanctuary Zones that restrict vessels from entering (including fishing), Speed Restricted Zones that restrict vessels to a maximum of 10 knots in designated areas (including fishing), minimum approach distances and a number of voluntary measures including to stop fishing (do not haul gear) and reduce speed to less than 7 knots when within 1,000 metres of killer whales and let them pass, and a voluntary speed reduction zone in Tumbo Channel.

For more information about the current SRKW management measures, please visit https://www.canada.ca/southern-resident-killer-whales or contact the Marine Mammal Team at DFO.SRKW-ERS.MPO@dfo-mpo.gc.ca. For more information on the best ways to help whales while on the water, please visit: bewhalewise.org.

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.

Fisheries & Oceans Operations Center - FN0920
Sent August 27, 2026 at 1115

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Printed from the Pacific Region web site on September 21, 2026 at 0616