Fishery Notice

ROE HERRING INFORMATION BULLETIN: 42
DATE: March 30, 2012
STRAIT OF GEORGIA


AREA 17S
Upper Stuart-----------------------Mar 30: 7,000-8,000 tons
Pylades Channel---------------------Mar. 30 no fish found 
			   
TOTAL AREA 17S: 7,000 - 8,000tons

The Strait of Georgia gill net roe herring fishery commenced Sunday March 04.  
The total quota available for harvest is 4850 tons.  The current validated roe 
herring gill net catch is 4490.9 tons.  

The Atlin Post returned to upper Stuart Channel late Thursday afternoon and 
spent this morning assessing the area. No spawn was observed. As noted above 
the abundance estimate is 7,000-8,000 tons.  The herring are in small broken 
schools located mid-channel. There is some uncertainty as to the level of 
spawned fish in this abundance estimate without the ability to test set and 
sample the fish.  

The last spawn flight of the year will occur tomorrow Saturday March 31. The 
Atlin Post will continue the assessment program in the upper Stuart Channel 
area until late Sunday afternoon, April 01. As of Monday April 02 there will be 
no ongrounds stock assessment capabilities.  Further fishing opportunities 
after Sunday April 01 are unlikely. 

The herring gill net manager will continue to update local First Nations and 
gill net pool captains until the Atlin Post departs the area Sunday 
afternoon.   


The aboriginal and commercial fishing plans for roe herring are part of the 
2011/2012 Integrated Fishery Management Plan for herring.  As per the IFMP, and 
subject to conservation, the First Nations access for Food, Social and 
Ceremonial purposes has priority access over commercial and recreational 
fishing.  There have been a number of consultative meetings held with First 
Nations to discuss fishery planning and to ensure that this priority access is 
provided. It is possible that some areas may not be opened to commercial 
fishing in season to provide this priority access. If there are identified 
areas of spawn below Dodd Narrows, communication with First Nations will be 
required in order to ensure that sufficient area and time is provided to First 
Nations to achieve FSC requirements prior to opening a gillnet fishery. Seine 
fishery opportunities will be limited in this area until sufficient spawn is 
achieved. In the event that there is a commercial fishing opening, inference or 
disruption of FSC gear will not be tolerated, and area openings will be 
curtailed if this occurs. 


For more information contact:

Alistair Thomson 
250 756-7294

Fisheries & Oceans Operations Center - FN0268
Sent March 30, 2012 at 1522

Return to Main Menu

Visit Fisheries and Oceans Canada on the Web at http://www.pac.dfo-mpo.gc.ca
Printed from the Pacific Region web site on May 17, 2024 at 2306