Fishery Notice

Area A:

Subarea 1-4 Naden Harbour (Soft-shell Area 12) is closing to the commercial 
harvesting of Dungeness and Red Rock crab as of 00:01 hours March 1st, 2015.

Crab Area A remains open in Soft-shell Management Areas 1 to 11 and 13 to 16 
excluding any portions further described below as closed.

Crab Area A is closed in the following areas:

SOFT-SHELL MANAGEMENT CLOSURES

Soft-shell Management Area 12: Naden Harbour (Subarea 1-4)


All closures described are in accordance with the 2015 Crab IFMP.  Variation 
Order 2015-100 in effect



NOTES: 

BEST MANAGEMENT PRACTICES

For several years now, a voluntary ferry lane closure between Prince Rupert and 
Skidegate has been in effect year round, (see map in appendix 7.2 of the 2014 
Crab IFMP). This closure was developed in cooperation with the Area "A" Crab 
Association, the B.C. Ferries Corporation and the Department.  To ensure 
continued participation success, Ecotrust Canada (the Area A electronic 
monitoring service provider) also provides immediate software feedback to 
harvesters deploying traps within this closure and further notifies them with 
monthly vessel compliance summary updates. 

To avoid gear conflicts with Midwater Trawl vessels, harvesters fishing in the 
vicinity of Goose Bank are being requested to limit the depth to which they 
fish.  The current depth limit is approximately 40 fathoms.  For a more current 
update on this agreement please contact Dan Edwards of the Area "A" Association.

Release all by-catch species with the least possible harm.  Retention of 
flatfish, finfish, and soft, female, and undersized Dungeness crab is 
prohibited.

Buoy lines should be appropriate for water depth and tide cycles

Keep crab buoys brightly painted and in accordance with licence conditions.

Minimise wash in harbours, particularly at boat launches, marinas and other 
wharves.

If commercial harvesters are replacing active crab traps with ones that have 
been inactive for more than 18 days they should transfer the RFID chip from the 
active trap to the replacement trap.  This RFID replacement activity will help 
minimise violation errors associated with oversoak and trap allocation 
calculations.
 

Soft-Shell Crab

Soft-shell crab may not be retained or possessed in the commercial crab 
fishery.  This prohibition also applies to crab buyers and processors. 
"Soft-shell crab" means a crab whose shell is not fully hardened, and yields to 
finger pressure.  A crab with a durometer measurement of 70 units or less is 
defined as a soft-shell crab.

Electronic Monitoring

All vessels must have installed an electronic monitoring (EM) system or provide 
100% observer coverage.  The EM system must have power 24 hours a day, 7 days a 
week while traps are in the water.

The service provider for Area A is Ecotrust Canada (250-624-4191) 
This service provider can provide EM coverage, trap tags, enter logbook and 
hail data, and conduct biological sampling with designated observers.

Service providers may require additional information as part of their agreement 
with licence eligibility holders to ensure that observers can locate the active 
vessels for the on-board biological data collection requirement and to ensure 
proper delivery of the electronic monitoring program.

Trip Hails

The vessel master shall provide oral reports to the service provider as per the 
2015 Conditions of Commercial Crab Licence. 

Harvest Logs

(1) The vessel master shall maintain a log of all harvest operations and 
provide this information in both hard (paper) copy and electronic copy to the 
Department in accordance with the timing set out in subsection 8(7). The 
content and format of the log (paper and electronic) shall meet the 
requirements as defined by Fisheries and Oceans Canada Marine Ecosystem and 
Aquaculture Division's Shellfish Data Unit.

(2) The harvest and fishing location information recorded in the harvest log 
shall be complete and accurate. 

(3) The information for each day's harvest operations shall be recorded in the 
harvest log not later than midnight of that day.

(4) The vessel master shall enter latitude/longitude co-ordinates in the 
location field of the harvest log for each string or group of traps.  A string 
is defined as traps connected by a line.  A group is defined as single trap or 
short strings of traps in a distinct area (e.g. a bay) not crossing an Area or 
Subarea boundary with no two traps more than 0.5 nautical miles (1 km) apart.  
The vessel master shall:

(a) In the case of a string of traps, record a new line of harvest information 
with a new latitude/longitude coordinate pair to represent one end of the 
string; or
(b) In the case of a group of traps, record a new line of harvest information 
with a new latitude/longitude coordinate pair to represent the centre point of 
the group of traps; and 
(c) Record Latitude/longitude coordinate pairs using degree decimal minute 
format, with information provided to the third decimal point.

(5) The harvest log shall be kept on board the licensed vessel.

(6) The harvest log shall be produced for examination on demand of a fishery 
officer or an observer.

(7) The licence holder shall ensure the completed log pages (original copy) and 
electronic copy of the log are forwarded not later than 28 days following the 
end of each month in which fishing occurred to: 

Fisheries and Oceans Canada Shellfish Data Unit Pacific Biological Station 3190 
Hammond Bay Road Nanaimo BC V9T 6N7
 
Tel: (250) 756-7022 or (250) 756-7306

(9) In the event that a licence holder does not fish under authority of this 
licence, the licence holder shall submit a nil report.  The nil report shall 
include one page from the harvest logbook identifying the vessel, licence tab 
number and the year with 'nil' entered in the body of the log; the licence 
holder shall sign the nil report.


Gear Questionnaire & Harvest Logs

Licence holders are reminded to submit any outstanding harvest logs along with 
a completed Crab Trap Gear questionnaire for the 2014 season to the Shellfish 
Data Unit (address noted above).




Fishslip Information:

(1) An accurate written report shall be provided on a fish slip of all fish  
caught and retained under the authority of this licence. 

(2) A report shall be made even if the fish are used for bait, personal 
consumption or disposed of otherwise.

(3) The vessel master shall submit slips not later than seven days after 
landing.  Slips shall be mailed to:

Department of Fisheries and Oceans
Fisheries Management Data Unit
Suite 200 - 401 Burrard Street
Vancouver, BC  V6C 3S4 

Fish slip books may be purchased directly from the printer, Proforma Business 
Forms, phone (604)596-6133. Alternately fish slips can be downloaded free of 
charge, from the DFO website. For more information, see the website 
http://www.pac.dfo-mpo.gc.ca/stats/fishslips-carnets/index-eng.html, or phone 
the FM Data Unit message line at (604)666-2716. 


FOR MORE INFORMATION:

Further information and requirements are documented in the 2015 Crab Integrated 
Fisheries Management Plan and the 2015 Conditions of License, both available 
upon request to: 

Shaun Davies
Biologist Biologiste
BC North Coast Area Secteur Côte Nord de la C.-B.
Fisheries & Oceans Canada Pêches et Océans Canada
417-2nd Avenue West 417, deuxième avenue ouest
Prince Rupert, BC V8J 1G8 Prince Rupert, (C.-B.) V8J 1G8
Tel: / Tél: (250) 627-3477
Fax: / Télécopieur: (250) 627-3427
E-mail/ Courrier électronique: shaun.davies@dfo-mpo.gc.ca

Fisheries & Oceans Operations Center - FN0106
Sent February 18, 2015 at 0845

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