Fishery Notice

Shrimp Management Areas GSTE and FR reopen and other Southern Inside SMAs 
continue with annual catch ceilings as of November 15th.

The Shrimp Trawl fishery continues in South Coast shrimp management areas at 
00:01 hours November 15, 2015 for all species of shrimp excluding prawns by 
shrimp trawl gear in the following areas:

Subareas 11-3 to 11-10.
Subareas 12-1 to 12-35, 12-37 to 12-48, except permanent closures.
Subareas 13-1, 13-2, portions of 13-6 and portions of 13-7, 13-8 to 13-33, 13-
35, 13-37, 13-39 to 13-42 except for permanent closures.
Subareas 14-1 to 14-7, 14-9, 14-10, 14-12, and 14-13, except permanent closures.
Area 15, except permanent closures.
Subareas 16-1, 16-2 and 16-6 to 16-22, except permanent closures.
Subareas 17-1 to 17-6, 17-8 to 17-13, 17-15, 17-16 and 17-18 to 17-21 except 
permanent closures.
Subareas 20-1 and 20-3 to 20-5, except permanent closures.
Area 21 except permanent closures.
Area 23 except the Pacific Rim National Park (Broken Group Islands) Closure 
Area and except permanent closures.
Area 24 except for the Pacific Rim National Park (Grice Bay, McBey Inlets) 
closures and except for permanent closures.
Subareas 25-1 to 25-15.
Area 26, except permanent closures.
Subareas 27-1 to 27-4, 27-7 to 27-11 except permanent closures.
Subareas 28-1 to 28-7, and 28-9, except the Horseshoe Bay, Porteau Cove, Point 
Atkinson Reef and Whytecliffe Park Closures and the RCAs at Domett Point; 
Woolridge Island; Pam Rock; Mariners Rest; West Bay; Upper Centre Bay; Lions 
Bay; Bowyer Island; Pasley Island; Passage Island and West Vancouver permanent 
closures
Subareas 29-1 to 29-6 except permanent closures
Offshore Areas 121 and 123 to 125 and 127 except permanent closures.

Notes:
This notice applies to the Shrimp Trawl fishery in Areas 11 to 29 and offshore 
Areas 121, and 123 to 127 inclusive.

Refer to the North Coast fishery notices for Areas 1 to 10, Subareas 11-1, 11-2 
and Offshore Areas 101 to 111, 130, and 142.

2015/2016 Shrimp by Trawl licence issuance is through the National Online 
Licensing System (NOLS). Licence holders must go online to view, pay for and 
print their commercial fishing licences, licence conditions, and/or receipts.

To avoid delays, please ensure that you have submitted the requisite harvest 
logs for clearance to the Shellfish Data Unit.

Upon the Department receiving the required payment, applicable documentation 
and information, the licence will be issued and notification will be sent via 
email to advise vessel owners that a change has been made to the licence 
holder's online account. The licence documents, licence conditions and receipt 
will be available to be printed at that time.

Client support will be available via e-mail (fishing-peche@dfo-mpo.gc.ca) or 
toll-free telephone (1-877-535-7307).

Please be sure to visit the Pacific Region Licensing website and subscribe to 
fishery notices for updates on the NOLS and licensing services: 
http://www.pac.dfo-mpo.gc.ca/fm-gp/licence-permis/index-eng.html.

In order to participate in these openings, a letter from the service provider 
is required indicating that arrangements for fishery monitoring services 
(management fees paid) has been made and your "S" licence renewed for 2015/16. 
Fish harvesters/Licence Holders/vessel owners will use the online system 
(https://fishing-peche.dfo-mpo.gc.ca/) to view, pay for and print their 
commercial fishing licences, licence conditions and/or receipts. 

Prior to annual application for either a category S or FS Shrimp by Trawl 
licence, please ensure:
a) Any Ministerial conditions placed on the licence eligibility are met.
b) Any conditions of the previous year's licence such as submission and 
approval of Shrimp Trawl Harvest Logbooks to February 28 and Hail Reports to 
March 31 (all landings reported) have been met.

To confirm logbook approval status please contact the Shellfish Data Unit at 
250-756-7022 or 250-756-7306.

To make arrangements for hails, fishery monitoring and at-sea observer services 
call the Pacific Coast Shrimpers Cooperative Association at 250-658-0179. 

The use of a by-catch reduction rigid grate with maximum spacing 44.5 mm (1.75 
inches) between bars is required by all vessels and the mandatory by-catch 
reduction large mesh will be continued for all Otter trawl nets to reduce 
eulachon and other by-catch: the top (hood or upper belly) of an otter trawl 
net shall be comprised of a minimum 4.4 square meter (48 square foot) panel of 
plastic lattice with minimum 4 cm square openings, such as is found in snow 
fencing. For otter trawl vessels using gear that meets or exceeds these 
requirements without using the 'snow fencing', amended conditions of licence 
are required.

Fish slips (sale slips) are required for all fish and shellfish caught and must 
be submitted within seven days of offloading.

Prior to commencing fishing and at least 24 hours prior to leaving port, the 
vessel master shall obtain a Fishing Hail Number by contacting the service 
provider at 1-866-377-1400 (08:00 to 17:00 hours, Monday to Friday only). 
Earlier arrangements to pick up at-sea observers before leaving port may be 
necessary.

Hails can be made into one Shrimp Management Area only. Other required reports 
(such as to obtain a landing hail number prior to landing) can be made to 1-866-
377-1200, 24 hours per day, 7 days per week. Hailing at least 24 hours prior to 
fishing and pick up/drop off of an at-sea observer at Ucluelet is required for 
all vessels fishing in WCVI SMAs unless an exemption is provided at the time of 
hail. At-sea observations are required for all types of fishing gear. 
Arrangements to pick up an observer and to make accommodations for data 
collection and living requirements while they are on board are a condition of 
licence and a prerequisite to fishing opportunity. Observations will be 
obtained for approximately 10% of fishing activity. 

Prawns are not permitted to be retained and should be released immediately in a 
manner to maximize survival and minimize predation by birds.

Rockfish Conservation Area (RCA) Closures to fishing with shrimp trawl nets are 
in place coast-wide. Fish harvesters are advised to familiarize themselves with 
these closures by referring to Appendix 14 of the Shrimp Trawl Integrated 
Fishery Management Plan (IFMP) or contact the local DFO office or the DFO web 
site for more information. 

Sponge Reef closures in Areas 14, 17, 18, 28 and 29 are now in effect. 
Coordinates and maps for these closures are available at: http://www.pac.dfo-
mpo.gc.ca/oceans/protection/sponge_reef-recif_eponge-eng.html.

Shrimp Management Areas 27IN and 27OFF (Pacific Fishery Management Areas 27 and 
127) open upon request from a vessel master subject to the vessel master 
securing arrangements for a certified shrimp fishery observer for the first 
fishing trip to these areas. Contact the South Coast Fisheries Manager to 
request an opening.

Refer to 2015/16 Shrimp by Trawl Integrated Fishery Management Plan for further 
details and management changes for this season or for further information 
contact:

For further information contact:
Shrimp Trawl Manager: Dan Clark 250-756-7327
North/Central Coast: Steven Groves 250-627-3455
Conservation and Protection: Dale Hunt 250-339-5073
Fraser River: Anna Magera 604-916-6743

Shrimp Information Line: 1-888-978-7888.

Variation Order No. 2015-556 is in effect. Variation Order 2015-517 is revoked.

Fisheries & Oceans Operations Center - FN1272
Sent November 13, 2015 at 1449

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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 April 19, 2024 at 2048