Fishery Notice

Coast-wide:

Open time:
Effective at 00:01 hours February 1, 2016 fishing for halibut will be opened 
coast-wide until further notice.

Further updates on the fishing regulations for April 1, 2016 will be provided 
in February following meetings with the International Pacific Halibut 
Commission (IPHC) and the Sport Fishing Advisory Board (SFAB).

Licensing:
The 2015/2016 Tidal Waters Sport Fishing Licences and Conditions of Licence 
remain in effect until 23:59 hours March 31, 2016.

Limits and sizes:
Effective 00:01 hours February 1, 2016 until further notice:
- The maximum length for halibut is 133 cm.
- The daily limit for halibut is one (1). 
- The possession limit for halibut is two (2), only one (1) of which may be 
over 90cm.
- The annual limit is six (6) halibut per licence holder, as set out on the 
2015/2016 Tidal Waters Sport Fishing Licence.
- All halibut retained by the licence holder shall be immediately recorded on 
the 2015/2016 Tidal Waters Sport Fishing Licence. The area from which each 
halibut is caught and its length shall immediately be recorded on licence.

The exceptions to these openings are:

Areas 121:
No person shall fish for or retain halibut, rockfish and lingcod in Area 121 
outside the 12 nautical mile limit seaward of a line that begins at 48 degrees 
34.000 minutes and 125 degrees 17.386 minutes W and continues south easterly at 
a bearing of 116 degrees True to a point at 48 degrees 28.327 minutes and 125 
degrees 01.687 minutes W.

Area 121:
Closed to all finfish, year round in the waters of Swiftsure Bank, inside a 
line from 48 degrees 34.00 minutes N and 125 degrees 06.00 minutes W, thence to 
48 degrees 34.00 minutes N and 124 degrees 54.20 minutes W, thence to 48 
degrees 29.62 minutes N and 124 degrees 43.40 minutes W, thence following the 
International Boundary between Canada and the U.S. to 48 degrees 29.55 minutes 
N and 124 degrees 56.20 minutes W, thence in a straight line to the point of 
commencement.  

Variation Order 2015-34	


Non-residents of Canada wishing to fish for and retain halibut in Management 
Areas 121, 23 and 123 must purchase an electronic licence through a Canadian 
vendor.

Note: Rockfish Conservations Areas (RCA's) remain in effect - refer to the 
following website for descriptions:
http://www.pac.dfo-mpo.gc.ca/fm-gp/rec/restricted-restreint/rca-acs-eng.htm

FOR MORE INFORMATION:
 
Contact: Brad Beaith 250-756-7190, John Webb 250-627-3409 or Devona Adams 604-
666-3271

Fisheries & Oceans Operations Center - FN0029
Sent January 19, 2016 at 1411

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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 December 2, 2023 at 0625