Possession Limits - your take?

always more reason to rape the resource, natives need not point to anywhere else then to this forum thread to prove their point about the rec guys

i'm out
 
Sorry but I don't buy this. If I've returned to my residence after dropping fish at a processor and go out fishing a week later before they've processed my order I'm sure I can drop off more fish to process as long as I am compliant with my legal limitations. This would put St Jeans and others out of business. The season is only a few weeks long (peak).
Agreed- I've had a couple different orders in at a couple different processors over the season it never stopped me from going out again.
 
This is an email response directly from DFO.

Thank you for contacting Fisheries and Oceans Canada.


In regards to your example regarding possession limits: to take your catch, at maximum possession limit, to a processing plant/licensed facility and then to go out fishing again before taking the first ‘batch’ home is considered illegal fishing.


On a 10 day trip to Tofino, the maximum amount you would be allowed to take home is your maximum possession limit, twice your daily allowance.


In the case of Salmon, the daily limit for all species of Pacific salmon from tidal and fresh waters combined is four. Individual species limits also apply. The possession limit of all salmon from all waters is twice the daily limit. You cannot possess more than eight salmon in total, except for salmon that are at your ordinary residence (page26 of BC Sport Fishing Guide - http://www.pac.dfo-mpo.gc.ca/fm-gp/rec/docs/SFG-GPS-2016-eng.pdf ).
 
So the what they mean is you have to take it away to home, you can't send it away to home. I feel for the guys who don't process their own fish and have a long wait from the processor. Would it not make more sense then if you could send it away to a processor and if you yourself have returned home while your fish is being processed then you should be allowed to go out fishing again.
 
As a follow up I asked "Just to confirm one thing. If I come home from a trip with a possession limit and take it to be processed in my resident town/city, can I not fish anymore until that salmon has been processed?"

This was the reply.

Once you bring your catch to your ‘ordinary residence’ (A residential dwelling where a person normally lives… as referenced in full on page 63 of the BC Sport Fishing Guide) , your possession limit resets as long as you have not exceeded any annual maximum limits, if applicable.
 
Seems pretty clear to me. As always there will be some who try to bend / break the rules out of greed or self interest while the majority do their best to stay within the regs.

I think an issue just as big is the self-serve paper licensing system. My neighbour just got back from a guided trip (to a lodge) in Nootka where the "guide" bragged about having seven licences printed off so he could go above his annual limit. Its not the first time I've heard about this either, but definitely the most egregious.

And don't get me started on people who can't tell the difference between the different species of salmon. If you are not sure don't keep it, or better yet, don't go out their at all until you know! Sorry, don't mean to derail this thread...

Without proper enforcement and penalties to make it not worth it for those that aren't going to play by the rules, there will be those that continue to break them.
 
As a follow up I asked "Just to confirm one thing. If I come home from a trip with a possession limit and take it to be processed in my resident town/city, can I not fish anymore until that salmon has been processed?"

This was the reply.

Once you bring your catch to your ‘ordinary residence’ (A residential dwelling where a person normally lives… as referenced in full on page 63 of the BC Sport Fishing Guide) , your possession limit resets as long as you have not exceeded any annual maximum limits, if applicable.

Finally can put this to rest
 
http://www.pac.dfo-mpo.gc.ca/fm-gp/rec/salmon-saumon-eng.html

"When packaging your salmon catch, if a maximum size limit applies, the head and tail must remain attached until you prepare and consume your catch, arrive at your ordinary residence, or deliver your catch to a registered processing facility."

Its really unclear about transporting fish from a registered processing facility. I don't know much about them, do they give you a bill of sale? how are they packaged and labeled? I am also uncertain to weather a fish processor can have more then 1 persons possession limit at their facility at one time. MY guess is if they got raided and had more than your possession limit their, they are going to get busted.

It seems to me as long as they mail it you you're fine, however if your packages have to go through customs I would not ship more then your possession limit.

I had fish processed at Albion Fisheries in queen Charlotte last month, and it came home with us on the plane. They checked the licence and recorded its number for all of the party, and then packaged everything together, as we had indicated we did not require each person's fish to be kept separate. And so we received a box of halibut, a box of salmon, and a third box with a mix of the two. Everything was labeled 'Sport Caught' and had species and receiving date on each label. Their accompanying paperwork showed the number of fish of each species caught, and the dates of the fishing trip. Essentially they were providing assurance to the authorities that our catch was within possession limits; the head and tail and skin were no longer needed for species identification and the fish could be cut into smaller pieces as the count had already been verified. So by going through a processor I still had to observe the possession limits, but we could package into smaller, more convenient sizes and even remove skin (halibut).

On a side note, it wasn't cheap at $2.50 a pound going in, but the service at Albion was on the money. Everything was cut as I asked (coho in full sides, everything else packaged in 1-2 lb portions), all the halibut cheeks were there, and it was delivered to us at the airport shuttle at 8 am. The packaging - foil-backed bubble wrap liner in airline-approved cardboard box - was good enough that everything was still frozen hard when we got home at 10 pm on a hot Okanagan night. The weight of each box was clearly marked on it, and those weights agreed exactly with the scale at the Air Canada check in counter. I only found one package with an imperfect vacuum seal. It cost over $500 for those three 50 lb boxes, but the alternative would have been somehow bringing vacuum sealer and bags with us, plus taking an additional day off work and paying for another motel night. That puts it in perspective.
 
ORDINARY RESIDENCE

A residential dwelling where a person normally lives, with all associated connotations including a permanent mailing address, telephone number, furniture and vehicle storage; the address on the person’s driver’s licence and vehicle registration; where the person is registered to vote. A motor home at a campsite or a vessel at a marina is not considered to be an ordinary residence.



This is kind of a funny thread, and kind of reflects that what may have worked better some time ago, when the daily/possession limits were first introduced, may not work today.

Especially for young people, and old people.

'telephone number' - how many young people have "land lines"?

Several of the guides I know only guide for the summer. So they are there June - Sep, 4 months at most (wherever, HG, Bam, Tuff, Uke) Some are students. A young man I know guides in the summer, goes to UVic Sep-April, and but otherwise lives with his parents - which I'd assume is on his Drivers license although he spends less time there than either other address. So, during the summer, they can only catch 4 spring salmon on their license (unless they eat a lot) if strictly following the rules that are written and the interpretations on this thread (possession limit). That doesn't seem to make a lot of sense.

Then there's snow birds, who spend 6 months in the US, but they are canadian Residents, and have homes in the LML + a place on the Island somewhere. They don't spend 6 months at either home in Canada, but 2-3 summer months on the island and a month or so on either end in the LML. But their mail is delivered to the LML or a PO box, etc.. Which is their 'ordinary residence'?

A few friends live on vessels moored at a marina. Permanently. But according to the regs, their hope would not be considered an 'ordinary residence'.

So maybe its another thing in the regs that could be looked at to be updated.
 
Being a live aboard family I have asked DFO officers this exact question. A live aboard vessels residence is the vessels registered home port in my case Everett, Washington. If the law was not interpreted this way what would stop me from going out daily until I fill my annual limits while being moored in Canadian waters. If DFO really wanted to get picky they could look at your catch records, look in your immediate position as well as your Reentry’s and get the whole story. To ensure we enjoy our entire season in Canada we arrange to have multiple friends and family members visit each year during our stay. After each person or party returns home we snd our possession limits home with them as outlined by the Packaging and Transporting guidelines. This allows for each person on our vessel to send their possession limits home with other people returning to our home destination while we remain in Canada. Each person in our party must package there catches individually and mark each box with the following information. This information must replicate your catch record or you are subject to fines. On our boat the only Salmon we keep are the ones that are bleeders, everything else is released. Some of our best days fishing include coming home with no fish to clean.

Fisher’s Name:

Address:

Phone Number:

Fishing License Number:

Date Caught:

Area Caught:

Number of Fish:

Size:

Species:

Name of Recipient:

Address of Recipient:

Estimated Travel Date:

Reason for Transport:
 
Being a live aboard family I have asked DFO officers this exact question. A live aboard vessels residence is the vessels registered home port in my case Everett, Washington. If the law was not interpreted this way what would stop me from going out daily until I fill my annual limits while being moored in Canadian waters. If DFO really wanted to get picky they could look at your catch records, look in your immediate position as well as your Reentry’s and get the whole story. To ensure we enjoy our entire season in Canada we arrange to have multiple friends and family members visit each year during our stay. After each person or party returns home we snd our possession limits home with them as outlined by the Packaging and Transporting guidelines. This allows for each person on our vessel to send their possession limits home with other people returning to our home destination while we remain in Canada. Each person in our party must package there catches individually and mark each box with the following information. This information must replicate your catch record or you are subject to fines. On our boat the only Salmon we keep are the ones that are bleeders, everything else is released. Some of our best days fishing include coming home with no fish to clean.

Fisher’s Name:

Address:

Phone Number:

Fishing License Number:

Date Caught:

Area Caught:

Number of Fish:

Size:

Species:

Name of Recipient:

Address of Recipient:

Estimated Travel Date:

Reason for Transport:
A single person can only transport a combined total catch equal to his own possession limit. 4 chinook and 4 coho
 
Straight from the regulations (transporting or shipping)

When individuals are transporting or shipping fish they must package their fish separately and only have one name per package. However, they may share a container. It is recommended that the contents (number of fish, species, and number of packages) be listed on the outside of the container to facilitate inspection.

It is recommended that you store and transport your catch in containers and packages intended for food.
 
Being a live aboard family I have asked DFO officers this exact question. A live aboard vessels residence is the vessels registered home port in my case Everett, Washington. If the law was not interpreted this way what would stop me from going out daily until I fill my annual limits while being moored in Canadian waters. If DFO really wanted to get picky they could look at your catch records, look in your immediate position as well as your Reentry’s and get the whole story. To ensure we enjoy our entire season in Canada we arrange to have multiple friends and family members visit each year during our stay. After each person or party returns home we snd our possession limits home with them as outlined by the Packaging and Transporting guidelines. This allows for each person on our vessel to send their possession limits home with other people returning to our home destination while we remain in Canada. Each person in our party must package there catches individually and mark each box with the following information. This information must replicate your catch record or you are subject to fines. On our boat the only Salmon we keep are the ones that are bleeders, everything else is released. Some of our best days fishing include coming home with no fish to clean.

Fisher’s Name:

Address:

Phone Number:

Fishing License Number:

Date Caught:

Area Caught:

Number of Fish:

Size:

Species:

Name of Recipient:

Address of Recipient:

Estimated Travel Date:

Reason for Transport:


The whole sending your fish home with someone else and a letter with the above noted info ended a couple of years back if memory serves me correct.
 
Respect the spirit of the law. One daily possession limit (your catch it, you record it on your licence). Twice possession limit until it is home (in your possession, recorded on your licence, or at the processor recorded under your licence, or in the mail from the processor). Clearly the locals, tourists, resorts, and processors need an education and some compliance work to keep everyone aware and observing the same set of rules. Salmon return numbers and sizes are in decline, disease is increasing, habitat and ocean conditions are an issue, and over fishing by all sectors has historically been an issue. The commercial sector argues that they have to pay for impartial observers to count species and locations on their boats. If rec fishers don't police themselves, some day we could lose some or all of our privileges, or have to pay for observers on charter boats or at fish processors to keep people honest. If you pay for a fishing holiday, enjoy the scenery, enjoy the boating, and enjoy playing some fish. Stop counting your trip's success by how many pounds of fish you took home and the cost of the vacation per pound of fish. It is a vacation, not a business.
 
Being a live aboard family I have asked DFO officers this exact question. A live aboard vessels residence is the vessels registered home port in my case Everett, Washington. If the law was not interpreted this way what would stop me from going out daily until I fill my annual limits while being moored in Canadian waters. If DFO really wanted to get picky they could look at your catch records, look in your immediate position as well as your Reentry’s and get the whole story. To ensure we enjoy our entire season in Canada we arrange to have multiple friends and family members visit each year during our stay. After each person or party returns home we snd our possession limits home with them as outlined by the Packaging and Transporting guidelines. This allows for each person on our vessel to send their possession limits home with other people returning to our home destination while we remain in Canada. Each person in our party must package there catches individually and mark each box with the following information. This information must replicate your catch record or you are subject to fines. On our boat the only Salmon we keep are the ones that are bleeders, everything else is released. Some of our best days fishing include coming home with no fish to clean.

Fisher’s Name:

Address:

Phone Number:

Fishing License Number:

Date Caught:

Area Caught:

Number of Fish:

Size:

Species:

Name of Recipient:

Address of Recipient:

Estimated Travel Date:

Reason for Transport:[/QUOTE
 
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