Halibut Notice

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gamechanger

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Here it is...

Category(s):
RECREATIONAL - Fin Fish (Other than Salmon)

Fishery Notice - Fisheries and Oceans Canada

Subject: FN0087-RECREATIONAL - Fin Fish (other than Salmon) - Halibut: 2013 Recreational Fishery Opening Date and NEW Management Measures

Halibut Stock Status:

Over the past decade, the Pacific halibut stock has been declining continuously
as a result of decreasing size-at-age and poor recruitment. This stock decline
has resulted in significant decreases in overall total allowable catches (TAC)
in the Pacific from 74.9 million pounds in 2003 to 31.0 million pounds in 2013,
a reduction of approximately 58 percent.

Canada’s overall allocation for 2013 is 7.04 million pounds and the
recreational fishery allocation is 1.080 million pounds.

The objectives for the recreational fishery are:
– to stay within the allocation (TAC),
– to effectively manage, enforce and assess the fishery,
– to follow the guiding principles of the “Vision for the Recreational Fishery
in BC” such as providing stable and predictable opportunities and to share
responsibility for catch monitoring and reporting.

Consultations on the 2013 halibut management options commenced in September
2012 through the Sport Fishing Advisory Board (SFAB) process and concluded at
the main SFAB meetings Feb 2-3, 2013.

DFO has received and considered the SFAB recommendations. The following
measures will be in place for 2013 and assessed at the end of year as to how
they met the overall fishery objectives.

DFO will be releasing information related to releasing fish safely and in the
least harmful manner as well as the proper packaging and transport of large
fish.

The 2012/2013 Tidal Waters Sport Fishing Licences and Conditions of Licence are
in effect until 23:59 hours March 31, 2013.

2013/2014 Tidal Waters Sport Fishing Licences will be available electronically
in mid to late March. Manual (waterproof paper) licences will be shipped to
vendors as soon as possible for the new licence year.
Further updates on Tidal Waters Sport Fishing Licences will be provided as
information becomes available.


Coast wide:

Open time:
Effective at 00:01 hours March 15, 2013 fishing for halibut will be opened
coastwide until further notice.

Limits and sizes:

Effective 00:01 hours March 15 to 23:59 hours March 31, 2013, the daily limit
for halibut is one (1) and the possession limit for halibut is two (2), of
which only one may be greater than 83cm.

Effective 00:01 hours April 1, 2013 until further notice:
- The maximum length for halibut is 126cm.
- The daily limit for halibut is one (1).
- The possession limit for halibut is two (2), only one of which may be greater
than 83cm in length.
- There will be an annual limit of six (6) halibut (per licence holder).
- All halibut retained by the licence holder shall be immediately recorded in
ink on the Tidal Waters Sport Fishing licence. The area from which each
halibut is caught and its length shall immediately be recorded on license.

The exceptions to these openings are:

Areas 121, 23 and 123:
Effective 00:01 hours March 1, 2013 to 23:59 hours December 31, 2013:

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 North latitude and 125 degrees 17.386 minutes West longitude and
continues south easterly at a bearing of 116 degrees True to a point at 48
degrees 28.327 minutes North latitude and 125 degrees 01.687 minutes West
longitude.

Electronic licence conditions will be continued as follows: “Only a Canadian
resident may fish for or retain halibut under an electronic licence in
management Areas 121, 23 and 123.”

Area 121:
A reminder to recreational harvesters, that the waters of Swiftsure Bank,
inside a line from 48°34.00'N and 125°06.00'W, thence to 48°34.00'N and 124°
54.20'W, thence to 48°29.62'N and 124°43.40'W, thence following the
International Boundary between Canada and the U.S. to 48°29.55'N and 124°
56.20'W, thence in a straight line to the point of commencement, are closed to
all finfish, all year.

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.


Variation Orders 2013-79 and 2013-80.

FOR MORE INFORMATION:

Contact: Glenn Lario 250-720-4447, Devona Adams 604-666-3271, Mark Reagan 250-
627-3409 or Neil Davis 604-666-9033.


Fisheries and Oceans Canada Operations Center - FN0087
Sent February 19, 2013 at 12:09
Visit us on the Web at http://www.pac.dfo-mpo.gc.ca

If you have any questions or would like to unsubscribe, please contact us via e-mail to: OpsCentre@pac.dfo-mpo.gc.ca
 
Let's hope people are smart enough to not put themselves in danger chasing large slabs march 15-April 1. Lets also hope no one gets hurt trying to release large halibut.

Gamechanger, have you ever heard of alcohol being used to sedate large fish?
 
Let the crying begin..... ;)

More like let the offense commitment commence.


this is incredible.

Two weeks during unfishable conditions to keep anything over 126cm.

Oh wait, it's OK because the SFAB is all volunteer and I didn't get off my butt to "participate"... thank you to all those involved (sarcasm intended).
 
Last edited by a moderator:
So when that 55-65 pound fish is beside the boat in the water, we get to fumble around with a measuring device leaning over the side of the boat, while trying to not bring the fish head out of the water? Makes perfect sense safety wise, especially in bad weather.

Fish in the 50-70lb range are the most energetic ones... normally candidates for a harpoon or big gaffe. This isn't like a salmon where you can net and release. If the decision is to throw it back, it should be made while the fish is still in the water I would think. I can probably manage this myself being experienced, but I'm not so sure the average person is skilled enough to not hurt the fish, the boat or themselves.
 
The sole reason for the size slot was to reduce the total poundage caught and give us a longer season. They were up against an impossible scenario and had to pick from 4 or 5 bad options.
 
More like let the offense commitment commence.


this is incredible.

Two weeks during unfishable conditions to keep anything over 126cm.

Oh wait, it's OK because the SFAB is all volunteer and I didn't get off my butt to "participate"... thank you to all those involved (sarcasm intended).
Lookslike you were bang on Fishtofino. The crying and whining took all of 1 minute to start.
 
Probably has to do with expiry of last years license? I assume the new 2013 license will have space to record catch, size, date, area etc.
 
Well... I guess I'll tell the wife I have plans on March 16th, 17th, 23rd, 24th, 30th and 31st!!!! I'm sure the tides are good at least a couple hours each of those days hopefully some we can fish most of the day.

This will probably be the last chance for anyone to catch and keep a big halibut in Canada. Good luck guys good luck!
 
well Like I tld my 12 year old son.
It's ethically wrong for a commercial sector and Aboriginal sector to be allowed to kill a larger fish and he is not.
If this had anything to do with concervation...I'd be on board but it's not.
I'm gonna book a trip to Aaska for him so he has a shot at one bg fish....he only wants one and I think he deserves it....
The truth is we never keep the big ones in our fleet but to take away his rights is appauling.
My opinion and I stand behind it.
 
Lookslike you were bang on Fishtofino. The crying and whining took all of 1 minute to start.

So you're happy with this outcome? If so, I feel sorry for you having to justify your actions. Give your head a shake.

This is a huge LOSS to the sport fishing community. If you consider this a WIN I would love to understand your reasons.

Usually in a negotiation (which this is) you have some "gives" and some reserved, last resort, on the table concessions. It appears that the SFAB let the cat fully out of the bag right away and DFO grabbed it and ran (as they should), laughing all the way to Ottawa. Big money (read Jimmy and Co.) is happy so they can do no wrong.
 
Alright well I guess we're stuck with it for this season. I have no problem with the 6 annual limit but I'm not looking forward to trying to measure a 60-70 lb halibut.

Hopefully the DFO will get a more accurate count of sport caught fish is year and will see that the max size limit is unnecessary for future years.
 
More like let the offense commitment commence.


this is incredible.

Two weeks during unfishable conditions to keep anything over 126cm.

Oh wait, it's OK because the SFAB is all volunteer and I didn't get off my butt to "participate"... thank you to all those involved (sarcasm intended).

Well you could start by contacting the email and phone numbers that DFO provided at the end of this notice.
Or is that not your intent?
GLG
 
Well you could start by contacting the email and phone numbers that DFO provided at the end of this notice.
Or is that not your intent?
GLG

Don't follow - are you suggesting I contact DFO and express my discontent?

If so, I don't see much point. My postion (as a sport fisher) was articulted by the SFAB in early Feb - that is the way DFO views this process. Nothing less, nothing more.

Contacting DFO individually will cumulatively result in zero net gain. There needs to be a collaborative effort outside of the SFAB process as it appears there are a few flies in the honey.
 
I can totaly live with the six per year.... But a size limit is crazy, as already stated it can be very dangerous trying to tape out and release mid to large size halibut. Cheers FC
 
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