Commercial Sockeye Openings for Alberni Canal

[bloodbath]

With the expected huge run of sockeye for Alberni canal, has anyone heard yet when the commercial openings for gillnetters and seiners will be?

I would hope that this run could finally be a huge tourism year for the Alberni valley but people are reluctant to commit to moorage, campsites, guides untill they hear of these commercial openings.

Has anyone heard if there will be that no-commercial fishing area in front of China Creek again?

When will the local DFO and committe decide on this sockeye commercial openings?

Hooks are sharp-ready to go!

 

[Charter Tofino]

If the run is on the higher side of the forecast there will be plenty for both sectors.

 

[searun]

Yes the Area 23 Harvest Round Table meets every Thursday during the fishery to map out how each sector will fish. The group works hard to mitigate conflicts between sectors. There will be a large gill net fleet coming to fish in both Barkley Sound and the canal. The seine fleet pools their quota and sends limited numbers of boats. That keeps the boat conflicts to a minimum. FN will fish the river and inlet out to Pollies. The seine fleet agreed in prior seasons not to fish in the recreational area defined as the area from Dunsmiur to Hocking Points This means the usual rec fishing area is untouched by the seine fleet.

The season opens May 1 with rec retention of 4 per day. There will be plenty of fish for all. We expect this to be one of the largest, if not "the" largest run on record. Early bird gets the worm, so if you are sitting on the fence waiting to do your moorage bookings don't expect to get any if you delay too long.

should also mention the fishery was decided many years ago. We have a harvest table that sets out precisely how the fishery will be conducted based on expected run size. So the decisions on who will fish and how many they get was decided years ago. With a run of this size it is impossible for the rec fleet to catch their quota, so don't worry.