trophywife
Crew Member
common sense approach, not common enough!!
Fishing in Traffic lanes
- Thread starter Tugcapitan
- Start date
common sense approach, not common enough!!
wildthing
Well-Known Member
we did indeed stay out of the way but said container captain was in oh i say in less than 200' of water
and spot on with the location ..was north arm with that being said it was when the banana was closed so boats where further out than usual....
did not think they cut the corner to the bell .....lol
but guy's that size can swamp some of the smaller boats
as he's pushing about a 4' wake
Hmmm, I may need to rethink my position, I hadn't considered the possibility that traffic lanes were in fact a joke.
The Southern Bc ferry routes do not encounter any traffic lanes. The Tsawwassen inbound and outbound ferries do cross the precautionary area which breaks up the lanes between Canoe pass and a line South of Tsawwassen...
I'm curious, how do you tell when a ferry or tug and barge are "totally off course"?
P.S. I see trolling for salmon isn't the only trolling you're good at! Nice catch
They are on the GPS and paper charts. However if I am indeed wrong please enlighten me.
Tugcapitan
Well-Known Member
I'm not sure what you are asking. I think you mean that traffic lanes are printed on charts and on GPS chart plotters. Yes they are.
My point was, none of the ferrys on any southern routes travel between destinations that would require them to follow traffic lanes, because there are no traffic lanes on their intended routes. As I already stated, there is a break in the lanes where the ferries cross off of Tsawwassen, you can see the separation zone disappears and the dotted magenta colored lines that make it look as though the lanes continue, actually signify what is referred to as a precautionary area. A triangle with an exclamation mark in the middle identify these areas.
The ferry tracks you see on the charts are not mandatory routing, but an indication for other traffic of the areas where one will want to look out for them. They are the single magenta dotted lines with a boat shaped symbol printed on them at various intervals, which can be found on the charts where BC Ferries travel.
If this is not what you are referring to KV1, please explain further what you mean and I'll answer if I can.
Crystal clear. My mistake and thanks.
Rule 10 is a major rule at Prince Rupert Traffic
Rule 10
Traffic separation schemes
(a) This Rule applies to traffic separation schemes adopted by the Organization and does not relieve any vessel of her obligation under any other rule.
(b) A vessel using a traffic separation scheme shall:
(i) proceed in the appropriate traffic lane in the general direction of traffic flow for that lane;
(ii) so far as practicable keep clear of a traffic separation line or separation zone;
(iii) normally join or leave a traffic lane at the termination of the lane, but when joining or leaving from either side shall do so at as small an angle to the general direction of traffic flow as practicable.
(c) A vessel shall, so far as practicable, avoid crossing traffic lanes but if obliged to do so shall cross on a heading as nearly as practicable at right angles to the general direction of traffic flow.
(d) (i) A vessel shall not use an inshore traffic zone when she can safely use the appropriate traffic lane within the adjacent traffic separation scheme. However, vessels of less than 20 metres in length, sailing vessels and vessels engaged in fishing may use the inshore traffic zone.
(ii) Notwithstanding subparagraph (d)(i), a vessel may use an inshore traffic zone when en route to or from a port, offshore installation or structure, pilot station or any other place situated within the inshore traffic zone, or to avoid immediate danger.
(e) A vessel other than a crossing vessel or a vessel joining or leaving a lane shall not normally enter a separation zone or cross a separation line except:
(i) in cases of emergency to avoid immediate danger;
(ii) to engage in fishing within a separation zone.
(f) A vessel navigating in areas near the terminations of traffic separation schemes shall do so with particular caution.
(g) A vessel shall so far as practicable avoid anchoring in a traffic separation scheme or in areas near its terminations
(h) A vessel not using a traffic separation scheme shall avoid it by as wide a margin as is practicable.
(i) A vessel engaged in fishing shall not impede the passage of any vessel following a traffic lane.
(j) A vessel of less than 20 metres in length or a sailing vessel shall not impede the safe passage of a power-driven vessel following a traffic lane.
(k) A vessel restricted in her ability to manoeuvre when engaged in an operation for the maintenance of safety of navigation in a traffic separation scheme is exempted from complying with this Rule to the extent necessary to carry out the operation.
(l) A vessel restricted in her ability to manoeuvre when engaged in an operation for the laying, servicing or picking up of a submarine cable, within a traffic separation scheme, is exempted from complying with this Rule to the extent necessary to carry out the operation.
Like someone mentioned before, there are a ton of vessels that fish at swiftsure. At Prince Rupert Traffic we do our best to advise all inbound and outbound vessels of scattered fishing near Buoy JA.
As far as fishing in Separation Zones, I will not give my personal opinion on the matter but Rule 10 e(ii) states a vessel may enter the separation zone to "engage in fishing within the separation zone."
For me its clear, you can fish within separation zones as long as you are not at anchor.
Rule 10
Traffic separation schemes
(a) This Rule applies to traffic separation schemes adopted by the Organization and does not relieve any vessel of her obligation under any other rule.
(b) A vessel using a traffic separation scheme shall:
(i) proceed in the appropriate traffic lane in the general direction of traffic flow for that lane;
(ii) so far as practicable keep clear of a traffic separation line or separation zone;
(iii) normally join or leave a traffic lane at the termination of the lane, but when joining or leaving from either side shall do so at as small an angle to the general direction of traffic flow as practicable.
(c) A vessel shall, so far as practicable, avoid crossing traffic lanes but if obliged to do so shall cross on a heading as nearly as practicable at right angles to the general direction of traffic flow.
(d) (i) A vessel shall not use an inshore traffic zone when she can safely use the appropriate traffic lane within the adjacent traffic separation scheme. However, vessels of less than 20 metres in length, sailing vessels and vessels engaged in fishing may use the inshore traffic zone.
(ii) Notwithstanding subparagraph (d)(i), a vessel may use an inshore traffic zone when en route to or from a port, offshore installation or structure, pilot station or any other place situated within the inshore traffic zone, or to avoid immediate danger.
(e) A vessel other than a crossing vessel or a vessel joining or leaving a lane shall not normally enter a separation zone or cross a separation line except:
(i) in cases of emergency to avoid immediate danger;
(ii) to engage in fishing within a separation zone.
(f) A vessel navigating in areas near the terminations of traffic separation schemes shall do so with particular caution.
(g) A vessel shall so far as practicable avoid anchoring in a traffic separation scheme or in areas near its terminations
(h) A vessel not using a traffic separation scheme shall avoid it by as wide a margin as is practicable.
(i) A vessel engaged in fishing shall not impede the passage of any vessel following a traffic lane.
(j) A vessel of less than 20 metres in length or a sailing vessel shall not impede the safe passage of a power-driven vessel following a traffic lane.
(k) A vessel restricted in her ability to manoeuvre when engaged in an operation for the maintenance of safety of navigation in a traffic separation scheme is exempted from complying with this Rule to the extent necessary to carry out the operation.
(l) A vessel restricted in her ability to manoeuvre when engaged in an operation for the laying, servicing or picking up of a submarine cable, within a traffic separation scheme, is exempted from complying with this Rule to the extent necessary to carry out the operation.
Like someone mentioned before, there are a ton of vessels that fish at swiftsure. At Prince Rupert Traffic we do our best to advise all inbound and outbound vessels of scattered fishing near Buoy JA.
As far as fishing in Separation Zones, I will not give my personal opinion on the matter but Rule 10 e(ii) states a vessel may enter the separation zone to "engage in fishing within the separation zone."
For me its clear, you can fish within separation zones as long as you are not at anchor.
fogged in
Well-Known Member
Special thanks to Tugcaptain for his (or who knows, maybe her) contribution to this topic and many others who posted.
My question is still.....especially off the south end of Discovery Island where fishermen frequently anchor in the traffic zones and our pilots frequently blast warning signals and sometimes pass dangerously close, why does the coast guard not come in and clear out the violators before we have a major accident? I have seen the coast guard on the water in this area fairly frequently.
My question is still.....especially off the south end of Discovery Island where fishermen frequently anchor in the traffic zones and our pilots frequently blast warning signals and sometimes pass dangerously close, why does the coast guard not come in and clear out the violators before we have a major accident? I have seen the coast guard on the water in this area fairly frequently.
Tugcapitan
Well-Known Member
I have no idea. In fact, I can't recall witnessing or hearing about the Coastguard getting involved with VTS traffic or rules violations. In Vancouver you often see Port Authority and RCMP boats directing vessels out of the way at the narrows or speaking to boats that have been reported. Perhaps it's not in the Coastguard's mandate to regulate it? Maybe they do and we haven't noticed?
I know there's Coastguard people on this forum, maybe someone can answer....
