Prawn Closures

[Fish Assassin]

Have any of you seen the prawn closures coming are way....... They suck

Does the rec. fishermen have any say? Doesn't look that way

You can contact Brad Beith at the DFO to vent your frustrations at Brad.Beaith@dfo-mpo.gc.ca or 250-756-7190

 

[Bows Up]

Read them this morning. Pitifully grateful they left the northern part of area 13 alone.
Too many people taking berried prawns or low numbers and a perceived need to protect commercial interests .... What do you figure drives the closures ?

 

[mhbradley]

Good thing I just bought more traps

At least I am prepared for April..

 

[OldBlackDog]

Category(s):
RECREATIONAL - Shellfish


Fishery Notice - Fisheries and Oceans Canada

Subject: FN1278-RECREATIONAL - Shellfish - Prawn and Shrimp - Areas 13, 15, 16, 17, 19, 23, and 28 closures and Area 17 "pulse fishing" continued

Recreational prawn and shrimp by trap harvesters are advised that the harvest
of prawns and shrimp by trap, ring net, or spear while diving, will close from
00:01 hours January 1, 2015 to 23:59 hours March 31, 2015, in the following
Subareas as described in the Pacific Fishery Management Area Regulations:

1. Subareas 13-1, 13-12, 13-13, 13-15, 13-16, 13-17 (Quadra Island area);
2. Subareas 15-1 to 15-3 (Powell River / Lund);
3. Subareas 16-5, 16-8, 16-9, 16-10, 16-11, 16-17, 16-18 (Malaspina Strait,
lower Jervis, portion Sechelt / Salmon Inlets);
4. Subarea 17-9 (portion Stuart Channel);
5. Subareas 17-12, 17-13, 17-15, 17-16 (Nanaimo);
6. Subareas 19-7 to 19-12 (Saanich Inlet);
7. Subarea 23-1 to 23-3 (Alberni Inlet); and
8. Subareas 28-1 to 28-5 (Howe Sound)

These 3-month winter closures are in place to allow the prawn spawning period
to complete. These areas will re-open on April 1, 2015.

Recreational Prawn and Shrimp by Trap fishers are also advised that the harvest
of prawns and shrimp by trap, ring net, or spear while diving, will
continue “pulse fishing” in Subareas 17-5 and 17-6 (portion Stuart Channel).

Subareas 17-5 and 17-6 will be closed for the following periods:

- from 00;01 hours December 1, 2014 until 23:59 hours December 15, 2014;
- from 00:01 hours January 1, 2015 until 23:59 hours January 15, 2015;
- from 00:01 hours February 1, 2015 until 23:59 hours February 15, 2015; and
- from 00:01 hours March 1, 2015 until 23:59 hours March 15, 2015.

Subareas 17-5 and 17-6 open 00:01 hours March 16, 2015 until further notice.

Recreational prawn fishing in all other coastal areas remains open until
further notice.

Variation Order No. 2014-535. Variation Order No. 2014–361 is revoked.

These actions are in accordance with the Recreational Harvest Plan, Appendix 2
of the 2014-15 Prawn and Shrimp by Trap Integrated Fishery Management Plan.

Refer to the 2013 to 2015 B.C. Tidal Waters Sport Fishing Guide for further
information on daily bag, possession and trap limits.

 

[leftcoast]

I guess I should consider selling my traps and puller

 

[gamechanger]

or fish in an area that's open, there's lots to choose from. The closures go into effect to protect spawners, if abundances are low.

 

[Fish Assassin]

Then close the comerial prawning in those areas..... But closing them and opening them days before the commercial opening is total BS

 

[Fish Assassin]

Natives won't stop fishing them
Commerials get a closure till the start of thier season
Rec. guys get screwed

Who in whos pockets??? Absolute joke

Who and how many people actually represented the rec. fishermen in this decision? Who actually got to speak? Was there good representation for the sports fishermen. Its not like this all got hammered out in Fridays meeting, it was already in writing before hand I am sure.

 

[ryanb]

They call the pawn fishery sustainable. I guess it is if they knock the rec catch down to zero. Any area where a Rec closure happens should be closed to commercial prawning.

 

[spring fever]

They call the pawn fishery sustainable. I guess it is if they knock the rec catch down to zero. Any area where a Rec closure happens should be closed to commercial prawning.

Absolutely -if it can't handle a Rec fishery then it sure as hell can't handle a commercial one- not even logical!!!

 

[JuandeOne]

Hambone has it right. The closure is to protect spawners which is good for everyone interested in fishing. The fact that commercial season starts in the spring is likely tied to this historically. As for the commercial/recreational debate it is like all other fisheries nowadays. Each wishing the other would **** off.

http://www.dfo-mpo.gc.ca/Library/347657.pdf

 

[leftcoast]

or fish in an area that's open, there's lots to choose from. The closures go into effect to protect spawners, if abundances are low.

Nothing open close to me cost me more in gas and time then it's worth. I will just continue to do my annual trip in early May and load up.

 

[getbent]

Hey FA, want to buy that puller back???...WTF!!!!

Leaves me shaking my head yet again....

 

[Fish Assassin]

Maybe the DFO will have a buy back program and we can sell everything to them

 

[gamechanger]

Then close the comerial prawning in those areas..... But closing them and opening them days before the commercial opening is total BS

Winter closures go into effect to protect spawners if abundances are low. Lots of things contribute to the number of spawners found in the fall surveys. Yes one of them is commercial fishing in May-June. But don't forget the impacts of recreational fishing from April till fall, FN fisheries during the same period, illegal fishing during the same period (all sectors) and of course the most important of all - Mother nature.

Last year commercial was open for 40 days. Rec was open for 9/12 months in high use areas (closed for winter closures), and outside high use areas is open all year the season is basically open year round. Is that unfair access? If your area is closed can you find somewhere else to fish?

Its unrealistic to expect that the recreational fishery should be open all the time in every area. In lots of other fisheries we protect spawners during the spawning period, (lingcod, rockfish, halibut, all female crabs, etc...) so why would protecting prawns during their spawning period if abundances are low be unacceptable to people?

 

[gamechanger]

16-1 is open for the first time in a while, there's something unexpected.

 

[Cuba Libre]

Gamechanger You didnt even look at the idea of differential spawner indices ... The prawns (after conservation, belong (in priority) to First Nations, recreational and THEN to the few commercial fishers who take the lions share to ship offshore for personal profit. So how is it fair ???? They are a NATIONAL resource and to give in to the guys that profit financially without even properly investigating the lower spawner index so that recs have a fair chance is not right. I see a fight just like the halibut issue coming up again----- Just wondering how soon DFO bends over to the commercial crab sector????? That is the next elephant in the room



And maybe you can explain this statement of yours... "But don't forget the impacts of recreational fishing from April till fall," What are they specifically??????? I dont think DFO has any idea....

 

[ryanb]

I think everyone is open to closures for conservation. But to close prawns for three months because of low abundance then open it to heavy commercial fishing shortly thereafter makes zero sense. If abundance is low, close it to all sectors, not just the rec guys.

 

[gamechanger]

The prawns the winter closures protect in the Jan-March period spawn and die before the commercial fishery opens in May . They are gone by the time it opens, and that's essentially why it's delayed until then.

 

[gamechanger]

I think everyone is open to closures for conservation. But to close prawns for three months because of low abundance then open it to heavy commercial fishing shortly thereafter makes zero sense. If abundance is low, close it to all sectors, not just the rec guys.

The commercial guys are closed in the winter don't forget