Vancouver Harbour Regs -Hook/Pt Atkinson/Port closure

[Peahead]

Yes you can troll for salmon in the glass sponge reef areas but you must not make contact with the bottom when doing so. Bottom fishing is not permitted in glass sponge reef closure areas as well as no prawning/crabbing permitted. If a glass sponge reef closure overlaps into an RCA such as at the Queen Charlotte Channel/Passage Island sponge closure then you would have to apply the rules for both closure areas ( no fishing AND no prawning/crabbing) . Anchoring was something DFO didn't mention and that would obviously involve bottom contact. As it turned out it seemed that DFO couldn't impose (or enforce) a no anchoring reg simply because it is not considered "a fishing activity" on its own (even though it would damage marine life/ sponges)

The protection of coral and glass sponge reefs is one of the international commitments made by Canada with the United Nations Code of Conduct for Responsible Fisheries.


http://notices.dfo-mpo.gc.ca/fns-sap/index-eng.cfm?pg=view_notice&DOC_ID=171625&ID=all

While this Fishery Notice doesn't list "Recreational Ground/Bottomfish" in the title it does mention it with the closure maps and may have been added in a amendment. Aleria Ledwig mentioned that as long as Salmon fishing doesn't make bottom contact in the sponge areas it was not a concern to them.

 

[ryanb]

I get the part about the traps damaging the reefs. Most of these closures don't actually overlap RCA's. So, I'm trying to find out what the DFO is intending with fishing in these areas. Are they full fishing closures, or just ground fish closures. The wording isn't very clear on what the restrictions mean for trolling for Salmon in these areas. One of the closures is just outside the Sandheads. The Sandheads is one of our most heavily trolled areas.

No ground contact, what is so hard to understand about that?

Trolling is fine (unless it overlaps a rca such as the Queen Charlotte Channel closure) , just don't bounce the bottom or drop jigs to the bottom!

 

[TheBigGuy]

Yes you can troll for salmon in the glass sponge reef areas but you must not make contact with the bottom when doing so. Bottom fishing is not permitted in glass sponge reef closure areas as well as no prawning/crabbing permitted. If a glass sponge reef closure overlaps into an RCA such as at the Queen Charlotte Channel/Passage Island sponge closure then you would have to apply the rules for both closure areas ( no fishing AND no prawning/crabbing) . Anchoring was something DFO didn't mention and that would obviously involve bottom contact. As it turned out it seemed that DFO couldn't impose (or enforce) a no anchoring reg simply because it is not considered "a fishing activity" on its own (even though it would damage marine life/ sponges)

The protection of coral and glass sponge reefs is one of the international commitments made by Canada with the United Nations Code of Conduct for Responsible Fisheries.


http://notices.dfo-mpo.gc.ca/fns-sap/index-eng.cfm?pg=view_notice&DOC_ID=171625&ID=all

While this Fishery Notice doesn't list "Recreational Ground/Bottomfish" in the title it does mention it with the closure maps and may have been added in a amendment. Aleria Ledwig mentioned that as long as Salmon fishing doesn't make bottom contact in the sponge areas it was not a concern to them.


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Thank you again for the clarification Peahead.

It wouldn't need clarification if the DFO was a little more concise about there definitions regarding these areas IMO Ryan.

Glad that clears that up

 

[billygoat812]

Thank you again for the clarification Peahead.

It wouldn't need clarification if the DFO was a little more concise about there definitions regarding these areas IMO Ryan.

Glad that clears that up

 

[billygoat812]

DOH!
just wanted to thank all you fellas who hash out and simplify the regs for the rest of us,and maybe asking the "dumb question many others also wonder about.
also a dozen years ago the nitnat hatchery put net pens at the head of the lake(13 miles)from the mouth of the river.the results were awesome the fish schooled in the lake creating a fishery in that area and according to hatchery management they felt these schools were cycling out over the bar and picking up smaller groups.unfortunately the funding ran out and the pens were put back near the ramp,soon after we fished a day on the chuck got skunked came back to the ramp and watched chrome springs jumping around the pens there……from what i saw the fish definitely adjusted and then back again,would love to see them in cowichan bay for springs and coho the pink trial by a local club appears successful,
goodluck to peahead and all the capilano hatchery staff and volunteers

 

[Peahead]

Thx BG812 , hopefully more returning Chinook will stage further west in the harbour and provide good fishing without having to be always working that cap/ambleside closure line.

Here's another more recent thread started on the cap mouth closure area

http://www.sportfishingbc.com/forum/index.php?threads/cap-mouth-closure-port-authority.64303/

- it looks like this fall Port Authority may enforce those larger cap area boundaries more regularly and precisely. - I suspect since there is still the fishing area out of the shipping channel (closer into ambleside) open for fishing/sailing rowing etc ( see map in that thread) that in practice the enforcement will be to make sure fishers (and sailboats, rowboats jetskis etc) who fish east of Navvy Jack Pt just keep in close and are not getting too far out into the channel ( as the map's boundary line is displayed). Quite frankly I don't see a ton of difference as you never were supposed to go out into the shipping channel off Ambleside or JLawson anyway. I think how precisely that Navvy Jack to cap light line is enforced and how well people stay well clear when traffic is approaching will determine how this all works in practice.

 

[TheBigGuy]

What is the deal with commercial crab traps out at night. Aren't they subject to the same night time closure as the sports guys in the harbour. **** me off, I thought I was way clear of a commercial trap just before dark trolling back just before dark. Hooked it and lost my ball and all the rest of my stuff attached as I couldn't get it free. Do they not have to obey they same night time bans. I passed several other sport traps on the way in when it was dark. The coast guard needs to start pulling these illegal traps and get them out of the harbour. They are a hazard to navigation and should be disposed of. I pulled up along side the coast guard cutter anchored in the harbour to complain, but I guess it was dinner time as I couldn't attract there attention. Figured it wasn't worth hailing them, and let them be. Quite the **** off as they've got no business being out at night.

 

[bones]

Question, might fish the cap this weekend. Was wondering, if I moved into this port closure and was fishing. What ticket would I receive from ports Canada? Did dfo actually close tho area? Just going though the fish notices and I don't really see anything. I'm confused

 

[Capilano]

Question, might fish the cap this weekend. Was wondering, if I moved into this port closure and was fishing. What ticket would I receive from ports Canada? Did dfo actually close tho area? Just going though the fish notices and I don't really see anything. I'm confused

When I was there a few days ago, the Port Authority boat was actively approaching fishing boats and making them move out of the restricted area. Did not see any tickets handed out but I am sure that for repeat offenders, there would be other action taken.

 

[TheBigGuy]

From what I've gathered from various reads, I'm assuming it would be a violation of the ports shipping regulations (not a violation of the posted fishing regs). But what do I know, I think even a lawyer would have a hard time deciphering all our convoluted regs on the water.