Prawn Limit Decreased to 125 April 1st 2020

Another shot at the recreational fishing sector. No changes to commercial prawning sector of course. I have no issues with management and conservation of our resources but find it difficult to swallow when decisions are made in the name of conservation but make very little impact. Why target the recreational guy who goes out a handful of times from Dec to March each year? If conservation was the main concern why not also target the commercial sector and limit the volume or weight that they can bring in each season? Are first nations quotas also affected? In the name of conservation if we want to make an impact let's reduce quotas for everyone and every sector.

I never get to reach my daily quota so the actual number is not what pisses me off. It's their mentality and irrational way of thinking. And quite frankly i don't like seeing our recreational fishing sector get picked on and used as a scapegoat for DFO because of their lack of effective strategies for managing these resources.
 
Understand this.

All recreational fisheries are and have been for several years under reallocation. Our representatives have done all they can to try and stem the tide but we are screwed.

Won’t be long we will be “boating” instead of running to a fishing area
 
8 round traps for sale, plus a few extra older
4 x 400’ nearly new ropes, a few 50’ extra ropes
Couple good floats
Line weights and 7 lb trap weights
Bait cups
Also ace line hauler with hands free

in Comox

offers
 
8 round traps for sale, plus a few extra older
4 x 400’ nearly new ropes, a few 50’ extra ropes
Couple good floats
Line weights and 7 lb trap weights
Bait cups
Also ace line hauler with hands free

in Comox

offers


I may join you in selling my gear. The way things are going its starting to not be worth the expense and and time involved with owning a boat and gear. Yea I know that boating and fishing was never and will never be a break even endeavor. Always easier and cheaper to go to Granville island Market to buy fish or crabs than it costs to own and maintain a boat and gear. But the recent trends in DFO cutting recreational opportunities is making me 2nd guess whether it makes sense to continue owning a boat and the crap load of money we all spend on gear, fuel, expenses, and the time involved. May be smarter and more enjoyable to pack things up and spend the money to go on a charter a few times a year. Show up at the dock and have no obligations before and after. May not be the case for everyone but this is how things are looking at least for me.
 
I may join you in selling my gear. The way things are going its starting to not be worth the expense and and time involved with owning a boat and gear. Yea I know that boating and fishing was never and will never be a break even endeavor. Always easier and cheaper to go to Granville island Market to buy fish or crabs than it costs to own and maintain a boat and gear. But the recent trends in DFO cutting recreational opportunities is making me 2nd guess whether it makes sense to continue owning a boat and the crap load of money we all spend on gear, fuel, expenses, and the time involved. May be smarter and more enjoyable to pack things up and spend the money to go on a charter a few times a year. Show up at the dock and have no obligations before and after. May not be the case for everyone but this is how things are looking at least for me.

Sorry to hear you feel that way and I do understand.
Personally, I have fished for over 50 years and it has always been the pleasure of being on the water with friends and meeting the challenge.
Never about how many or how large a catch you can put into the boat to justify the cost.
I know some will find the investment not worthwhile and will simply go and buy their seafood at the market and save a ton of money, but they will miss the pleasures so many of us will continue to find on the water taking home our few Halibut, Prawns, Crab and Salmon for our efforts and pleasure, not to save money for sure!!!
 
8 round traps for sale, plus a few extra older
4 x 400’ nearly new ropes, a few 50’ extra ropes
Couple good floats
Line weights and 7 lb trap weights
Bait cups
Also ace line hauler with hands free

in Comox

offers

8 round traps for sale, plus a few extra older
4 x 400’ nearly new ropes, a few 50’ extra ropes
Couple good floats
Line weights and 7 lb trap weights
Bait cups
Also ace line hauler with hands free

in Comox

offers
Please msg me
 
8 round traps for sale, plus a few extra older
4 x 400’ nearly new ropes, a few 50’ extra ropes
Couple good floats
Line weights and 7 lb trap weights
Bait cups
Also ace line hauler with hands free

in Comox

offers
Pics please...especially of the line hauler
 
Sorry to hear you feel that way and I do understand.
Personally, I have fished for over 50 years and it has always been the pleasure of being on the water with friends and meeting the challenge.
Never about how many or how large a catch you can put into the boat to justify the cost.
I know some will find the investment not worthwhile and will simply go and buy their seafood at the market and save a ton of money, but they will miss the pleasures so many of us will continue to find on the water taking home our few Halibut, Prawns, Crab and Salmon for our efforts and pleasure, not to save money for sure!!!

As I indicated and as all of us are well aware, it isn't about the money nor about how many prawns, crab or salmon we get to take home. Hell if that was the case no one would ever own a boat. I guess what it comes down to is major frustration at the people who are paid good money and have the responsibility to take care of our resources but who aren't. It gets old and it's not a good feeling to be the scape goat for DFO. Reduce our quotas and nonretention when the Science doesn't say it's needed in all areas for chinook. Not doing anything about other sectors like commercial, issues with overpopulation of Harbour seals and seal lions, their only measure for conservation is to cut quotas and enforce closures. What about habitat restoration? What about more enforcement of regulations... We hear of recreational boats that have hundreds of bottom fish onboard... And not to mention some times commercial boats have been caught in major contravention of rules and quotas.. More enforcement can go a long ways towards conservation.

Once again it's not the quotas per say that bother me.. It's just the frustration that our recreational sector bears the brunt of the weight in the name of conservation where the measures they impose have little to almost no impact on the entire population of Chinook, prawns etc... It's tiring being kicked around time and time again. Also, the measures taken last year with the nonretention and 1 limit in Aug likely did not make any impact. As with the Chinook commercial fishery, the prawn commercial fishery exports a large percentage of their catch overseas. So while we pay taxes and live in province, our right to enjoy the bounty of the seas in our own back yards is last priority.

Perhaps this crummy weather and winds and not too many opportunities to get on the water in past few weeks combined with today's news is making me see the Glass half full. While this may not be the straw that breaks the camels back, I know at least for me, there is a point where it doesn't make sense to continue with this passion and pastime that I've enjoys for a while now. At least in the form of owning my boat and gear.
 
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Some people live on a pretty tight budget, Ocean harvesting is an expensive endeavor for the recreational boater. If people have to spend more or groceries then less money to go out boating and fishing. Simple as that

I save a lot of money in the winter eating what i have harvested in the summer. 125 pawns is still a good figure and I doubt that cutting it to 125 is going to save much from the overall recreational harvest.

You would probably have to cut it to below 50 before you would see a big reduction. I think most people understand that and they see a move down to 125 as the first step to it being lowered again. ITs not necessarily the figure but the overall direction things are going and fast.
 
It’s the 2 day possession limit that’s the real kick in the teeth for the folks who rely on out out of towners for their livelihood. My little group won’t likely be doing our annual 3 night boys trip to Tahsis this spring. Just not worth it for 250 prawns. Bit of early season revenue loss for Westview. 125/day 3day possession might salvage our trip.
 
So these two lines:

Starting April 1, 2020, the daily recreational limit for all Shrimps, including Prawn, will be reduced to 125 (aggregate limit). This applies coast wide.
The combined possession limit for all Shrimps including Prawn, will remain at 2 times the daily limit, which is 250 (aggregate limit).

These are for each individual, not for the boat? When I read @bigbruce 's post

It’s the 2 day possession limit that’s the real kick in the teeth for the folks who rely on out out of towners for their livelihood. My little group won’t likely be doing our annual 3 night boys trip to Tahsis this spring. Just not worth it for 250 prawns. Bit of early season revenue loss for Westview. 125/day 3day possession might salvage our trip.

I take it that for all three guys they can only retain 250 prawns total for their trip not 750 or three two day possessions?
 
It’s the 2 day possession limit that’s the real kick in the teeth for the folks who rely on out out of towners for their livelihood. My little group won’t likely be doing our annual 3 night boys trip to Tahsis this spring. Just not worth it for 250 prawns. Bit of early season revenue loss for Westview. 125/day 3day possession might salvage our trip.

Is the sole purpose of your trip prawns?

Tahsis is a bit of a haul even for a 200/400 limit
 
Reading this thread, I see some pretty true and alarming statements.
This is reallocation to commercial fishing (FN and /or traditional commercial sector makes no difference) and nothing more. I think it is important that we remember prawn management is not done based on quota alone or at all I believe?
It is measured by spawner index of commercial catch and contracted off season test sets. As long as the minimum number of egg barring prawns are observed in traps being hauled then harvest continues in that area. Once that is a no longer the case, that area closes and a very mobile fleet simply runs to the next area to fish it to the minimum.

If we look back to the original notice of impending reductions from a year ago, we see in the wording that the commercial prawn harvest is one of the most lucrative. They have had a more difficult time achieving the numbers of past catches. ( not a direct quote, but it was in there in some form ). No **** it is harder. The fleet increased in size by something like roughly 300% in a relatively short amount of time. Also they have become very mobile. Many are able to continue fishing long after they have dried up their traditional areas by simply moving to the next.

To me what is alarming is that despite strong efforts by sfab to get DFO to look at the effectiveness or ineffectiveness of the current model for indexing the biomass , along with other suggestions, DFO has taken the easy way out yet again. 200 or 125 , may not seem that significant on its own.
To put it in perspective as I see it. Regardless of the rec sector getting 200,125 or none at all, the commercial sectors will fish the biomass to the minimum so long as it is marketable. It just means more for some and less for others, doing nothing to contribute to conservation of the resource.
It is by my way of looking, the cumulative affect of all these never ending cuts in the name of reallocation being passed off as conservation measures ( clearly in the denial or ignorance to contradicting science ) that will be most costly to everyone, fish included.

This may be my last year as well. For all of it. It is getting harder each year to enjoy when at every turn we are being judged and persecuted for doing what we love.
The writing has been on the wall for years. We are just seeing it speed up exponentially now. Unless there is a monumental change in how government treats the resource and those who depend on it, we all will be off the water regardless of sector. We just happen to be easiest so therefore first.

Those trying to see it be otherwise will always have my admiration and respect for the work you do.
 
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