FN0156-RECREATIONAL - Fin Fish (Other than Salmon) - Halibut - Fishery Opening March 1, 2020
For 2020, the recreational halibut fishery allocation is 877,750 pounds.
The following measures will be in effect coast-wide as noted below:
Open time:
Effective at 00:01 hours March 1, 2020 fishing for halibut will be opened coast-
wide until further notice.
Licensing:
The 2019/2020 Tidal Waters Sport Fishing Licences and Conditions of Licence,
are in effect until March 31, 2020. The 2020/2021 Tidal Waters Sport Fishing
Licences and Conditions of Licence are in effect on April 1, 2020 until March
31, 2021.
Limits and sizes:
Effective March 1, 2020 until further notice:
- The maximum length for halibut is 126 cm (97 cm head-off).
- The daily limit for halibut is one (1).
- The possession limit for halibut is either of:
---- one (1) halibut measuring 90 cm to 126 cm in length (69 cm to 97 cm head-
off), OR
---- two (2) halibut, each measuring under 90 cm in length (69 cm head-off).
- The annual limit is six (6) halibut per licence holder per licence year, as
set out on the 2019/2020 & 2020/21 Tidal Waters Sport Fishing Licence.
- All halibut retained by the licence holder between March 1, 2020 and March
31, 2020 shall be immediately recorded in ink on the 2019/2020 Tidal Waters
Sport Fishing Licence. The area from which each halibut is caught and its head-
on length shall immediately be recorded on the licence.
- All halibut retained by the licence holder between April 1, 2020 and March
31, 2021 shall be immediately recorded in ink on the 2020/2021 Tidal Waters
Sport Fishing Licence. The area from which each halibut is caught and its head-
on length shall immediately be recorded on the licence.
- Head-off measurements are made from the base of the pectoral fin at its most
forward point to the extreme end of the middle of the tail.
The exceptions to these openings are:
Areas 121:
No person shall fish for or retain halibut, rockfish and lingcod in Area 121
outside the 12 nautical mile limit seaward of a line that begins at 48 degrees
34.000 minutes and 125 degrees 17.386 minutes W and continues south easterly at
a bearing of 116 degrees True to a point at 48 degrees 28.327 minutes and 125
degrees 01.687 minutes W.
Area 121:
Closed to all finfish, year round in the waters of Swiftsure Bank, inside a
line from 48 degrees 34.00 minutes N and 125 degrees 06.00 minutes W, thence to
48 degrees 34.00 minutes N and 124 degrees 54.20 minutes W, thence to 48
degrees 29.62 minutes N and 124 degrees 43.40 minutes W, thence following the
International Boundary between Canada and the U.S. to 48 degrees 29.55 minutes
N and 124 degrees 56.20 minutes W, thence in a straight line to the point of
commencement.
Variation Orders 2020-RCT-062 (Close Time) and 2020-RFQ-63 (Quota)
Non-residents of Canada wishing to fish for and retain halibut in Management
Areas 121, 23 and 123 must purchase an electronic licence through a Canadian
Independent Access Provider (IAP). Find an IAP location from our web page:
http://www.pac.dfo-mpo.gc.ca/fm-gp/rec/licence-permis/iap-fai-eng.html
Note: Rockfish Conservation Area (RCA) and Glass Sponge Reef (GSR) closures
remain in effect - refer to the following web pages for descriptions:
1)RCAs-
http://www.pac.dfo-mpo.gc.ca/fm-gp/rec/restricted-restreint-
eng.html#rca
2)GSRs-
http://www.pac.dfo-mpo.gc.ca/fm-gp/rec/restricted-restreint-
eng.html#sponge
Anglers are reminded of the mandatory condition of licence for the release of
rockfish; all anglers in vessels shall immediately return all rockfish that are
not being retained to the water and to a similar depth from which they were
caught by use of an inverted weighted barbless hook or other purpose-built
descender device.
