Rockfish

[wildmanyeah]

Interesting that no one has brought up the new regs for the coming year.



Fishery Notice
Category(s):
RECREATIONAL - Fin Fish (Other than Salmon)
Subject:
FN0311-RECREATIONAL - Fin Fish (Other than Salmon)- Rockfish and Lingcod: Coast-wide Management Measures - Daily Limits and Close Times - In effect starting April 1, 2019 (Outside Waters) and May 1, 2019 (Inside Waters)



Effective April 1, 2019 and May 1, 2019, the following recreational daily
limits and close times apply to Rockfish and Lingcod in North and South Coast
waters as described. These management measures are required to reduce fishing
impacts on rockfish in general and identified species of rockfish.

Possession Limits are twice the Daily Limits for Rockfish and Lingcod as
described below.

OUTSIDE WATERS:

North Coast - Areas 1 to 10, 101 to 110, 130, 142 - AND - South Coast (Outside
waters) - Areas 11, 21 to 27, 111, 123 to 127, Subareas 12-14 and 20-1 to 20-4,
and Area 121 (excluding that portion outside the 12 nautical mile limit seaward
of a line that begins at 48 degrees 34.00' north latitude and 125 degrees
17.386' west longitude and continues southeasterly at a bearing of 116 degrees
True to a point at 48 degrees 28.327' north latitude and 125 degrees 01.687'
west longitude).

---Daily limits: Rockfish, all species combined - three (3), only one (1) of
---which may be a Quillback rockfish, a Tiger rockfish, or a China rockfish.
---Zero (0) retention for Yelloweye rockfish and Bocaccio rockfish
---Daily limits: Lingcod - two (2).
---Open time: April 1 to November 15
---Close time: November 16 to March 31

INSIDE WATERS:

South Coast (Inside waters) - Areas 13 to 19 and Subareas 12-1 to 12-13, 12-15
to 12-48, 20-5 to 20-7 and 29-5
---Daily limits: Rockfish, all species combined - one (1)
---Zero (0) retention for Yelloweye rockfish and Bocaccio rockfish
---Daily Limits: Lingcod - one (1)
---Open time: May 1 to September 30
---Close time: October 1 to April 30
Area 28 and Subareas 29-1 to 29-4 and 29-6 to 29-17 are closed for Rockfish and
Lingcod April 1, 2019 to March 31, 2020 (year round).

Variation Orders 2019-RCT-201 (Close Time) and 2019-RFQ-202 (Quota)


Notes:

Licensing - the 2019/2020 Tidal Waters Sport Fishing Licences and Conditions of
Licence, are in effect starting 00:01 hours April 1, 2019.

Rockfish Conservations Areas (RCA's) remain in effect - refer to the
following website for descriptions:
http://www.pac.dfo-mpo.gc.ca/fm-gp/rec/restricted-restreint/rca-acs-eng.htm.

Please review the BC Sport Fishing Guide online at
http://www.pac.dfo-mpo.gc.ca/fm-gp/rec/index-eng.html, for any other
restrictions that apply to the Area that you are fishing in, such as finfish
closures, size limits, annual limits, and permitted gear.

Did you witness suspicious fishing activity or a violation? If so, please call
the Fisheries and Ocean Canada 24-hour toll free Observe, Record, Report line
at 1-800-465-4336.

For the 24 hour recorded opening and closure line, call toll free at
1-866-431-FISH (3474).


FOR MORE INFORMATION:

Contacts: Brad Beaith (South Coast) - (250)756-7190, Darren Chow (North Coast) -
(250) 627-3441, Jason Knight (250) 850-9370.



Fisheries & Oceans Operations Center - FN0311
Sent March 29, 2019 at 1707

 

[gungadin]

any idea why Area 12-14 and area 12-16 ( Port Hardy) is not included in the coastwide non retention?

 

[searun]

Thanks for pointing out that Area 12-14 was missed. 12-16 is closed per the FN. Also, note that Area 12-14 is considered "Outside Waters" and is listed on the FN. I know this is a little confusing...inside vs outside.

South Coast (Inside waters) - Areas 13 to 19 and Subareas 12-1 to 12-13, 12-15
to 12-48, 20-5 to 20-7 and 29-5

OUTSIDE WATERS:

North Coast - Areas 1 to 10, 101 to 110, 130, 142 - AND - South Coast (Outside
waters) - Areas 11, 21 to 27, 111, 123 to 127, Subareas 12-14 and 20-1 to 20-4,
and Area 121

 

[searun]

Big changes are to close Yellow Eye for both inside and outside waters - this is in response to stock assessment concerns that the population is not responding well and that there is a conservation concern. Both commercial and recreational have been asked to scale back. We also implemented mandatory use and carry on your vessel of a descending device to release YE and rock cod unharmed. Similar concerns over rock cod populations thus the movement to reduce catch. As these are long lived critters, the feeling is we need to scale back retention.

A recreational assessment of YE stocks is something being discussed, as there are concerns there are local area abundances that are far better than other areas along the coast - in other words are there areas we can possibly permit limited retention fisheries? Time will tell if this assessment is undertaken.

 

[wildmanyeah]

Have to be damn near a marine biologist out there now

 

[SerengetiGuide]

Think there should be a big push by advisory groups and SFI etc to have lingcod limits on outside back to the old 3/6 considering that was only done in response to rockfish but now descenders are necessary.

 

[Cuba Libre]

Big changes are to close Yellow Eye for both inside and outside waters - this is in response to stock assessment concerns that the population is not responding well and that there is a conservation concern. Both commercial and recreational have been asked to scale back. We also implemented mandatory use and carry on your vessel of a descending device to release YE and rock cod unharmed. Similar concerns over rock cod populations thus the movement to reduce catch. As these are long lived critters, the feeling is we need to scale back retention.

A recreational assessment of YE stocks is something being discussed, as there are concerns there are local area abundances that are far better than other areas along the coast - in other words are there areas we can possibly permit limited retention fisheries? Time will tell if this assessment is undertaken.

We also implemented mandatory use and carry on your vessel of a descending device to release YE and rock cod unharmed WE Pat ?????? I didnt know that you worked for DFO................

 

[wildmanyeah]

We also implemented mandatory use and carry on your vessel of a descending device to release YE and rock cod unharmed WE Pat ?????? I didnt know that you worked for DFO................

I think you can give sports fishing groups the victory on making them mandatory. Although I’m not sure if they have factored into keeping anything open.

Think there should be a big push by advisory groups and SFI etc to have lingcod limits on outside back to the old 3/6 considering that was only done in response to rockfish but now descenders are necessary.

I was told by a DFO rep that it appears to them that the department is reducing public fishery in just about every aspect. Ie trying to reduce our effort coast wide

Every time my local group asks them about opening something up their response is well we are asking you to make overall reductions so why would we open up x area up.

I doubt your ling situation is any different. They have made rockfish cuts in all over, they have made ling cuts all over.

I just don’t see the attitude changing in Ottawa without a change in government.

Less is the new more and that’s what your gonna have to sell to clients

 

[searun]

We also implemented mandatory use and carry on your vessel of a descending device to release YE and rock cod unharmed WE Pat ?????? I didnt know that you worked for DFO................

The WE part is this wouldn't have happened if the SFAB hadn't pushed hard to implement it.

 

[fish4all]

Think there should be a big push by advisory groups and SFI etc to have lingcod limits on outside back to the old 3/6 considering that was only done in response to rockfish but now descenders are necessary.

Until a new yelloweye assessment and recovery strategy is done I don’t think this will happen. It’s all about the yelloweye. Unfortunately the last assessment and recovery strategy done was a disgrace. I hear rumours of a reassessment being looked at this year.

 

[richmake]

The worst part is that inside rockfish (yelloweye) was left open last year by mistake.
And since they never put an in season amendment to close it in 2018, it must of meant the current stocks must not be at risk...period!
But no...not a single new input of data on the stock assessment with regards to 2019 was available and yet they close it.
Totally makes no sense with regards to how this was managed.

 

[SpringVelocity]

The WE part is this wouldn't have happened if the SFAB hadn't pushed hard to implement it.

That's right.

 

[Rockfish]

https://www.recfin.org/resources/fishid/

As DFO stops and limits the retention of increasing numbers of Rockfish species I hope they are going to provide a lot of detailed identification information on those species including photo's. There are so many different species and a lot of similarities between them. Not to mention different color variants and age variations of the same species. My guess is that it it is getting more likely that a mistake will get made as well as the potential to get busted.

 

[ILHG]

https://www.recfin.org/resources/fishid/

As DFO stops the retention of increasing numbers of Rockfish species I hope they are going to provide a lot of detailed identification information on those species including photo's. There are so many different species and a lot of similarities between them. Not to mention different color variants and age variations of the same species. My guess is that it it is getting more likely that a mistake will get made as well as the potential to get busted.

Holy crap... The Silvergray Rockfish & Bocaccio look the same... I know there is Zero retention of Bocaccio,,,, Which should not ever be a problem as they are not the best table fair in my opinion

 

[Rockfish]

Holy crap... The Silvergray Rockfish & Bocaccio look the same... I know there is Zero retention of Bocaccio,,,, Which should not ever be a problem as they are not the best table fair in my opinion

We have restrictions or non retention on 5 Rockfish species now which means you need to be able to identify them absolutely and some of those have variants. As we know when DFO gets on the "lets restrict the public sector more" kick it usually keeps on rolling. So what will it be in 3 years?- how many additional species of Rockfish added?
There are only 5 Pacific Salmon species that are for the most part rather distinct and people still manage to mis-identify them. That list I provided is only the common species and it is still rather lengthy. My point is, as they add more, as they clearly are doing, identification is only going to become more of an issue, especially for those who don't spend their lives on the ocean and the more detailed identification info. DFO provides the better. True color Photo's including general color variants and age and sex variants are more useful to me than drawings.

 

[Cabezon1]

Perhaps putting an annual limits like they do with lingcod/Chinook might have been a better route to go. A complete ban may be the last straw. This morning, a regular fishing buddy texted me and ask if he should renew his moorage or simply put his boat up for sale. He loves his YE but has always fished within the regulations. One per day when in season. I know of a few other folks that are in similar situations. They are contemplating a) renew their annual tidal licence b) replenished their gears c) sell their boat. As DFO puts more and more restrictions on fishing, both salmon, rockfish and other species, more and more people are thinking of getting out and that will have a real economic impact on tackle stores, marina, gas stations etc.