2019 Halibut Fishery

Ive got my crew ready and been slowly prepping the boat this week, the tides look good bit lets hope for some calm winds and sea
 
FN0158-Recreational - Fin Fish (Other than Salmon) - Halibut: 2019 Fishery Opening March 1, 2019 and Management Measures in Effect Until March 31, 2019

Ops Centre Fishery PAC / Centre des peches du Pacifique (DFO/MPO) <DFO.OpsCentreFisheryPacific-CentreOpsPechePacifique.MPO@canada.ca>
11:31 AM

Category(s):
RECREATIONAL - Fin Fish (Other than Salmon)

Fishery Notice - Fisheries and Oceans Canada

Subject: FN0158-Recreational - Fin Fish (Other than Salmon) - Halibut: 2019 Fishery Opening March 1, 2019 and Management Measures in Effect Until March 31, 2019

For 2019, the recreational fishery allocation is 890,013 pounds.
The following measures will be in effect as noted below.

Further updates on the fishing regulations for April 1, 2019 will be provided
later in March 2019.

Coast-wide:

Open time:
Effective at 00:01 hours March 1, 2019 fishing for halibut will be opened coast-
wide until further notice.

Licensing:
The 2018/2019 Tidal Waters Sport Fishing Licences and Conditions of Licence,
remain in effect until 23:59 hours March 31, 2019.

Limits and sizes:
Effective March 1, 2019 until further notice:
-The maximum length for halibut is 115 cm.
-The daily limit for halibut is one (1).
-The possession limit for halibut is two (2), only one (1) of which may be over
83 cm in length.
-The annual limit is six (6) halibut per licence holder, as set out on the
2018/2019 Tidal Waters Sport Fishing Licence.
-All halibut retained by the licence holder shall be immediately recorded on
the 2018/2019 Tidal Waters Sport Fishing Licence. The area from which each
halibut is caught and its length (head-on) shall immediately be recorded on the
licence.

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: 2019-RCT-079 (Close Time) and 2019-RFQ-080 (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

FOR MORE INFORMATION:
Contacts: Brad Beaith (South Coast) – (250)756-7190, Darren Chow (North Coast) –
(250)627-3441, Jason Knight (250) 850-9370
 
Holy crap. It’s not feb 28th at 4:29 yet.
Early announcement. Nice work DFO

Time to dust off the anchor!
 
If I was to launch from crescent beach (my house), where would the closest halibut spot be? Constance bank a little far. I've caught Hali in the straight by Roberts Creek but looking for other areas. Not asking for a honey hole just some ideas. Thx guys
 
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I think it’s gonna be a traffic jam tomorrow. Good luck y’all.
It’s my first time ever halibut fishing. I won’t sleep tonight!
 
Looks like wind may become an issue in Haro Strait!
 
Can’t wait to see the pics of some of the catches,, go get em and have fun boys most importantly stay safe don’t take risks just for some fish meat, live to play another day.

I’ll just live vicariously through you guys for this spring season.
 
Seems like Trev has a different boat everytime I go with him, lol. Always my top recommend for a guide. Hopefully better biomass around this spring, last year was brutal.
 
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