Chinook Regulation Changes

[yammy5]

Category(s):
RECREATIONAL - Salmon

Fishery Notice - Fisheries and Oceans Canada

Subject: FN0131-Early timed Fraser Chinook: Areas 19 and 20, 29 and Region 2 - Recreational Management Actions

Spawning escapements of early timed Fraser Chinook have declined to very low levels and the Department is implementing additional measures to reduce harvest impacts. Additional management measures are required for commercial, recreational and First Nation fisheries to halt the decline of early timed Chinook.

Effective 00:01 hrs Tues, March 11 until 23:59 hrs Thurs, May 15, in Subareas 19-1 to 19-4 and Subarea 20-5 (those waters near Victoria between Cadboro Pt to Sheringham Pt) the daily limit is two (2) wild or hatchery marked chinook salmon per day between 45 cm and 67 cm in length. An option to retain hatchery marked chinook greater than 67 cm is still under consideration.

Effective 00:01 hrs Tues, April 1 until 23:59 hrs Fri, May 30 in Subareas 29-6, 29-7, 29-9 and 29-10 the daily limit is zero (0) chinook salmon.

Subareas 29-11 to 29-17 and Region 2 are currently no fishing for salmon. Effective 00:01 hrs Thurs, May 1 until 23:59 hrs Sun, June 15, the daily limit is zero (0) chinook salmon.

 

[chris73]

Yeah, I saw that one coming. At least it seems to apply to all sectors.

 

[scott craven]

So i guess any Spring over 8 lbs has to be released.
Say good bye to those nice teener's we often get in the early
part of the season.
There will be lots of fish netted measured and thrown back half dead.
[xx(]

 

[Tailspin]

Most of my winter fish were over 67cm this season, no seriously!

 

[Last Chance]

Yeah, I think "fillet and release" is going to become a problem

 

[Heff]

quote:An option to retain hatchery marked chinook greater than 67 cm is still under consideration.

Sifting through fish looking for small ones, great What happened to retention of fin clipped over 67cm?? There are oodles of hatchery fish at the moment, this one kills me the most...

 

[OldBlackDog]

Bet you are glad you are not a guide on the Fraser.

 

[Rum Buddies]

quote:There will be lots of fish netted measured and thrown back half dead.

This is the problem, just close the whole damn thing. Any big spring thats played out and netted is a as good as dead. I sure haven't seen any release nets out on the water.

 

[Mortician]

quote:Originally posted by OldBlackDog

Bet you are glad you are not a guide on the Fraser.

There's a whole lot of Fraser guides freaking out right now.

With reference to this restriction in 29 I say this is a great frickin' regulation and they are to be applauded.

As for the Fraser guides, get your a$$ out of the River and out off the mouth and find out what it's like to find 'em out there. They closed the most productive areas in the salt. However, in my opinion they should have closed the Fraser River banana and gone back to old school.

Flossing and finding springs in 1/2 mile section of River is like taking a smelt net and fishing in a goldfish tank.

There's still a few big ones to be caught between now and then.

As for other guys earning a hard living fishing, don't get mad at me, get mad at DFO for mismanaging the resource. Get mad at the Feds for selling a public resource to the Natives.

As for those defending the Natives, you obviously haven't been to the river to see what's going on at night and when the general public aren't around.

 

[scott craven]

quote:Originally posted by LastChance

Yeah, I think "fillet and release" is going to become a problem

I'll bet it will happen more often than you think [}]

 

[Mornin Chubby]

So we have to ecounter alot more fish looking for the proper size for the leagal limit. The more you encounter the more die.[xx(]

 

[OldBlackDog]

There's a whole lot of Fraser guides freaking out right now.

One would wonder why, as this has been coming for a number of years.

As an intricate part of their business, they should have known.

 

[farny]

Where are the areas that are0 retention,lets be honest how many pounds of fish do people actually need if you put 40 punds of salmon in the freezer thats a lot,far to many peaple have kept to many fish for to long I think ,I honestly have no problem letting them go I have let go hundreds of steelhead over the years

 

[Brisco]

Are we going to see a bunch of guys in jet boats casting 20 foot leaders at the Cap mouth ?

 

[OldBlackDog]

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Ceremonial Opening Times between 01/01/2008 and 9/3/2008 Mar 9 2008 16:00

Wk Ending First Nations Groups Area Length Open
Time/Date Closed
Time/Date Target
Species Gear
Feb 24 Squiala First Nation Sumas River to Agassiz 3 days 18:00
Tuesday
Feb 19 18:00
Friday
Feb 22 Chinook set net
Mar 09 Cheam First Nation Jone's Hill to Jesperson's 7 hrs 12:00
Thursday
Mar 06 19:00
Thursday
Mar 06 Chinook drift net
Mar 09 Cheam First Nation Jone's Hill to Jesperson's 12 hrs 07:00
Friday
Mar 07 19:00
Friday
Mar 07 Chinook drift net
Mar 09 Cheam First Nation Jone's Hill to Jesperson's 12 hrs 07:00
Saturday
Mar 08 19:00
Saturday
Mar 08 Chinook drift net
Notes:* Drift net fisheries occurring between June 26, 2007 and July 26, 2007 are restricted to the use of 8" mesh nets with a 3:1 hang ratio.
Printed from the Fishery Operations System on Mar 9 2008 at 16:00

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[Gerry]

I think that these new regulations will actually contribute to more salmon being wasted UNLESS people stop fishing for salmon in the areas mentioned until the size limit is removed. I was out yesterday off the waterfront. Fishing was great, in three hours I took home a 55 cm spring and a 72 cm spring. Come tomorrow I would've had to have released the larger one. I was trying to judge it yesterday, there is no way that you can determine accurately with a fish that size whether it is over 67 cm or not until you net it, and measure it. By the time I got it into the boat I would've felt pretty bad about releasing it as I don't think that there is anyway it would've survived. For me if I want to fish salmon after tomorrow I will just go to Sidney. Or just not fish salmon at all until June.

 

[scott craven]

I agree, they should have made it legal to keep 67cm or larger
and let the small ones go.
Total waste releasing the larger fish to die or become seal food.
[V]

 

[Deewar25]

Can't argue that Gerry...while it's obviously a tough spot for the guides out there and that's a different story as they have clients they need to entertain, I hope that regular joe blow will just do the stocks a favor and not fish at all until the size restriction is lifted. This is exactly the problem with this size limit thing...way too much handling just to verify things, and it's really not doing anyone a favor to let a marginal 8 or 9 pounder go after being netted and abused just to see if it squeeked under the wire. While it sucks, I hope people just take up golf for a few months instead.

 

[chris73]

Yup. Will be lake fishing until June. No interest in specifically targeting small fish...

 

[Tips Up]

quote:An option to retain hatchery marked chinook greater than 67 cm is still under consideration.

What's to concider? If it is about the Fraser then keep hatchery fish open.
Hopefully they will ammend this soon.

Till then... Hali, prawns and maybe some new areas to be checked out.

Tips