New Lingcod Limits for Outside Ling

searun

Well-Known Member
The new outside lingcod limits have been improved - increase from 2 to 3 daily. Possession limit is twice daily limit. This decision following a good discussion between SFAB and DFO. Stocks are healthy, and YE populations are assessed as improving. The main reason for lowering Lingcod limits in the first instance was related to concerns the Lingcod fishery could be responsible for incidental encounters of YE. Data examined over time indicated there was not a linkage between Lingcod and YE encounters, and with improving YE assessments it was possible to re-visit the Lingcod limits. Not quite enough improvement on YE to have a retention fishery yet. Good news is we have improved opportunity for Lingcod in Outside waters of WCVI and North Coast.

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


Fishery Notice - Fisheries and Oceans Canada

Subject: FN0295-RECREATIONAL - Fin Fish (Other than Salmon) - Rockfish and Lingcod: Coast-wide Management Measures - Daily Limits and Close Times - In Effect April 1, 2021 (Outside Waters) and May 1, 2021 (Inside Waters)

Effective April 1, 2021 and May 1, 2021, the following recreational daily limits and closure 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:
- Daily limit: Rockfish, all species combined - three (3), only one (1) of
- which may be a China rockfish, a Tiger rockfish, or a Quillback rockfish.
- Zero (0) retention for Yelloweye rockfish and Bocaccio rockfish
- Daily limit: Lingcod - three (3)
- Open time: April 1, 2021 to November 15, 2021
- Close time: November 16, 2021 to March 31, 2022

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:
- Daily limit: Rockfish, all species combined - three (3), only one (1) of
- which may be a China rockfish, a Tiger rockfish, or a Quillback rockfish.
- Zero (0) retention for Yelloweye rockfish and Bocaccio rockfish
- Daily limit: Lingcod - three (3) – minimum length 65 cm
- Open time: April 1, 2021 to November 15, 2021
- Close time: November 16, 2021 to March 31, 2022

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 limit: Rockfish, all species combined - one (1)
- Zero (0) retention for Yelloweye rockfish and Bocaccio rockfish
- Daily Limit: Lingcod - one (1) – minimum length 65 cm
- Lingcod Annual Limit – ten (10)
- Open time: May 1, 2021 to September 30, 2021
- Close time: October 1, 2021 to April 30, 2022
Area 28 and Subareas 29-1 to 29-4 and 29-6 to 29-17 are closed for Rockfish and Lingcod April 1, 2021 to March 31, 2022 (year round).

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.

Areas 121: Closed to all finfish, year round in the waters of Swiftsure Bank. Those portions of Subareas 121-1 and 121-2 inside a line that begins at 48 degrees 34.000 minutes N and 125 degrees 06.000 minutes W, then true east to 48 degrees 34.000 minutes N and 124 degrees 54.200 minutes W, then southeasterly to the International Boundary, outer perimeter at 48 degrees 29.618 minutes N and 124 degrees 43.553 minutes W, then westerly following the International Boundary perimeter to 48 degrees 29.605 minutes N and 124 degrees 56.190 minutes W, then northwesterly to the beginning point.

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

Lingcod Catch Records: The licence holder shall record immediately and permanently on the licence all lingcod caught in Areas 12 to 19 (excluding Subarea 12-14). Or, if mobile internet access is immediately available, the licence holder may alternatively record catch immediately in their National Recreational Licensing System (NRLS) account. The licence holder’s current licence and all catch records must be available for immediate inspection upon request of a fishery officer or guardian. The licence holder’s current licence or NRLS account shall record and must include all catch records from any previous term licences held in the 2021-22 licence year.

Variation Orders 2021-RCT-140 (Close Time) and 2021-RFQ-141 (Quota)

Notes:

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.

Licensing - the 2021/2022 Tidal Waters Sport Fishing Licence and Conditions of Licence are in effect starting 00:01 hours April 1, 2021.

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:Contact: Greg Hornby (A/ Regional Recreational Fisheries Coordinator) – Greg.Hornby@dfo-mpo.gc.ca


Fisheries and Oceans Canada Operations Center - FN0295
Sent March 19, 2021 at 16:20
Visit us on the Web at http://www.pac.dfo-mpo.gc.ca

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If you have any questions, please contact us via e-mail to: DFO.OpsCentreFisheryPacific-CentreOpsPechePacifique.MPO@canada.ca
 
I’m confused. Notice says Daily limit is two, only one of which can be between 90 and 133 cm. Then it says possession limit is one between 90 and 133 cm or two under 90 cm. Think I’ll fish the Daily rather than the Possession limit. What am I missing?
 
Great news
 
yes, it was for halibut regs. I was responding to Port Eliza’s comment on Hali regs but didn’t quote him.
Only caveat, the limit is under 90cm...so 89.9 cm for the 2 halibut. BTW, the actual regulation is 1 daily under 90 cm, however we are using a regulation tool called a Variation Order to allow us to "vary" the daily limit from 1 to 2....and went to the IPHC to get agreement to allow possible use of a Variation Order to make an in-season adjustment up to 3 under 90 cm if our catch is tracking well under our available TAC. These tools help provide Canada with additional flexibility over how we structured our prior fisheries using just the Condition of License. I realize all this regulatory stuff sounds complicated - but we have been working hard with the great help of DFO to find alternatives to provide greater flexibility.

Lingcod is the same....lots of good input from DFO and willingness to find ways to examine fishery performance and identify the opportunity to adjust our regulations. Some folks are quick to criticize the Department, but don't often get to see the hard work happening behind the scenes by many DFO staff who care greatly about working with stakeholders to find ways we can shape sustainable fisheries. And yes, great SFAB volunteers who are in there looking for ways to advance our fishery sustainably.
 
Awesome i will be looking for my one over or 2 under on Sunday , Big thanks the SFAB for working tirelessly on behalf of us recreational anglers.
 
Thanks SFAB for scoring this win. There’s some hope that DFO may actually react positively to the salmon proposal too.
 
Salmon is to important to First Nations it’s completely different. At a recent SFAB meeting I ask what the Fraser sockeye FSC needs were that needed to be met before they would give more chinook to the rec sector. They said it was about a million sockeye for just Fraser First Nations.
 
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