Category(s): COMMERCIAL - Salmon: Gill Net
Subject: FN0552-COMMERCIAL - Salmon: Gill Net - Area D - Opening for Sockeye in Area 23 - Barkley Sound and lower Alberni Inlet Area 23 Gill nets open 168 hours, 14:00 hours Friday, July 8 to 14:00 hours Friday, July 15 in Subarea 23-5 and portions of Subareas 23-2, 23-3, 23-4 and 23-6, and that portion of Subarea 23-2 southerly of a line bounded by Bilton Point Light and a point 90 degrees true, due east on the opposite shore is open. Numukamis Bay, San Mateo Bay, Effingham Inlet, Rainy Bay and Uchucklesit Inlet are closed. Harvesters are requested to refrain from fishing in southern boundary areas and in Imperial Eagle Channel from 00:01 hours to 03:30 hours to avoid intercepting coho. DNA Samples will be collected from sockeye caught in Barkley Sound to determine the proportion of Henderson Lake sockeye in the catch. Variation Order No. 11-Sal-23-GN-07. Area 23 Gill nets open 98 hours, from 14:00 hours to 04:00 hours daily starting Friday, July 8 and ending 04:00 hours, Friday, July 15; in Subarea 23-2 north of a line from Bilton Point Light across to a point 90 degrees true, due east on the opposite shore and in that portion of Subarea 23- 1 bounded in the north by a line from Polly's Point light across to a boundary sign at Stamp Point on the opposite shore of Alberni Inlet. Variation Orders 11-Sal-23-GN-08, 11-Sal-23-GN-09, 11-SAL-23-GN-010, 11-Sal-23- GN-11, 11-Sal-23-GN-12, 11-Sal-23-GN-13 and 11-Sal-23-GN-14. Min. mesh size 100 mm., max. depth 90 meshes, max. hang ratio 3:1, corkline to web distance min. 0 cm, max. 2 m. Coho and steelhead may not be retained. Conventional multi-strand web or six-strand Alaska-twist web, or a combination of the two may be used. The in-season re-forecast made July 7 for Somass sockeye is 1,400,000. The target catch for the upcoming week for combined fishing areas is 90,000 sockeye. The seine test-fishing vessel Argent 1 will be operating in the area Mondays and Tuesdays. Test-set information is available on the internet at:
http://www- ops2.pac.dfo-mpo.gc.ca/xnet/content/salmon/testfish/default.htm Fishers are advised that a mandatory harvest log and catch reporting program is in place. Start and end fishing reports are required. A fishing report is required for all fishing activity even if no fish are caught. Please refer to Area D Conditions of Licence for updated information. Fisheries and Oceans Canada is interested in reports of sea turtles in BC waters. By documenting sightings we are able to learn more about how, when, and where these turtles are using our waters. If you see a sea turtle, please call this toll-free phone number: 1-866-I SAW ONE (1-866-472-9663). Please include information such as the type of sea turtle seen (i.e. leatherback), the location, and time of sighting. Environment Canada (EC) is monitoring seabird by-catch to determine potential impact on bird populations under current fishing effort and bird numbers. Fishers are requested to submit all dead birds entangled in nets to EC for species confirmation and DNA analysis to determine the colony of origin. Please call your local charter patrol to organize pick-up, drop carcasses off at a local DFO office, or contact EC directly by calling the EC Reporting Line 1-866-431-2473 (BIRD). Label birds with date, time, location and vessel name (Skipper name isn't needed). Handle birds with gloves, double bag dead birds, store on ice. Questions: contact Laurie Wilson (laurie.wilson@ec.gc.ca, 604-862- 8817). FOR MORE INFORMATION: Paul Preston, Resource Manager, Port Alberni (250) 720 4452