That's what I thought too Ziggy some bad info being spread here. Dropping fish or having fish picked up doesn't mean a new possession limit.
I believe even fish you consume on your trip counts towards possession.
You are incorrect-fish consumed when on a fishing trip is supposed to be part of your possession limit. In all probability no one pays much attention to it but it is what is supposed to happen!!If you consume your fish it does not count as possession, you are able to retain another. I always make sure when I am out for multiple day trips to consume a salmon or two and some bottom fish, got to have a feast of fresh.
I read it to mean it counts while preparing, but not after consuming In other words a fish on the grill would count but not one you've eaten. That would be getting kind of weird. That's also why you need to keep the head and tail until consumed but not after.
http://www.pac.dfo-mpo.gc.ca/fm-gp/rec/points/packaging-emballage-eng.htmlFish caught by an angler that is being prepared, cooked, or is partially consumed away from the angler's ordinary residence ( i.e. while staying at a camp ground, overnighting on a boat, residing at a hotel, etc.) is included as part of the fisher's possession limit. If you send your fish to a licensed fish processor it is still considered to count towards your possession limit. The amount of fish a person is preparing to consume cannot exceed the possession limit. The head and tail of all finfish and the carapace (shell) of any crab caught must be retained until the fish has been consumed.
Subtle differenc between consumed, i.e. eaten and "prepared, cooked or partially consumed", not yet eaten, GLG, but a difference none the less. Perhaps read it through a second time in full and it'll make sense.
In my opinion trying to find loopholes around the possession limit is brutal. 8 salmon, 2 halibut, Lingcod, Rockfish etc etc is more than enough for one person on one trip.
I think there really has to be be some reasonable interpretation of these rules (maybe there is as I haven't really picked it apart). Obviously as per the law, if you go to a fishing lodge for 4 days or camping for a couple days, the rules are 2 in possession (halibut say) for your drive home and I see the logic. However, even though its black and white, there has to be a reasonable definition and timeframe of 'anglers ordinary residence'. What if you rented a property on some island for a month or stayed at a friends cottage for the summer? You really think its fair to have to stop fishing after catching 2 halibut in first 2 days? It then should become about your annual limit just like everyone else. Their rules are meant for certain cases, but its such a grey area, it screws others that really deserve the right to transport more. To allow a guy to catch 6 halibut in 6 days that happens to live beside the fishing ground and then another guy staying at a home away from home for 2 months is only allowed to catch 2 is ludicrous. Problem being, its impossible to really regulate on a case to case basis.
Stay strong bigbruce. LolYikes, Ziggy....I fish and golf. I'm getting it both ways!!