Courtesy of Derek Hardy, Saltwater Fishing Chair:
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
Fisheries and Oceans Canada Operations Center - FN0158
Sent February 27, 2019 at 11:28
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