Friday, June 19 saw DFO release the latest rules for recreational chinook salmon fishing in the south coast. Intended to address the various competing “needs” for what was once a plentiful, natural and recurring resource; the new rules will almost certainly make no one competing sector happy.
So what’s in these announcements for recreational fishers in the south coast of Vancouver Island?
FN0565 –Commercial, Recreational and Aboriginal – Salmon – Chinook – 2020 Fraser River Chinook Conservation Measures and Coast-wide Recreational Annual Aggregates:
Southern BC Recreational Fisheries: This Fisheries Notice supersedes FN0322.
The following measures are now in effect for WCVI Subareas 20-1, 20-2, Areas 121, and seaward of a 1 nm Boundary Line (defined below) in Areas 123 to 127:
- Effective immediately to 23:59 hours July 14: Chinook non-retention;
- 00:01 hours July 15 to 23:59 hours July 31: 2 Chinook per day with a maximum size limit of 80 cm.
- 00:01 hours August 1 to 23:59 hours December 31: 2 Chinook per day
…
Chinook daily limits remain at 2 per day shoreward of this Boundary Line, and also in Areas 21 to 27.
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Strait of Georgia – South and Juan de Fuca – Areas 18, Subareas 19-3 to 19-12, Subareas 20-3 to 20-7, Area 28 and Subareas 29-3 to 29-5 (with the exception of those portions of Areas 28 and 29 listed in the section below), and Subarea 29-8:
- Immediately to 23:59 hours July 31: Chinook non-retention;
- 00:01 hours August 1 to 23:59 hours August 31: 1 Chinook per day with a maximum size limit of 80 cm;
- 00:01 hours September 1 to 23:59 hours December 31: 2 Chinook per day.
You are encouraged to read, comprehend and follow these newly announced rules.
Ryan Chamberland of our local SFAB group has summarized this and other salmon fishing opportunities locally as:
Gulf Islands – You may fish for Coho (2 hatchery per day) except for in the SRKW designated sanctuaries until July 31. On August 01, you will not be allowed to fish for salmon in the following areas…see map: http://www.pac.dfo-mpo.gc.ca/whales-baleines/docs/srkw-measures-mesures-ers-iles-gulf-islands-2020-eng.pdf
Sooke – You may fish for Coho (2 hatchery per day), and practice Catch and Release on Chinook between Sheringham Point and East Point until July 31.
Renfrew – For those fishing in the new triangle between Bonilla and Swiftsure, you may also fish for salmon until July 31.
Note: That as of August 01 you will not be permitted to salmon fish whatsoever in these areas, but you still may bottomfish. See area map for details: http://www.pac.dfo-mpo.gc.ca/whales-baleines/docs/srkw-measures-mesures-ers-juan-de-fuca-2020-eng.pdf
Fraser River Measures for Sidney, Victoria, Sooke Areas:Areas 18,19,20 are closed to retention of Chinook until July 31.On August 01, we are open to One Chinook Per Day, max 80cm. On September 01, it opens to Two Chinook Per Day, with no max size.