Tag «salmon»

Meeting re: Proposed New SRKW Salmon Fishing Regulations – Oct. 29 at 11:45 am 

There is a proposal from DFO relating to Southern Resident Killer Whale recovery that contains potential changes to chinook fishing in the entire SRKW critical habitat area, which includes Juan de Fuca and Haro Strait where we fish.  Below is the DFO presentation that contains those changes.  

The DFO SRKW Team will host an online meeting about their proposed regulation changes and give you a chance to comment.  A one-hour online MS Teams meeting on Wednesday October 29th at 11:45 am   has been scheduled specifically for you.  This meeting is specifically for sportsfishing participants to review the proposed changes in our area – it is not the local SFAB meeting which is scheduled for Nov 4 of this year. 

You may also want to respond directly to DFO about these proposed changes during the consultation period via email at DFO.SRKW-ERS.MPO@dfo-mpo.gc.ca . You will need to respond by the October 31st deadline. 

Southern-Resident-Killer-Whale-Management-Measures-IMAG-TWGs-September-17-2025-PPNT-DeckDownload

Within the proposed changes, there appear to be a few things worth noting for clarification:

  • Chinook non-retention areas are proposed to become chinook closure areas. This will mean no more chinook catch and release in those areas.
  • There is no mention of a slot limit in those areas in which, for the past few years, chinook fishing was allowed and retention was permitted for chinook over the minimum length and under a maximum length.
  • Chinook closures would not apply to an area in which a mark selective fishery (MSF) is allowed; but a MSF typically has a narrow time window and, as ever, is at the discretion of the DFO.

________________________________________________________________________________

Microsoft Teams Need help?

Join the meeting now

Meeting ID: 265 327 058 767 7

Passcode: Yo2rY7Df

Dial in by phone

+1 647-484-5913,,344358975# Canada, Toronto

Find a local number

Phone conference ID: 344 358 975#

Join on a video conferencing device

Tenant key: teams@dfo-mpo.video.canada.ca

Video ID: 113 359 511 1

More info

Fall 2025 Greater Victoria SFAC meeting: Nov. 4

Mark Frisson, Fisheries Management, DFO has sent an invitation to the Fall 2025 Greater Victoria Sport Fishing Advisory Committee meeting, which will be held virtually on November 4, 2025.

  • The meeting will be held virtually on MS Teams. Click here to join: Join the meeting now
  • Start time: 7:00 pm
  • Please review the draft Spring 2025 meeting minutes, below, before the meeting.
  • Please review the Fall 2025 Recreational Fisheries Newsletter, formally known as the Regional Recreational Updates, below.
  • This fall is an election cycle. An election for Committee Chair will be held during the meeting. Please follow this link to read about the SFAC election process and the SFAC roles and responsibilities.
  • An agenda and other meeting materials will be shown here when they’re available.
Greater Victoria Area Spring SFAC_ Draft Meeting Minutes_2025Download
FINAL – Fall 2025 – Rec Fish NewsletterDownload

________________________________________________________________________________

Nov. 4, 2025, 7 pm Virtual Meeting Details

Microsoft Teams Need help?

Join the meeting now

Meeting ID: 222 931 803 521 0

Passcode: Ht76fQ7i

Dial in by phone

+1 647-484-5913,,967142833# Canada, Toronto

Find a local number

Phone conference ID: 967 142 833#

Join on a video conferencing device

Tenant key: teams@dfo-mpo.video.canada.ca

Video ID: 113 816 269 7

More info

Release of Draft 2025/26 BC Salmon IFMPs for Consultation

With FN0152, DFO has released their draft 2025-2026 Integrated Fisheries Management Plans.

Deadline for submission of comments is April 4, 2025.

To obtain an electronic copy for review, please click the link below: https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fo/51r5krj3o5o1e86db7qop/AH1FZORsMWUmAPv5wR3YRZ8?rlkey=qn1tacmnj178rocvvte5lhvga&st=anh8gp79&dl=0

The draft IFMPs set out the policy framework that guides decision making, general objectives relating to management of stocks of concern, enhancement and enforcement, as well as decision guidelines for a range of fisheries.

Please refer to the New for 2025/26 for key changes for the IFMP that may be under consideration.

Section 13 of the IFMPs outline the Species Specific Fishing Plans, which describe fisheries plans for each of the salmon species and the management units and major fishery areas for each species. This section includes the relevant information on management approach, decision guidelines and specific management measures, as well as, information related to First Nations, commercial and recreational fishing plans for each fishery.

During March and April, the Department will be meeting with First Nations and recreational, commercial and environmental groups to seek further feedback on the draft IFMPs as part of the IFMP consultation process.

https://www-ops2.pac.dfo-mpo.gc.ca/fns-sap/index-eng.cfm?pg=view_notice&DOC_ID=316953

You may read the northern and southern IFMPs via the fishery notice, or the files below:

DRAFT Northern IFMP 2025-2026Download
DRAFT Southern IFMP 2025-2026Download

Page 37 of the draft Southern Salmon IFMP has a section that speaks to Mark Selective Fisheries. As per last year, please note that for a significant time period, COVID precautionary measures reduced fin clipping at Canadian salmon hatcheries to near zero; there will be a few years where recreational fishers seeking marked salmon will be dependent upon Washington state origin fish for success.

Mass Marking / Mark-Selective Fisheries

The Pacific Salmon Strategy Initiative (PSSI) provides new investments to support potential
implementation of Chinook mass marking and mark-selective fisheries as part of an integrated
management approach. To advance this work, DFO sought input from First Nations and
stakeholders during a series of workshops that began in December 2022, leading to DFOs development of An Implementation Framework for Mark-Selective Fisheries for Southern British
Columbia Chinook Salmon (draft MSF Framework). The Department is currently reviewing
feedback on the draft MSF Framework and considering next steps for MSF. Any specific MSF
plans will be consulted on. The Department is also considering changes to gear (i.e., what
fishing hooks are permitted) during Chinook MSFs.

DRAFT Southern IFMP 2025-2026

Release of Draft 2024/25 BC Salmon IFMPs for Consultation

With FN0120, DFO has released their draft 2024-2025 Integrated Fisheries Management Plans.

The emailed fishery notice subject is wrong and says “2023-2024”; the body has it right as 2024-2025.

Deadline for submission of comments is April 15th, 2024.

To obtain an electronic copy for review, please click the link below: https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fo/901xbyj9g0ywppuwkcv46/h?rlkey=m2ia50oj7720q10lsz61ba0h2&dl=0

The draft IFMPs set out the policy framework that guides decision making, general objectives relating to management of stocks of concern, enhancement and enforcement, as well as decision guidelines for a range of fisheries.

Please refer to the New for 2024/25 for key changes for the IFMP that may be under consideration.

Section 13 of the IFMPs outline the Species Specific Fishing Plans, which describe fisheries plans for each of the salmon species and the management units and major fishery areas for each species. This section includes the relevant information on management approach, decision guidelines and specific management measures, as well as, information related to First Nations, commercial and recreational fishing plans for each fishery.

During March and April, the Department will be meeting with First Nations and recreational, commercial and environmental groups to seek further feedback on the draft IFMPs as part of the IFMP consultation process.

https://notices.dfo-mpo.gc.ca/fns-sap/index-eng.cfm?pg=view_notice&DOC_ID=296577&ID=all

You may read the northern and southern IFMPs via the fishery notice, or the links below:

Page 37 of the draft Southern Salmon IFMP has a section that speaks to Mark Selective Fisheries. As per last year, please note that for a significant time period, COVID precautionary measures reduced fin clipping at Canadian salmon hatcheries to near zero; there will be a few years where recreational fishers seeking marked salmon will be dependent upon Washington state origin fish for success.

Mass Marking / Mark-Selective Fisheries

Since 2020 the Department approved a small number of recreational Chinook mark selective fishery (MSF) opportunities, which are planned to continue in 2024/2025, pending the post- season review of the available fisheries information. Details can be found here in Table 13- : Approved MSF Openings – Southern ISBM.

The Pacific Salmon Strategy Initiative (PSSI) provides new investments to support potential implementation of Chinook mass marking and mark-selective fisheries as part of an integrated management approach. To advance this work, DFO sought input from First Nations and stakeholders during a series of workshops that began in December 2022, leading to DFOs development of An Implementation Framework for Mark-Selective Fisheries for Southern British Columbia Chinook Salmon (Appendix 12). The purpose of this framework is to outline a risk- based, transparent and collaborative process for the evaluation, decision making, mitigation measures, implementation, review and improvements of MSFs targeting adipose fin-clipped hatchery Chinook Salmon in a manner consistent with the regulatory and policy requirements for Pacific salmon management. Proposals for new MSF opportunities may be submitted by all harvest sectors, or by DFO, and they will evaluated against the key criteria laid out in the framework.

https://acsbc.ca/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/2023-24-Southern-Salmon-IFMP-Draft.pdf

Welcome to the Herring Conservation and Restoration Society

We’ve learned from Jim Shortreed about the establishment of the Herring Conservation and Restoration Society. Please review their press release, below.

Please call at your earliest convenience to arrange an excellent audio visual presentation from the Herring Conservation and Restoration Society. Pacific Herring are well researched but not all the research is readily available. Let the Herring Conservation and Restoration Society present to your group the relevant information from today’s public literature.

HCRS press release
HCRS-press-release-Jan-11-2024_052542Download

Aaron Gunn premiere: No Fishing Allowed

Independent journalist Aaron Gunn will premiere the video, “No Fishing Allowed: Trudeau’s Plan to Decimate an Entire Industry” at the Vancouver Island Conference Centre in Nanaimo, BC on Tuesday, August 22nd at 6 pm. This subject of this event and video is the BC west coast commercial fishing industry.

With three seasons of his “Politics Explained” videos behind him, this appears to be the first video that focuses on west coast fishing. The topic may be controversial, given the varied interests of first nations, recreational, and commercial fisher peoples who all today have a stake in the future of west coast fish populations; and also given the shares of the salmon and halibut fisheries being managed between Canada and the USA.

For tickets go to eventbrite.

Latest FN re: Chinook and Areas 18, 19, 20; Subareas 29-3 to 29-5, and Subareas 20-1, 20-2, 29-1, and 29-2

Edit 20230629: DFO followed up FN0612 with FN0617 to say, “Oops!” FN0612 is NOT VALID and was released in error. 

Until further notice, the daily limit of Chinook Salmon is zero (0) per day, except for the pilot mark-selective fisheries announced in Fishery Notice FN0488; and the Chinook management measures previously announced for East Coast Vancouver Island (Fishery Notice FN0330) and West Coast Vancouver Island (Fishery Notice FN0332).

Victoria & Area Sport Fishing Advisory Committee Meeting: Wednesday, Mar 8, 2023

A Victoria & Area SFAB Committee meeting is scheduled for Wednesday, March 8 at 7:00 PM at the Esquimalt Anglers Association clubhouse, 1100 Munro Street (at the foot of Lampson Street in Esquimalt).  This in-person meeting is open to the public.  Parking is free and the EAA clubhouse is upstairs in the building by the launch ramp in Fleming Beach Park.

If you cannot attend in-person and are interested to attend the meeting virtually, please contact Chris Bos (governor@shaw.ca) to receive the log in information.

DRAFT AGENDA TOPICS:

  • 2022 Preliminary Southern BC Chinook and Coho Escapement Report
  • 2023 MM and MSF and proposed new pilot opportunities – status update
  • 2023 SRKW Proposed Measures (Active Pass, 20-1 Juan de Fuca Strait and oversized area 20-5 closures)
  • Halibut update – what measures for April 1st 2023
  • SFAB Modernization – Terms of Reference status – update
  • SFAC Business  (realignment – membership – who can vote – code of conduct)
  • Discussion – Seeking anglers help getting salmon heads turned in on hatchery fish and SRKW avoidance compliance   
  • DFO regional update

If you have a topic that you wish added to the agenda please contact Chris Bos (governor@shaw.ca) with topic details.

This SFAB meeting is open to the public and we encourage any local anglers interested to learn more about our local fisheries and how they are managed to come out and join us.

Release of Draft 2023/24 BC Salmon IFMPs for Consultation

With FN0199, DFO has released their draft 2023-2024 Integrated Fisheries Management Plans.

The draft IFMPs set out the policy framework that guides decision making, general objectives relating to management of stocks of concern, enhancement and enforcement, as well as decision guidelines for a range of fisheries.

Please refer to the New for 2023/24 for key changes for the IFMP that may be under consideration.

Section 13 of the IFMPs outline the Species Specific Fishing Plans, …

During March and April, the Department will be meeting with First Nations and recreational, commercial and environmental groups to seek further feedback on the draft IFMPs as part of the IFMP consultation process.

https://notices.dfo-mpo.gc.ca/fns-sap/index-eng.cfm?pg=view_notice&DOC_ID=255685&ID=all

You may read the northern and southern IFMPs via the fishery notice, or the links below:

Page 40 of the draft Southern Salmon IFMP speaks to DFO’s latest considerations of Mark Selective Fisheries. Worth noting is that for a significant time period, COVID precautionary measures reduced fin clipping at Canadian salmon hatcheries to near zero; there will be a few years where recreational fishers seeking marked salmon will be dependent upon Washington state origin fish for success.

Mass Marking / Mark-Selective Fisheries
The Department approved a small number of mark selective fishery (MSF) opportunities in 2021 that are proposed to continue in 2023/2024, pending the post-season review of the available fisheries information. Details can be found here in Table 13.1-12.

New and modified MSF opportunities are currently being consulted on for possible implementation in Spring 2023. Those MSF that are approved will be included in the final 2023/24 IFMP and may be considered again in Spring 2024 subject to post-season review of the available data (13.1-13: Proposed MSF Openings – Southern ISBM). Also new for 2024 is a proposed modification to the MSF in portions of the Juan de Fuca Strait and Haro Strait that occurs in March to move to marked-only retention .

Further work on a framework to inform decision making on the expanded use of MM and MSF is underway as part of the Pacific Salmon Strategy Initiative (PSSI). DFO plans to seek input from First Nations and stakeholders on this work during a series of workshops that began in December 2022 and are anticipated to continue in 2023. Further information will be provided on engagement plans at a later date.

https://acsbc.ca/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/2023-24-Southern-Salmon-IFMP-Draft.pdf
➤