SALTWATER FISHING REPORT  (July 23rd, 2020)

Chinook openings in certain areas (Please read below) You may still catch and release. Coho Salmon remain open for (2) hatchery marked fish per day. Fishing has been very good this past week. The south side of Bowen Island has been producing excellent numbers of Coho. Currently there is  is holding a large amount of anchovies holding on the south end of the Bowen Island shorelines and a large school of coho has stalled to gorge on the abundant numbers of Anchovies. Chinook fishing has also been very good with consistent numbers of fish caught in the open and closed "retention areas". Thrasher rock will be the best bet as it is open for one chinook between 62 and 80 cm. last report was good with productive depths being between 120 to 260 feet.

Make sure to drop your traps as Prawning and crabbing has been excellent.

DFO Announcements 

FN0315-Commercial, Recreational and Aboriginal Salmon Chinook 
2020 Fraser River Chinook Conservation Measures Update

Here is the Fisheries Notice that impacts our local fisheries.

For 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 (no maximum size limit, min size limit 62 cm).

For Portions of Southern Strait of Georgia, Howe Sound and Burrard Inlet – Subareas 28-7 to 28-9; that portion of Subarea 28-2 that lies southerly of a line drawn due east from Halkett Point on Gambier Island (49 26.735’N, 123 19.302’W) to a point (49 26.550’N, 123 14.317’W) on the mainland corresponding with the southeast point of the Lions Bay RCA; and those portions of 29-3 to 29-5 that lie east of a line from Gower Point (49 23.021’N, 123 32.166′ W) near Gibsons to Shah Point on the southern tip of Valdes Island (49 01.695’N, 123 35.721’W)

Immediately to 23:59 hours August 31:  No fishing for Chinook

00:01 hours September 1 to 23:59 hours December 31: 2 Chinook per day. (no maximum size limit, min size limit 62 cm).

Approaches to Fraser River – Subareas 29-6, 29-7, 29-9 to 29-17 and the non-tidal waters of the Fraser River from Mission Bridge to the confluence with Sawmill Creek:  00:01 Hours January 1 to 23:59 Hours November 1: No fishing for salmon (Fishing opportunities for specific salmon stocks may be considered at a later date).

You can fish for coho in most of the areas on the above map and the Area 28 and Area 29 regs (our local waters) are currently 2 hatchery a day, over 30 cm.

In the non-cross hatched pink areas:

• April 1 to July 31: No retention of chinook (C&R permitted).
• Aug 1 to Aug 31: 1 chinook per day, max 80 cm.
  
• Sept 1 to Dec 31: 2 chinook per day (min size 62 cm, no max size limit).
  

You can fish for chinook in the Strait of Georgia – North (blue part of map) Areas 13 to 17, Subareas 29-1 and 29-2:

• April 1 to July 14: No retention of chinook (C&R permitted).
• July 15 to Aug 31: 1 chinook per day, max 80 cm.
  
• Sept 1 to Dec 31: 2 chinook per day (min size 62 cm, no max size limit).

Further information on specific management actions will be communicated by
separate Fishery Notices. You can view or subscribe to fisheries notices
at:  http://notices.dfo-mpo.gc.ca/fns-sap/index-eng.cfm

To purchase a saltwater licence please go to HERE

FN2020-RECREATIONAL - Rockfish and Lingcod: Coast-wide Management Measures 

Effective April 1, 2020 and May 1, 2020, the following recreational daily
limits and close times apply to Rockfish and Lingcod in North and South Coast
waters as described. These management measures are required to reduce fishing
impacts on rockfish in general and identified species of rockfish.

Possession Limits are twice the Daily Limits for Rockfish and Lingcod as
described below

OUTSIDE WATERS:

North Coast - Areas 1 to 10, 101 to 110, 130, 142 - AND - South Coast (Outside
waters) - Areas 11, 21 to 27, 111, 123 to 127, Subareas 12-14 and 20-1 to 20-4,
and Area 121 (excluding that portion outside the 12 nautical mile limit seaward
of a line that begins at 48 degrees 34.00' north latitude and 125 degrees
17.386' west longitude and continues southeasterly at a bearing of 116 degrees
True to a point at 48 degrees 28.327' north latitude and 125 degrees 01.687'
west longitude)

Daily limits Rockfish, all species combined - three 3 only one 1 of which may be a Quillback rockfish, a Tiger rockfish, or a China rockfish. Zero (0) retention for Yelloweye rockfish and Bocaccio rockfish
Daily limits Lingcod - two (2).
Open time April 1 to November 15 Close time November 16 to March 31 

INSIDE WATERS:

South Coast (Inside waters) - Areas 13 to 19 and Subareas 12-1 to 12-13, 12-15
to 12-48, 20-5 to 20-7 and 29-5
Daily limits Rockfish, all species combined - one (1) Zero (0) retention for Yelloweye rockfish and Bocaccio rockfish
Daily Limits Lingcod - one (1)
Open time May 1 to September 30 Close time: October 1 to April 30
Area 28 and Subareas 29-1 to 29-4 and 29-6 to 29-17 are closed for Rockfish and
Lingcod April 1, 2020 to March 31, 2021 (year round).

Variation Orders 2020-RCT-136 (Close Time) and 2020-RFQ-137 (Quota)