Island Marine Aquatic Working Group

DFO correspondence regarding mark selective fisheries and management measures for Chinook salmon; no Minister decision yet.

OVERVIEW OF THE STRAIT OF GEORGIA HERRING SEASON: The herring stock biological sampling and sounding assessment program in the Strait of Georgia concluded for the season on Monday, March 20, 2021. Spawn flights concluded on Monday March 29, 2021. Dive surveys in the Strait of Georgia have continued with the most recent survey occurring today March 31, 2021. The Strait of Georgia roe herring seine fishery opened on Tuesday, March 9, 2021 and closed on Saturday, March 13, 2021... with fishing activity occurring on March 9, 10, and 11 near French Creek, Northwest Bay, and between Blunden Point and Icarus Point. The total validated catch was 2,995.633 tons of the 3,227.675 ton quota. The Strait of Georgia roe herring gill net fishery opened on Wednesday, March 10, 2021 and closed on Wednesday, March 17, 2021. The majority of fishing took place north of Cape Lazo to Flora Island and then near Qualicum and Icarus Point. Total validated catch was 8,296.763 tons of the 8,716.756 ton quota. The flight program for the Strait of Georgia major stock assessment area conducted a total of 17 flights starting on February 27, 2021 and concluding on March 29, 2021. Total length of spawn observed during the flight program was 56.3nm in Area’s 13, 14 and 17. There were also reports of spawn in Areas 15, 16, and 29.

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Tubbing Prawn Tails - Important Information The tubbing issue has been resolved for this year, however because there are no standards for tubs (volume, shape, opaqueness) issues may still arise in making the product available for enforcing the size limit. Fishers are strongly encouraged to follow the current protocols to ensure prawns from tubs are readily available for fishery officer inspection if requested. Please be prepared to thaw up to 3 tubs for initial inspection, m...ore may be requested if issues are found. DFO has informed the PPFA that when dealing with tubs the fishery officers will be using discretion this year and providing an educational component when warranted. Further discussions with DFO are going to occur after this season to develop a long-term resolution to the issue.

"As halibut populations have dwindled, the fishermen who hunt them in the waters around St. Paul have seen their yearly harvest limits slashed by regulators; currently they’re allotted only 1.7 million pounds. Yet regulators have allowed Amendment 80 trawlers to waste staggering levels of halibutnearly four million poundswithout reducing their bycatch limits on par with the cuts to fishermen’s quotas. We have to bear the entire burden of conservation, Kauffman says. Numerous trawl industry representatives declined to comment for this story." IMAWG recently has been informed that up to 25K pounds of Chinook has been part of the "by-catch" within trawling.

Accessible link: https://www.msn.com//as-halibut-decline-alask/ar-BB1frf3F