One last seine opening....??

More seine openings in Areas 3-6 for Sunday, August 23. This is seine opening #15 for Area 3 and #7 for Area 4. On the Wednesday season update conference call, the Department mentioned the fishery was winding down with fewer boats participating....almost hinting the fishery will close when no one shows up to fish anymore. The pink salmon return remains above average.

Category(s):
COMMERCIAL - Salmon: Seine
Fishery Notice - Fisheries and Oceans Canada


Subject: FN0640-COMMERCIAL - Salmon: Seine - Area A Seine - Areas 3, 4, 5, & 6 Opening - August 23

Area 3
Seines open 16 hours 06:00 hours to 22:00 hours Sunday August 23 in Subareas 3-
1, 3-2, 3-3, 3-4, 3-7 & 3-9. Min bunt mesh 70 mm. V.O.# 2009-NCSAL-070

Special note: Subarea 3-1 is only open to seine vessels that have operating
cameras installed and are subscribed to an electronic monitoring program, in
accordance with the Area A conditions of licence.

Note: Coho retention is now allowed in Area 3. This is a pink directed fishery,
with coho retention. Sockeye, chinook, chum, and steelhead mandatory release.

Area 4
Seines open 16 hours 06:00 hours to 22:00 hours Sunday August 23 Subareas 4-5,
4-8, 4-9, 4-12 seaward of a line from the prominent point south of Tsum Tsadai
Inlet to the red can buoy positioned approx. 0.7 nautical miles south of Kitson
Island to the red flashing light west of Agnew Bank to the southernmost point
of Coast Island thence true east to Ridley Island, and west of a line from the
westernmost point of Croasdaile Island true north to Smith Island, and south of
a line from Gamble Pt to Parry Pt, 4-14, and 4-15 south of a line from Clara Pt
To Hanmer Pt. Min bunt mesh 70 mm. V.O.# 2009-NCSAL-071

Note: All portions of 4-12 & 4-15 except for that portion north of 53 degrees
59 minutes 05 seconds and south of 54 degrees 04 minutes 00 seconds and east of
130 degrees 14 minutes 00 seconds and west of 130 degrees 11 minutes 00 seconds
(this excludes the west shore of Kennedy Island from the shallow net
restriction) are restricted to 3.75 strip nets.

The Area 4 seine fishery is directed towards pink salmon. Sockeye, chinook,
coho, chum and steelhead are mandatory release.

Area 5
Seines open 16 hours 06:00 hours to 22:00 hours Sunday August 23 in Subareas 5-
1 and 5-2. Min bunt mesh 70 mm. V.O.# 2009-NCSAL-072

Areas 5 seine fisheries are directed towards pink salmon. Sockeye, chinook,
coho, chum, and steelhead mandatory release.

Area 6
Seines open 16 hours 06:00 hours to 22:00 hours Sunday August 23 in Subareas 6-
5 east of a line from McCreight Point on Pitt Island to Fanny Point on Campania
Island and south of a line from Fanny Point to a point on Gil Island south of
MacDonald Bay at 53 degrees 10.396 minutes north latitude and 129 degrees
20.900 minutes west longitude, 6-6 south of a line from Maple Point to Swirl
Point, and 6-10 north of a line from McPhee Point on Princess Royal Island to
the southernmost tip of Campania Island. Min bunt mesh 70 mm. V.O.# 2009-NCSAL-
073.

Note: Please note the boundary changes to increase escapements to the Quaal
River and other smaller coastal streams in the vicinity. This is a pink
directed fishery, with incidental harvest of sockeye and coho allowed. Chinook,
chum, and steelhead are mandatory release.

NOTICE TO ALL SEINE FISH HARVESTERS:
Seiners should be aware that there is currently an at-sea observer program in
operation in Areas 3, 4, & 5. Vessels that are requested to take an observer on
board shall do so, in accordance with regulation.

Areas 3, 4, and 5 are being conducted with non-retention of sockeye salmon.
Fishers are reminded when moving between areas with different non-retention and
non-possession rules that they must always offload prior to fishing in the area
they are moving to.

Brailing and sorting your catch prior to placing fish in the hold is mandatory.
Operating revival boxes are also mandatory, and may be used to revive fish
prior to release.