Fishing with Rod Discussion Forum
Fishing in British Columbia => General Discussion => Topic started by: Rodney on September 06, 2014, 11:48:42 PM
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Quite a few people have asked me about the Fraser River bait ban by email or Facebook in the past few days. In past years, the regulations specifically said the bait ban is for salmon fishing only. This year, in the Tidal Fraser River regulations, it says for all finfish (http://www.pac.dfo-mpo.gc.ca/fm-gp/rec/tidal-maree/fraser-eng.html), which means bait is not allowed for sturgeon and other non-salmonid species. In the Non-tidal Fraser River regulations, it doesn't specify if the bait ban is for all species or just for salmon (http://www.pac.dfo-mpo.gc.ca/fm-gp/rec/fresh-douce/region2-eng.html).
I've emailed my contacts a week ago hoping to have this clarified/corrected before the bait ban kicked in but have not heard back yet. As of now, if you head out and fish for sturgeon with bait, technically you can be fined when being checked.
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Thanks Rod.
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Is that for tidal and non tidal
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Is that for tidal and non tidal
I thought I was very clear in the first paragraph of my post.
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So when will we here about the ban? I would like to go in the next couple of weeks.
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So when will we here about the ban? I would like to go in the next couple of weeks.
Well keep checking, right now it's banned, and that doesn't change until you hear otherwise.
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Quite a few people have asked me about the Fraser River bait ban by email or Facebook in the past few days. In past years, the regulations specifically said the bait ban is for salmon fishing only. This year, in the Tidal Fraser River regulations, it says for all finfish (http://www.pac.dfo-mpo.gc.ca/fm-gp/rec/tidal-maree/fraser-eng.html), which means bait is not allowed for sturgeon and other non-salmonid species. In the Non-tidal Fraser River regulations, it doesn't specify if the bait ban is for all species or just for salmon (http://www.pac.dfo-mpo.gc.ca/fm-gp/rec/fresh-douce/region2-eng.html).
I've emailed my contacts a week ago hoping to have this clarified/corrected before the bait ban kicked in but have not heard back yet. As of now, if you head out and fish for sturgeon with bait, technically you can be fined when being checked.
I wonder if the tidal bait ban for all finfish was intentional. Perhaps the fisheries officers can across a lot of anglers who were barfishing with roe, but, when confronted, claimed they were fishing for sturgeon, not coho.
Will be interesting to see if it gets clarified/revised.
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I thought I was very clear in the first paragraph of my post.
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Lol apparently I don't read that well on my phone
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This is interesting. Look forward to hearing some clarification.
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Fishery Notice
Category(s):
RECREATIONAL - Fin Fish (Other than Salmon)
RECREATIONAL - General Information
RECREATIONAL - Salmon
Subject:
FN0978-RECREATIONAL - Salmon - Area 29 - Correction to Sport Fishing Guide with regard to the bait ban in the Tidal Fraser River
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Please note that there is an error on page 29 of the 2013 - 2015 Tidal Waters
Sport Fishing Guide. The bait ban described only applies when fishing for
salmon. The bait ban is not in effect when fishing for other species such as
sturgeon. The correct information follows:
Effective September 2 to October 3, 2014, you may not use bait when fishing for
salmon. The use of bait is permitted when fishing for all other species during
this time frame.
Notes:
Barbless hooks are required when fishing for salmon in tidal and non-tidal
waters of British Columbia.
Anglers are requested to release any hatchery marked sockeye. These fish are
hatchery raised sockeye and part of a recovery program designed to increase the
numbers of Cultus Lake sockeye.
The term "marked" means a hatchery fish that has a healed scar in place of the
adipose fin.
Sport anglers are encouraged to participate in the Salmon Sport Head Recovery
program by labelling and submitting heads from adipose fin-clipped chinook and
coho salmon. Recovery of coded-wire tags provides critical information for
coast-wide stock assessment. Contact the Salmon Sport Head Recovery Program
toll free at (866) 483-9994 for further information.
Rockfish Conservation Areas that are currently in effect and are closed to all
fin fishing. Descriptions of these closures, and other recreational fishing
information, can be found on the Internet at:
www.pac.dfo-mpo.gc.ca/recfish
Tidal Water Sport Fishing Licences can be purchased via any computer connected
to the internet at
https://www-ops2.pac.dfo-mpo.gc.ca/nrls-sndpp/index-eng.cfm
or by using Google search key words "Recfish Licence".
Did you witness suspicious fishing activity or a violation? If so, please call
the Fisheries and Ocean Canada 24-hour toll free Observe, Record, Report line
at (800) 465-4336.
For the 24 hour recorded opening and closure line, call toll free at
1-(866)431-FISH (3474).
FOR MORE INFORMATION:
Debra Sneddon 604-666-6509
Fisheries & Oceans Operations Center - FN0978
Sent September 8, 2014 at 1154
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
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[sarcasm] DFO, what a joke, they never respond to anglers' feedbacks. [/sarcasm]
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I think they're checking the forums Rod, just got the clarifications notice on the misprint.
Edit - nm, didn't see army trucks post.
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Since the bait ban, plenty of people still fishing with bait in Richmond No 3, No 5, Dumpbar everyday. Just a few are casting spoons and spinners. No. of bait-fishermen grows significantly after work hours. Hope some of them read this post.
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Thanks for clearing it up.
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one has to ask themselves why there is even a bait ban when there is a 24hr commercial gill net going on right now? :o
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Is there a bait ban on the vedder river system too ? thanks
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No bait ban on the vedder. Here is a good link for the freshwater salmon regulations that gets updated: http://www.pac.dfo-mpo.gc.ca/fm-gp/rec/fresh-douce/region2-eng.htm
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one has to ask themselves why there is even a bait ban when there is a 24hr commercial gill net going on right now? :o
My thoughts exactly, slap extra restrictions on the sports fishery while they allow "do no wrong" commercial fisherman to collect more hours for their EI payments.
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[sarcasm] DFO, what a joke, they never respond to anglers' feedbacks. [/sarcasm]
haha, I thought you're VIP to them and always had highest priority to respond... ;D
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[sarcasm] DFO, what a joke, they never respond to anglers' feedbacks. [/sarcasm]
I know what you mean Rod.
Still waiting for a return call from them from 3 months ago.
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one has to ask themselves why there is even a bait ban when there is a 24hr commercial gill net going on right now? :o
interesting point - not many years ago when coho were in trouble the commercial sector had to release them and there were reforestation troughs for stressed fish. Are they required to anything now with the opening extending into the peak migration for interior coho?