Fisheries and Oceans Canada
www.dfo-mpo.gc.ca
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Region 1 - Vancouver Island
This information is intended as a supplement to the B.C. Freshwater Fishing Regulations Synopsis. Only freshwater (non-tidal) salmon species information is available here. For all other Region-based information, including other freshwater species, bait bans, gear restrictions, detailed maps, etc., please consult the Synopsis. It is your responsibility to know the regulations.
EXPECT IN-SEASON CHANGES!
During the year, a number of important regulation changes may have to be made in specific waters. These management changes and additional openings and closures are indicated in red on this page. You can also click on Updates on the left bar to see Fishery Notices.
- All retained Chinook and sockeye must measure 30 cm or more from tip of nose to tail fork (fork length), and all Coho must measure 25 cm or more.
- An "adult Chinook" in Region 1 is defined as being over 50 cm.
| WATERS | SPECIFIC AREA | SPECIES | DATES | LIMITS / GEAR |
| Campbell River | From a boundary sign at the end of Maple Street downstream to the boundary sign at the cement block. | All | Aug 01-Oct 31 | No fishing for
any species of fish. FN0623 |
| Downstream of the confluence with the Quinsam River. | Pink | Jul 15-Sep 15 | 4 per day, none less than 30 cm. | |
| Coho | Oct 1 - Dec 31 | 4 wild or hatchery marked per day in the aggregate, 2 of which may be hatchery marked over 35 cm. | ||
| Cayeghle River | including Colonial River | Coho | Apr 01 - Mar 31 | 1 per day. |
| Cluxewe River | Coho | Apr 01 - Mar 31 | 2 per day, hatchery marked fish only. | |
| Chemainus River | Coho | Oct 15 - Mar 31 |
1 per day, none over 35 cm. | |
| Colonial River - See Cayeghle River | ||||
| Conuma River | Chinook | Aug 25-Dec 31 | 2 per day, only 1 over 77cm. | |
| Coho | Aug 25-Dec 31 | 2 per day, wild or hatchery marked. May possess 4 in the aggregate. | ||
| Cowichan River | including tributaries and Cowichan Lake | Chinook | Apr 1-Mar 31 | No fishing for Chinook |
| Coho |
Apr 1-Mar 31 | 1 per day, none over 35 cm. | ||
| Cowichan R. downstream from Skutz Falls to the Hwy 1 bridge (Silver Bridge) | Coho | Nov. 16 - Dec. 31, 2011 | 1 per day (over 25cm) either hatchery marked or wild. FN 1136 | |
| Chum/td> | To be determined | |||
| Downstream of the weir on Cowichan Lake to 66 Mile Trestle | All | Aug 01 - Nov 15 | Fly-fishing only. | |
| 66 Mile Trestle downstream to the Tidal Boundary | All | Aug 01 - Nov 15 | No fishing for salmon. | |
| Goldstream River | All | Apr 1-Mar 31 | No fishing for salmon | |
| Koksilah River | Chinook | To be determined | ||
| including tributaries | Coho | Apr 1-Mar 31 | 1 per day, none over 35 cm. | |
| Nahwitti River | Coho | Apr 1-Mar 31 | 1 per day. | |
| Nanaimo River | including tributaries, except in the area described below | Coho | Oct 15-Mar 31 | 1 per day, none over 35 cm. |
| Cedar Road Bridge upstream approx. 400 m to the white square boundary signs located near the Hwy 19 bridge crossing. | All | Sep 15 - Oct 30 | No fishing for salmon | |
| Upstream side of the Cedar bridge, upstream to the end of Boswell Road (commonly referred to as the "FireHall Pool"). | Chum | Nov 1-Nov 30 | 2 per day. | |
| Coho | Nov 01-Dec 31 | 1 per day, none over 35 cm. | ||
| Nitinat
River |
upstream of Parker Creek | All | Apr 1-Mar 31 | No fishing. |
| downstream of Parker Creek, except in the areas and times described below. | Chinook | Aug 25 - Sep 30 | 2 per day, only 1 over 77 cm. | |
| Coho | Aug 25 - Sep 30 | 2 per day. | ||
| Oct 15 - Dec 31 |
2 per day. | |||
| Chum | Oct 15 - Dec 31 |
2 per day. | ||
| within 100 m radius of the Nitinat R. hatchery water intake and fishway | All | Apr 1-Mar 31 | No fishing. | |
| between fishing boundary signs located approximately 100 m above and below Red Rock Pool. | All | Aug 25 - Dec 31 | No fishing. | |
| from 50 m upstream to 50 m downstream of the Nitinat River Bridge. | All | Aug 25-Dec 31 | No fishing. | |
| Little Qualicum River | Chinook | Oct 1-Nov30 | 1 per day. | |
| Chum | Until Dec. 31, 2011 | 2 per day. (reminder: only applies in those waters open to fishing for salmon) FN1116 | ||
| Coho | To be determined | |||
|
Puntledge and Courtenay Rivers |
from the weir at the lower hatchery to signs approximately 75 m downstream of the weir | All | Apr 01-Mar 31 | No fishing for salmon. |
| downstream from a boundary marker located 75 m downstream of the weir at the lower hatchery (excluding the Morrison Creek closure) | Chinook | Until further notice | 0 per day.FN0678 | |
| Chum | Oct 1 - Nov 30 | 2 per day. | ||
| Coho | Until further notice | 0 per day. FN0678 | ||
| Puntledge R. between boundary signs located 100 m upstream and downstream of the confluence with Morrison Creek | All | Apr 01-Mar 31 | No Fishing for salmon. | |
| Qualicum River | Chinook | Aug 1 - Oct 15 | 4 per day, none over 62cm. | |
| Oct 16 - Dec 31 | 4 per day, only 2 over 62cm. | |||
| Coho | To be determined | |||
| Chum | Oct 1 - Nov 30 | 1 per day. | ||
| Waters upstream of the Big Qualicum hatchery | Coho | October 11 | 4 wild or hatchery per day, 2 of which may be hatchery marked over 35 cm FN |
|
| From the Reserve boundary below the Big Qualicum hatchery downstream to the Hwy 19A bridge | All | Nov 01 - Dec 31 | No fishing for salmon. | |
| Downstream of the E&N railway Bridge | All | Dec 01 - Jun 15 | No fishing for Salmon. | |
| Quatse River | Coho | Jun 15-Mar 31 | 2 per day, hatchery marked only. | |
| Quinsam River | Coho | Oct 01 - Dec 31 | 4 wild or hatchery marked per day in the aggregate, 2 of which may be hatchery marked over 35 cm. | |
| Pink | Aug 15-Sep 15 | 4 per day, none less than 30 cm. | ||
| Reay Creek |
All | Apr 1-Mar 31 | No fishing for salmon. | |
| San Juan River | Coho | Until Dec. 31, 2011 | 1 per day, hatchery marked or wild (reminder: only applies in those waters open to fishing for salmon) FN1115 | |
| Seymour River | Coho | Apr 1-Mar 31 | 2 per day. | |
| Shawnigan Creek | All | Apr 1-Mar 31 | No fishing for salmon. | |
| Somass River | except in those areas and times listed below | Chinook | Aug 25-Dec 31 | 2 per day, only 1 over 77 cm. |
| Coho | Aug 25-Dec 31 | 2 per day. | ||
| tidal boundary at Papermill Dam on the Somass River to boundary signs approximately 1.0 km upstream (Falls Road Gravel Pit and the southernmost end of Collins Farm/ArrowVale Campground-Hector Road) | All | Aug 25-Nov 15 | No fishing for salmon. |
|
| Somass River tributaries | All | May 01-Oct 31 | Natural bait ban. | |
| Sproat River | From Sproat Lake downstream to fishing boundary signs approximately 300 m downstream of the Highway 4 bridge | All | Jun 15-Nov 15 | Closed to fishing. |
| All | May 01-Oct 31 | Natural bait ban. | ||
| Stamp River | except in those areas and times listed below | Chinook | Aug 25-Dec 31 | 2 per day, only 1 over 77 cm. |
| Coho | Aug 25-Dec 31 | 2 per day. | ||
| From the confluence of the Ash River upstream to Great Central Lake Dam. | All | Jan 1-Apr 30 | Closed to fishing. | |
| from boundary signs on either side of the Stamp River at the Powerline crossing downstream approximately 500 meters to boundary signs on either side of the Stamp River at the inlet to the Stamp River (hatchery) lagoon | All | Oct 01-Oct 14 | No fishing for salmon. | |
| from boundary signs on either side of the Stamp River located at the inlet to the Stamp River (hatchery) lagoon continuing downstream approximately 750 meters to boundary signs on either side of the Stamp River | All | Aug 25-Oct 31 | No fishing for salmon. | |
| upstream of boundary signs located approx 500 m downstream of Stamp River Falls to boundary signs located approximately 200 m upstream (above) Stamp River Falls | All | Jun 15-Nov 15 | No fishing for salmon. | |
| downstream of the boundary signs at the "Bucket" (approximately 250 m above the Beaver Creek and Stamp River confluence). | All | May 1-Sep 14 | Natural bait ban. | |
| Stamp River tributaries | All | May 1-Oct 31 | Natural bait ban. | |
| Washlawlis River | Coho | Apr 1-Mar 31 | 1 per day. | |
| Waukwaas River | Coho | Apr 1-Mar 31 | 1 per day. | |
