Rockfish Conservation Areas

Rockfish Conservation Areas *Effective Feb. 1, 2007*

There are 37 species of rockfish that are caught in fisheries off the coast of British Columbia. Inshore rockfish species (which include yelloweye, quillback, copper, china, and tiger) are usually caught with hook and line gear in rocky reef habitats. Monitoring and research programs in B.C. indicate that inshore rockfish, especially within the inland waters of Vancouver Island, are at low levels of abundance. Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO) needs your help to protect and conserve inshore rockfish. Since 2002, catch restrictions, fishery monitoring, stock assessment programs, and Rockfish Conservation Areas (RCAs) have been established throughout the B.C. coast. DFO’s rockfish conservation strategy is designed to alleviate further rockfish population declines. Within RCAs, inshore rockfish are protected from all mortality associated with recreational and commercial fisheries.

Within RCAs, the ONLY permitted fishing activities are:

Recreational fishing

• invertebrates by hand picking or dive
• crab by trap
• shrimp/prawn by trap
• smelt by gillnet

Commercial fishing

• invertebrates by hand picking or dive
• crab by trap
• prawn by trap
• scallops by trawl
• salmon by seine or gillnet
• herring by gillnet, seine and spawn-on-kelp
• sardine by gillnet, seine, and trap
• smelt by gillnet
• euphausiid (krill) by mid-water trawl
• opal squid by seine
• groundfish by mid-water trawl

RCAs were established through an extensive public consultation process. Prior to fishing, fisheries resource users are encouraged to review the location of these RCAs and the permitted activities within RCAs. Unlike salmon, rockfish do not survive well after catch and release. Because of this, there is no size limit for rockfish. Keep what you catch and move to another area if you have reached your rockfish limit.
 

How you can help:

• Fish away from rocky reef areas.
• Know the location of the Rockfish Conservation
  Areas.
• Tell other anglers about the need to conserve rockfish.