Area 18

EXPECT IN-SEASON CHANGES!

The closures and restrictions described in this Area may be varied by Fishery Notice. 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.

Click the following links for the appropriate information:
Salmon | All Finfish (including Salmon) | Finfish (other than Salmon)
Shellfish | Area 18 Map

Salmon

Barbless hooks must be used when fishing for salmon in all tidal waters of British Columbia.

Openings & Closures:

Species	Min Size	Daily Limit	Possess. Limit	Annual Limit	Season Open	Gear Permitted
Chinook	62 cm	2	4	15	Apr 1-Mar 31	Hook & Line
Chum	30 cm	4	8	N/A	Apr 1-Mar 31	Hook & Line
Hatchery Coho	30 cm	2	4	N/A	June 1-Dec 31	Hook & Line
Wild Coho	TBD	To be determined	To be determined	N/A	Jun 1-Dec 31	Hook & Line
Pink	30 cm	4	8	N/A	Apr 1-Mar 31	Hook & Line
Sockeye***	30 cm	see below	see below	N/A	see below	Hook & Line
The combined daily limit for all species of Pacific salmon from tidal waters is 4. Coastwide daily limit for chinook is 2. Aggregate daily limit for all species of Pacific salmon from tidal and non-tidal waters combined is 4.

2011 Coho and Chinook opportunities map - Areas 18, 19, 20 and Subareas 29-4 and 29-5: Cowichan to Victoria (PDF)

*** Sockeye: Effective 23:59 hours Friday, Sept. 16, 2011 and until further notice: daily limit for Fraser sockeye will be reduced to zero (0) in all waters listed in FN0784. Area 23 still remains open for the harvest of sockeye as per Fishery Notice FN0447.  Listed 16/09/2011 FN0901

***Sockeye: Aug. 25 until further notice: the daily limit for sockeye is four (4) per day in:

• Areas 11 and 111
• Area 12
• Area 13 (Johnstone Strait);
• Areas 14, 15, 17, 18 and 19 (Strait of Georgia);
• Area 20 (Juan de Fuca Strait);
• Areas 21, 121 and 123 to 127 (West Coast of Vancouver Island). Note: Area 23 (Barkley Sound and Alberni Inlet) is open to retention of Somass sockeye ( see FN0447);
• Area 28 (Howe Sound, Burrard Inlet and Indian Arm);
• Area 29 (Strait of Georgia and the tidal waters of the Fraser), except Subarea 29-8 (Boundary Bay).

Sockeye retention is not permitted in the following areas:

• Area 16 - remains closed and at this time there is no proposed opening of Subareas 16-19 to 21 (Sabine Channel);
• Area 22 - In Nitinat Lake;
• Areas 24 to 27 inclusive;
• Subarea 29-8 (Boundary Bay)

Listed 24/08/2011 FN0784

All Species: Oct 10 - Jan 15: In Subarea 18-10, the waters of Fulford Harbour inside or NW of a line between a fishing boundary sign located near the navigation light and Jackson Rock on the north shore of Fulford Harbour across the Harbour to a boundary sign on the opposite shore: only a single-pointed hook may be used.

In Subareas 18-7 and 18-8, that portion of Subarea 18-7 that lies northerly of a line from a square white boundary sign on Vancouver Island, near 48°46.179’ N and 123°34.654’ W, to a square white boundary sign on Saltspring Island SE of Burial Islet, near 48°45.992’ N and 123°33.777’ W, and southerly of a line from a square white boundary sign on Saltspring Island approximately 1.5 nautical miles ESE of Musgrave Point, near 48°43.982’ N and 123°31.418’ W, to a square white boundary sign on Vancouver Island approximately 0.5 nautical miles NW of Cherry Point, near 48°43.197’ N and 123°33.708’ W, there is a non-retention of chinook, August 1 to October 15.

In Subareas 18-6 to 18-8, 18-10 (Fulford Harbour, Satellite Channel, Shute Passage, Sansum Narrows), there is a non-retention of chinook, August 1 to October 15.

All Finfish, Including Salmon Closures and Special Measures

For other finfish limits, please visit the species and limits table.

In a portion of Sub-area 18-8, those waters of Cowichan Bay inside a line from a fishing boundary sign near Separation Point on Vancouver Island to Wilcuma Wharf are closed to fishing for all finfish from August 1 to October 31.
Map

In Subareas 18-7 and 18-8, that portion of Subarea 18-8 that lies easterly of a line from a square white boundary sign at Separation Point to a square white boundary sign at Wilcuma Wharf in Cowichan Bay; and that portion of Subarea 18-7 that lies southerly of a line from a square white boundary sign on Vancouver Island, near 48°46.179’N and 123°34.654’W, to a square white boundary sign on Saltspring Island SE of Burial Islet, near 48°45.992’N and 123°33.777’W, and northerly of a line from a square white boundary sign on Saltspring Island approximately 1.5 nautical miles ESE of Musgrave Point, near 48°43.982’N and 123°31.418’W, to a square white boundary sign on Vancouver Island approximately 0.5 nautical miles NW of Cherry Point, near 48°43.197’N and 123°33.708’W are closed to fishing for all finfish August 1 to October 15.

Rockfish Conservation Areas
Mayne Island North	Prevost Island North
Navy Channel	Bell Chain Islets
Maple Bay	Burgoyne Bay
Russell Island	Portland Island
Bedwell Harbour	South Saturna
Patey Rock	Coal Island

Finfish (Other than Salmon)

In Subarea 18-10, the waters of Fulford Harbour inside, or northwesterly of a line between a fishing boundary sign located near the navigation light and Jackson Rock on the north shore of Fulford Harbour, across to a boundary sign on the opposite shore, a single hook restriction applies from October 10 to January 15.

Halibut: recreational fishing for halibut is closed until further notice.

Sevengill shark, Shortfin mako, Common thresher, Bigeye thresher, Smooth hammerhead, Pacific angel shark and Pacific sleeper shark; Salmon shark: Effective June 1, 2011 until further notice:

• Sevengill shark, Shortfin mako, Common thresher, Bigeye thresher, Smooth hammerhead, Pacific angel shark and Pacific sleeper shark: The daily limit is zero (0).
• Salmon shark: The daily limit is one (1) and the possession limit is two (2).

Listed on 11/05/2011 FN0389

Lingcod: Closing Time Reminder: Fishing for lingcod will close October 1, 2011 until further notice. Listed on 20/09/2011 FN0918

Rockfish: Closing Time Reminder: Fishing for rockfish will close October 1, 2011 until further notice. Listed on 20/09/2011 FN0918

Shellfish

See the Shellfish Table for limits.
Please see important Additional Shellfish Information.

Be sure to check for both PSP and Sanitary Contamination Closures if you plan on consuming any shellfish.

Crab Gear Information: Subarea 18-10: The recreational crab fishery may use traps and handpicking by diving within the Fulford Harbour recreational access closure. Previously, recreational crab fishing in Subarea 18-10 was permitted only by ring-net and dip-net. The description of PFMA 18-10 is as follows: Those waters of Fulford Harbour inside a line that begins at 48°43.9982N 123°25.5332W [Isabella Point] then to 48o45.220'N 123o23.219'W [Eleanor Point] then following the shoreline to the beginning point. Listed on 27/04/2010 FN0316

Shellfish Contamination
Cowichan Bay; Long Harbour; Fulford Harbour; Ganges Harbour; Thieves Bay to Oak Bluffs; Bedwell Harbour; Hope Bay; Maple Bay; Horton Bay; Village Bay; Annette Inlet; Boot Cove; Northeast Saanich Peninsula; Madrona Bay; unnamed bays east of Fulford Harbour; Selby Cove; Port Browning; James Bay; 1.4km from Walker Spit; Cusheon Creek; Moresby Island; Shark Cove; and Burgoyne Bay.
May 31 to September 30: Reef Harbour and Princess Bay. Sanitary Closure maps

Dioxin contamination - Burgoyne Bay and Maple Bay
Consumption of crab hepatopancreas in Burgoyne Bay, Saltspring Island should not exceed 60 g/week; Maple Bay, 125 g/week.