Area 20

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 20 Map

All Species

Pacific Rim National Park Reserve
Portions of Areas 20-24, 121, 123 and 124: All tidal waters within the park are closed to scuba and skin diving for all species, all year.

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	45 cm	2	4	South of Cadboro Pt. Sheringham Pt.: 20	Apr 1-Mar 31	Hook & Line
	45 cm	2	4	West of Sheringham Pt.: 30	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.

* 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

Subareas 20-6 and 20-7: Sooke Inlet, Sooke Harbour and Sooke Basin, northerly of a line from Muir Point to Possession Point, non-retention of chinook is in effect August 1 to October 15.

All Finfish, Including Salmon Closures and Special Measures

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

Those waters that are inside a line that begins at a white square boundary sign located approximately 0.8 nautical miles west of Owen Point, then to 48°32.45’ north latitude and 124°32.05’ west longitude, then to the Port San Juan Light and Whistle Buoy, then to Woods Nose, then across Port San Juan to a white square boundary sign at 48°33.23’ north latitude and 124°28.55’ west longitude will be closed to all finfishing August 15 to Labour Day in September.

Finfish (Other than Salmon)

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.

Ecological Reserve
Harvesting of all shellfish is prohibited in these waters:
Botanical Beach: Those waters between the lowest tide level and the highest tide level between a fishing boundary sign 1,500 m northeast of San Juan Pt following the shoreline southeasterly to a fishing boundary sign 250 m west of the mouth of Tom Baird Creek.

Shellfish Contamination
Pedder Bay, Sooke Harbour, Sooke Basin and Becher Bay.