Overview of socio-economic concerns in Pacific Region fisheries and related regulations, policies and practices

On this page

• 1 Introduction
• 2 Methodology
• 3 Topics identified
• 4 Concerns raised in Pacific Region
• 5 Description of Pacific Region fisheries
• 6 Summary
• 7 List of tables and figures
• Appendices
  • Appendix 1 - List of reference material
  • Appendix 2 - Pacific Region commercial fisheries licensing rules and policies reference document
  • Appendix 3 - Pacific Region commercial fisheries profiles
• Footnotes

1 Introduction

1.1 Purpose

The purpose of this report is to summarize socio-economic information related to the management of commercial fisheries in Pacific Region. The report includes a description of specific concerns that have been identified from a variety of sources, such as the Canadian Independent Fish Harvesters Federation (CIFHF), the Standing Committee on Fisheries and Oceans (SCOFO) and the BC Wild Salmon Advisory Council report (September 2018). In addition to describing concerns, the report presents relevant information on fisheries management regulations, policies and practices that affect the distribution of benefits derived from the fisheries. DFO anticipates consulting with commercial fishing interests about the information and data contained in this report to ensure its relevance to important socio-economic concerns about commercial fisheries management and licensing.

1.2 Background

Bill C-68 proposes numerous changes to the Fisheries Act, including changes that are intended to affirm the ability of the Minister of Fisheries and Oceans to consider social, economic and cultural factors in the management of fisheries. In addition, a commitment has been made to pursue regulations that will enshrine elements of inshore fisheries policies on the Atlantic Coast.

Various stakeholders and representative groups have expressed concerns about the impacts of the current licencing and management regime in Pacific Region on independent commercial fishers and coastal communities, although views on this topic are diverse and divided among those involved with the commercial fishing industry. Some fishery stakeholders have pointed to inshore policies outlining owner/operator and fleet separation requirements in effect on Canada’s Atlantic coast as examples of commitments the Department has made to supporting independent fishers and coastal communities and suggested that more should be done in Pacific Region to achieve similar objectives. Others have stressed the differences in the evolution of fisheries on the Pacific Region compared to the Atlantic coast and expressed concern about the impacts that the introduction of such policies would have on existing fishery participants in the Pacific Region.

The Minister of Fisheries and Oceans has absolute discretion over the issuance of fishing licences as per the provisions in the Fisheries Act. The Minister also has authority to set conditions of licence and other requirements as outlined in the Pacific Fishery Regulations, 1993 and Fishery (General) Regulations, and Aboriginal Communal Fisheries Licences Regulations.

2 Methodology

Information presented in this document was gathered through a comprehensive review of documents, primarily those related to DFO’s management of commercial fisheries in Pacific Region. Specifically, the review entailed reviewing the following sources:

• Legislation, specifically the Fisheries Act
• Regulations, including the Pacific Fisheries Regulations, the Pacific Fishery Management Area Regulations, the Fishery (General) Regulations, the Atlantic Fishery Regulations and the Aboriginal Communal Fishery Licensing Regulations.
• Policies and guidelines, including the Commercial Fisheries Licencing Policy for Eastern Canada and the Pacific Region Commercial Fisheries Licencing Rules and Policies Reference Document
• In addition, programs such as the Allocation Transfer Program, the Pacific Integrated Commercial Fishery Initiative, the Pacific Fisheries Adjustment and Restructuring Program, the Pacific Salmon Revitalization Strategy were also reviewed, as were summary documents and many other internal reports and analyses.

A list of the reference documents is presented in Appendix 1.

3 Topics identified

A brief description of the socio-economic issues raised in relation to commercial fisheries in Pacific Region follows:

1. Foreign Ownership - The extent and impact of foreign ownership in Pacific Region fisheries.
2. Corporate Licence and Quota Holdings - The extent and impact of corporate (e.g., processing company) licence and quota holdings.
3. Concentration of Licences and Quota - Trends in the number of participants in commercial fishery harvesting, in particular that fewer people are currently involved in fisheries due to the concentration of fishing licences and quota held by individuals and companies.
4. Accessibility of the Fishery for New Entrants - The ability of new entrants to access fishing privileges and opportunities, given the cost of acquiring licences and quota^{Footnote 1}
5. Distribution of Commercial Fishing Income - Trends in income from commercial fishing and how it is shared among those involved (licence holders with licences and/or quota, vessel owners, vessel masters and crew). This is closely linked to the practice of temporary quota transfers.
6. Distribution of Participants, Assets and Infrastructure among B.C. Communities - The distribution of commercial fishery participants, assets and infrastructure among communities in B.C.
7. Certainty and Stability - The degree of certainty and stability in the commercial fisheries management regime in Pacific Region.
8. Investment - The security of investments made by current participants in commercial fishery assets. Many individual fishery participants have diversified to a range of fisheries and are heavily invested in their fishing related businesses, including vessels, gear, and the acquisition of quota or licences. Changes to the existing fisheries management system would have an impact on these investments.

4 Concerns raised in Pacific region

The topics described in Section 3 above have been grouped into the following three interrelated themes.

• Commercial Fisheries Access and Ownership
• Distribution of Benefits
• Shifting Economic Environment

This section provides additional information on concerns expressed regarding each of the above themes in the context of the Pacific Region. It is noteworthy that those involved in Pacific Region fisheries hold a wide range of views on these topics. Accordingly, the information presented in this section should not be interpreted as representative of Pacific Region fishery participants generally. Section 5 contains examples of various perspectives on some topics and situates specific concerns with the broader fisheries management context.

4.1 Commercial fisheries access and ownership

4.1.1 Foreign ownership

DFO’s Pacific Region licensing system does not consider the nationality of licence holders and vessel owners associated with a BC registered company. DFO is not the regulatory body over vessel ownership; rather, the responsibility lies with the Province of BC and Transport Canada. Accordingly, it is difficult to know precisely the extent to which fishing licences and associated quota are held by foreign entities. That said, concerns have been raised recently as illustrated by the following quote:

“Foreign control of ITQs is also increasing. It became serious when U.S.- based Pacific Seafood, one of the largest seafood companies in North America, purchased much of JS McMillan’s former groundfish trawl fleet and its ITQs. (Groundfish trawl involves multiple species such as cod, flounder, red snapper, sole and other rockfish which swim along the bottom of the ocean, and are taken by “dragging” or trawling; “groundfish trawl” species were ITQed as a group in 1997). More recently Chinese companies have begun acquiring groundfish vessels and their ITQs, and have a long-term lease on a plant in Bella Bella, for which they are seeking ITQs. Food security concerns in China suggest that this trend will continue.”^{Footnote 2}

Foreign ownership has been linked to several concerns: an interest in ensuring BC communities benefit from the fishery resources, the limits it may impose on the supply of available licenses for new entrants, and the potential for acquisitions by foreign entities to drive up the price of access.

Currently, DFO has no specific restrictions in place to prevent foreign entities from holding fishing licences and associated quota in Pacific Region. Transport Canada has controls in place regarding the citizenship of who may be a registered vessel owner. In addition, there are BC government Registry Services requirements that the company be registered with a BC address or be registered as an “extraprovincial” company (which allows a foreign entity to register in BC). More details are available from those agencies.

The following conditions concerning participation in Pacific commercial fisheries and vessel ownership are in effect.

• Every person on board a commercial fishing vessel must have a valid Fisher Registration Card (FRC). To obtain an FRC, a person must be a citizen, a permanent resident, a refugee, or the holder of a Working Holiday Visa/Employment Authorization.
• Commercial Fishing vessels must be registered with Transport Canada, which requires the owner to be:
  • a Canadian citizen, a permanent resident or a Canadian corporation; or,
  • In the case of a vessel owned by a corporation incorporated under the laws of a foreign state, an authorized representative must be:
    • a subsidiary of the corporation incorporated under Canadian law;
    • an employee or director in Canada of a branch office that is carrying on business in Canada; or,
    • a ship management company incorporated under Canadian law.

In Eastern Canada, the following provisions apply to foreign ownership.

1. “Subject to subsection (2), if foreign interests acquire over 49 percent of the common (voting) shares of a Canadian owned corporation which holds fishing licences, the licences will not be reissued to that corporation upon expiry of the licences.
2. If such a foreign corporation having a subsidiary in Canada which holds fishing licences is taken over by another foreign-owned corporation from the same country, the licences may be reissued to that corporation as part of its continuing Canadian operation (i.e. no net increase in foreign ownership).
3. If a foreign interest purchases a minority ownership interest in a Canadian corporation or establishes a jointly-owned subsidiary with a Canadian corporation in which the Canadian corporation owns more than half the voting shares, licence eligibility will not be affected.”^{Footnote 3}

4.1.2 Corporate licence and quota holdings

In 2013, there were approximately 7800 commercial fishing licences (held by vessels and parties) in Pacific Region of which 545 were identified as being held by processing companies. The distribution of licences among different groups of licence holders was as follows:

Information on the distribution of licences presented above is based on the Pacific Licensing System. Given that DFO does not require licence holders/vessel owners to divulge their ethnicity or affiliation with an Aboriginal organisation, these numbers do not fully reflect Aboriginal licence holdings. Note that while individuals are not required to divulge ethnicity, there is an exception, which is for those individuals who hold a reduced fee roe herring licence eligibility or who own a vessel that holds a reduced fee salmon licence eligibility. Reduced fee licenses are licence eligibilities held by an individual who has status under the Indian Act and who elect to pay a reduced fee for a salmon or roe herring licence eligibility. This is an irreversible election, but is one that can be made can be made at any time.

Note also that aboriginal band licenses can be communal commercial (category F) licenses and/or commercial licenses held by a First Nation/Group/Band or held on a vessel owned by a First Nation/Group/Band. The level of licence holdings by processing companies varies considerably from one fishery to another (e.g., there are many processor held licences in the salmon and herring fisheries but very few or none in other fisheries such as clams and crab).

Companies with 10 or more licences each held the majority of processor-held licences. This is shown in Table 1.

Table 1: Fish processing companies with 10 or more commercial fishing licences (number of licences)

In addition to licences that were identified as being held by processing companies, some of the individually held licences may be subject to controlling agreements with processing companies. Pacific Region does not track the use of controlling agreements; therefore the extent to which they may be used is unknown.

Some fishing licences held by processing companies (through ownership of vessels or as the party identified as licence holder) have associated quota to harvest species of fish that are managed using individual transferable quotas^{Footnote 5}. DFO records indicate the amount of quota associated with licences held by processors. However, as noted above some individually held licences might be subject to controlling agreements with processing companies. Moreover, since quota may be moved among licences and vessels over the course of each year for a variety of reasons, it is difficult to provide a comprehensive overview of the amount of quota held by processing companies through associated licences or vessels.

Currently, there are no specific restrictions in place to prevent processing companies from holding fishing licences and associated quota in Pacific Region. In this respect, the Pacific Region differs from the Atlantic coast where a fleet separation policy is in place.

4.1.3 Concentration of licences and quota

Concentration of licences and quota refers to individual fishers, aboriginal organizations, and companies or vessels accumulating limited entry fishing licences and/or fishing quota. The accumulation of licences with quota can be temporary or long term either through vessel replacement or licences designation. Given that the number of licences and the amount of associated quota is fixed, concentration results in some entities increasing their share of access to fisheries while others leave the fishery or reduce their level of access.

Over the past 25 years there has been a trend toward concentration of licences and quota in many Pacific Region fisheries. Concentration of access has, in some instances, resulted from government-funded licence retirement programs and in other instances has been encouraged by DFO to improve the economic performance of a fishery. Two examples illustrate this point. Table 2 shows that the total number of salmon licences has decreased significantly since 1995 due to government funded licence retirement programs and the extent to which those who remained in the fishery took advantage of stacking opportunities which allow flexibility for more than one salmon licence to be designated to the same vessel in order to fish in two or more separate areas. Table 3 shows the reduction in the number of active halibut vessels since the introduction of individual quotas. In this case, much of the reduction in active vessels can be attributed to seasonal temporary halibut quota transfers, or as permanent transfers as the fishery self-rationalises to adjust to the magnitude of the fishing opportunities available within the current TAC.

Table 2: Pacific salmon fishery

Table 3: Pacific halibut fishery

Several fisheries management features have either enabled or encouraged this trend, as described below:

Transferability of fishing licences and associated quota:

The Minister has absolute discretion over issuance of licences and may, for administrative efficiency, prescribe in policy those conditions or requirements under which a licence (and its associated quota) will be issued. Depending on whether the licence category is party based or vessel based, in most Pacific Region commercial fisheries there is an option to transfer licences from one party to another or one vessel to another. With a party based licence, upon request by the current licence holder, through a nomination process, a replacement licence may be issued to an eligible fisher as requested by the current licence holder. However, this nomination of a replacement licence holder provision does not apply to a number of fishing licences in Pacific Region such as herring spawn-on-kelp, clams, eulachon and Aboriginal Communal Commercial licences. For vessel-based licences, where the vessel holds the licence, an application is made by the vessel owner to replace the existing licensed vessel with a replacement vessel. There are vessel replacement rules, which vary within each fishery, but typically stipulate length restrictions to be met before replacement is authorized to ensure no increase if fishing capacity for fisheries managed by input controls (effort) rather than by Output controls (ITQs).

Temporary licence and quota reallocations

Temporary designations of licences or temporary quota reallocations are another avenue for the control of fishing licences and quota to change hands. Permissible temporary transfer arrangements vary among fisheries, but can occur for a single season or occur within the season. In some quota fisheries, such as groundfish, fishers use temporary quota reallocations to balance their catch and quota holdings (e.g., gaining sufficient access to “non-directed” species quota to enable the target species to be caught).

Licence stacking

Stacking refers to adding fishing licenses to a boat that already has a licence. In several fisheries, stacking was encouraged as a feature of broader fisheries management reforms. For example, in the commercial salmon fishery, area licensing and single gear licensing were introduced, along with the flexibility to stack licences, as means of helping achieve economic viability objectives (i.e., area licensing and single gear licensing reduced the number of vessels eligible to participate in a given fishery thereby lowering fishing capacity while licence stacking reduced the number of vessels in the fleet, reducing fixed capital costs and increasing the average catch per licence in the fishery). Another form of stacking involves placing licences from different fisheries on a single boat (e.g., fishing salmon and herring seine licences from one boat). Presently, in many fisheries, the licensing policy prevents a fishing boat holding multiple licences from having those licenses separated. This helps prevent an increase in fleet capacity.

Relatively few restrictions to limit concentration

In Pacific Region there are some restrictions on the number of fishing licences held by a vessel or a party and on the amount of quota that can be held on the licences. These limits are primarily in certain groundfish fisheries. For example, there is a cap on the amount of quota an individual halibut licence can have on it (1% of the total). However, this type of restriction does not apply in all fisheries. Also, with very limited specific exceptions, there are no owner/operator provisions currently in effect in Pacific Region.^{Footnote 7}

4.1.4 Accessibility of the fishery to new entrants

Given that the vast majority of commercial fishing licences in Pacific Region are subject to limited entry licensing and many fisheries are managed using some form of individual quotas, new entrants to the fishery (excluding crew) generally have to gain access by purchasing a vessel with licence(s) and associated quota, or by transferring a licence and associated quota from another vessel. With respect to First Nations communal commercial fisheries, ongoing programs (e.g., Allocation Transfer Program and Pacific Integrated Commercial Fisheries Initiative) are funded by the federal government to acquire licences and quota from the general commercial fishery through voluntary, market based relinquishment programs and to reissue acquired licences and associated quota as communal commercial licences to provide to First Nations organisations.

There are relatively few restrictions on who is eligible to acquire a limited entry fishing licence or quota in Pacific Region fisheries compared to some parts of Atlantic Canada. For example, some Atlantic coast fisheries require new entrants to first participate as a crewmember before being eligible to acquire a limited entry fishing licence. As well, in some fisheries the prospective licence holder must live adjacent to the fishing area. In contrast, these licensing provisions are not in effect in Pacific Region. The most significant factor affecting accessibility of a fishery to new entrants in Pacific Region is the cost of acquiring fishing licences, quota, a vessel or fishing gear. As quota can only be held by a licence holder, this also restricts access.

The two parties involved in the transaction determine the cost incurred by a new entrant to acquire a fishing licence and quota. In effect, the value of licences and quota is determined by market forces (supply and demand) and generally reflects the expected earning potential associated with the fisheries access. As a result, the cost of licences and quota vary considerably from one fishery to another (i.e., the cost of gaining access to a lucrative fishery is higher than the cost of access to a marginal fishery) or from one year to another, based on expectations and market conditions for that fishery’s product. For example, halibut licence values have regularly seen an annual swing of more than 10% in either direction. Comparing halibut licence value from 2007 to 2012 would show a relatively constant value in inflation adjusted terms, while looking at 2017 value shows a 52% decrease in real value (Figure 1a). On the other hand, halibut quota prices have seen a general upward trend, consistent with the increasing market price for halibut, with quota value being, on average, approximately twice the harvesters’ dockside price since 2007. As a result of this variation, financial barriers to entry into the fisheries or costs for existing participants can sometimes be significant in some, but not all fisheries. Details regarding trends in estimated licence and quota values are available at this website

DFO commissions an annual estimate of the market value of licences and quota and, where feasible, ensures that government programs are not paying more than “fair market value” for fisheries access it acquires to transfer to First Nations. DFO does not take action to deliberately manipulate the market or control the cost of licences and quota. In some cases, however, due in part to a shortage of available licences, and in order to accommodate First Nations interests under reconciliation, DFO occasionally pays near the top of the valuation range. Information on recent changes in the cost of fisheries access is presented in Figure 1, with Figure 1a showing changes in licence values and Figure 1b showing changes in quota values and lease rates.

Figure 1a

Changes in Licence Value (note different Y axis values)

Figure 1b

Changes in value of quota and cost of quota Leasing

4.2 Distribution of benefits

4.2.1 Distribution of commercial fishing income

Limited entry licensing restricts access to the vast majority of Pacific Region commercial fisheries and many fisheries operate under some form of individual quotas. These fisheries management features provide licence holders and vessel owners’ privileged access to public resources. Various stakeholders have raised concerns about how the revenue derived from the harvest and sale of fish is being shared among participants (e.g., licence holders, vessels owners, vessel master and/or crew). In particular, some individuals and groups involved in Pacific fisheries believe that more should be done to achieve a fair and equitable distribution of benefits by ensuring that:

• participants in the fishery remain independent;
• the revenue generated from the fishery remain with active fishers rather than licence holders/vessel owners who transfer them on a temporary basis (“armchair fishermen”); and,
• the benefits generated by the fishery remain in local communities.

A brief description of the main factors that currently affect the distribution of benefits from Pacific Region fisheries follows.

Temporary transfer of licences and quota

DFO does not directly control or monitor how fishing revenue is shared between the licence holder, the vessel owner, the vessel master and the crew. However, DFO is aware that the practice of temporary designations of licences or reallocations of quota affects revenue sharing arrangements. For example, a vessel owner may pass along some of the cost associated with temporarily acquiring licences and quota to the crew, thereby altering previously established crew shares.

Concentration of Fishing Licences and Quota – As noted above, there are fewer active fishing vessels in Pacific Region now compared to 25 years ago. Some of the reduction in active fishing vessels is attributed to licence stacking, which has an impact on the distribution of revenue derived from the fishery (e.g., when a vessel leaves the fishery and its licence is stacked on an existing licensed vessel, fishing revenue becomes more concentrated).

Allocation of harvest shares among fishing fleets

In some competitive fisheries, the licensing regime and the approach to allocating the available harvest are designed to segregate different fleet types. For example, in the commercial salmon fishery, the three gear types each have their own licence category (gillnet, seine and troll) and the allocation framework defines shares for each fleet by salmon species and fishery production area. This approach to managing the fishery affects the distribution of revenue (e.g., prevents competition among the fleets that vary in terms of vessel size and catching capacity).

Allocation of Individual Quota – The approach to allocating individual quota among licence holders affects the distribution of revenue from the fishery. For example, in some fisheries the annual quota is allocated equally among all licence holders while in other fisheries each licence holder receives a different allocation (originally based on a variety of factors such as historical catch and vessel characteristics). In the groundfish trawl fishery, a portion of the total annual quota is allocated annually on the basis of (i) joint proposals submitted by a processor and one or more groundfish trawl licensed vessel owner to achieve employment stabilization, economic development and benefits in coastal communities and (ii) promoting fair treatment of crew and safe vessel operation. This approach to allocating groundfish quota is directly linked to social objectives for the fishery and is coordinated by the Groundfish Development Authority, an industry-lead body that provides recommendations to DFO on the allocation of this portion of the quota.

Various Restrictions on Fishing Effort – A variety of restrictions on fishing effort are used in Pacific Region commercial fisheries, including time and area closures, gear size requirements, soak times and haul limits for some trap fisheries, licence pooling, etc. While these restrictions are generally designed to prevent overfishing they can also affect the distribution of harvests and revenue from the fishery.

4.2.2 Distribution of participants, assets and infrastructure among B.C. communities

This section presents an overview of information regarding where participants in the fishery reside, where processing activity occurs and where support businesses are located.

Where commercial fishery participants reside

While most participants in B.C. commercial fisheries reside in urban areas, the fishing industry makes an important contribution to the economies of many coastal communities in B.C., including numerous First Nations communities. Figure 2 presents information on the home residence of individuals earning fishing income (based on tax filer data). In 2012, over 4,000 people in B.C. reported fishing income as an employee, self-employed or both. The majority of those reporting fishing income (55%) resided in greater Vancouver (29%), Nanaimo (14%) and Victoria (12%). All of the other participants in the fishery resided in smaller communities in B.C., such as Haida Gwaii, and the north and west coast of Vancouver Island. Fishing income is an important component of those smaller communities given that their economies are less diversified compared to larger population centres.

Figure 2

Distribution of Employment in the BC Commercial Fishery in 2012

Where fish processing occurs

At one time, fish processing was widely distributed along the B.C. coast. For example, during the mid-twentieth century there were over 50 salmon canneries in operation along the coast located in areas close to the major raw fish supply sources. Over time, the industry rationalized into its present configuration with the vast majority of processing taking place in the Lower Mainland. The driving forces behind this rationalization include the significant economies of scale in canning, shifts in market demand (away from a canned, and towards fresh/frozen) as well as improvements in transportation and refrigeration on vessels and in plants. Much of the wild fishery catch is exported and proximity to the transportation hubs in the Lower Mainland has been a driving force for processor concentration in that area.Figure 3 shows how commercial fish processing is presently distributed.

Figure 3

Distribution of employment in the BC commercial fish processing industry in 2017

Currently, the main government action affecting the distribution of participants, assets and infrastructure within the Pacific Region are related to enhancing First Nations participation in commercial fisheries. The proportion of commercial fishing licences held by Aboriginal organizations has been increasing over the past 25 years and First Nations communal commercial access now represents about one-third of all commercial fishing licences in B.C. Figure 4 shows the level of communal commercial access by fishery.

Figure 4

First Nations communal commercial fisheries access

In addition, government funding has been dedicated to supporting First Nations commercial fishing enterprises, including management and administration, fish handling and processing. Specifically, in the most recent 4 fiscal years (2015/16, to 2018/19, inclusive), government has invested in excess of $18 million, to support diversification of commercial fishing enterprises in First Nation communities, not including licenses and quotas. For reference, during the same period, the government invested $25 million in access in the form of licenses and quota.

Aside from the government support to First Nations described above, DFO programs are not generally designed to affect the distribution of participants, assets and infrastructure within the Pacific Region though there are exceptions, such as the Groundfish Development Quota referenced above. For example, an individual does not need to be a resident of B.C. or live adjacent to the fishery to participate in it. This differs from Atlantic Canada where there are residency requirements in place. Also, while the proportion of commercial fishing licences held by First Nations has increased, there are no residency requirements associated with those licences. DFO is aware that, in some instances, non-aboriginal fishers use First Nations commercial communal licences through temporary transfer arrangements as a way to generate revenue for the First Nation community.

4.3 Shifting economic environment

4.3.1 Certainty and stability

Factors that affect the overall performance of commercial fisheries, including its certainty and stability, are largely beyond the control of government. In particular, fish populations are subject to highly variable environmental conditions that can lead to large population fluctuations. In addition, global markets affect the price of fish and therefore fishing revenue and fishing costs vary based on market conditions as well (e.g., price of fuel). Within this context, however, there are a number of government actions that do affect certainty and stability, including the following.

Changes in the number of licences eligible to participate in the fishery

In some instances the number of licences eligible to participate in a fishery has changed. For example, government-funded voluntary licence retirement programs significantly reduced the size of the commercial salmon fishery in the 1990s thereby increasing the average revenue per licence in subsequent years. In contrast, the addition of new herring spawn-on-kelp licences in the late 1980’s resulted in a significant increase in total production and a decrease in the price per tonne of product.

Allocation policies

Many Pacific commercial fisheries have formal allocation policies in place describing how the available harvest will be shared among various user groups. For example, the 1999 Pacific Salmon Allocation Policy guides annual decisions in Pacific Region by establishing clear allocation priorities between fishery sectors (First Nations food, social and ceremonial fisheries, commercial fisheries and recreational fisheries). There have been some updates to elements of the policy and how it is implemented (e.g., in 2015 the Commercial Salmon Allocation Framework specifying sharing arrangements within the commercial sector was updated). Changes to allocation polices can have a significant impact on the certainty and stability for a given fishery and tend to be controversial. For example, in 2012 when the policy guiding halibut allocations between the commercial and recreational fishery was changed in favour of the recreational sector there was a strong reaction from the commercial sector, including a legal challenge to the policy change.

Third party mitigation

Related to increasing First Nations participation – In a variety of fisheries, DFO obtains commercial licences and associated quota on a willing seller-willing buyer basis from existing licence holders/vessel owners. These licences and quota are then reissued as communal commercial licences and provided to Aboriginal groups. This approach to increasing First Nations’ participation in commercial fisheries provides certainty and stability to other licence holders (i.e., increased First Nations participation does not diminish the access of remaining regular commercial fishery participants).

4.3.2 Investment

A significant amount of private sector investment has been made in Pacific Region fisheries. Many industry participants have addressed the risk of having a poor season in one fishery, as well as the fact that many fisheries cannot individually provide adequate opportunities to serve as a sole source of income, by diversifying their business into multiple licences across a range of fisheries. As a result, many individuals are heavily invested in the fishery and are concerned about the security of their investments if there are changes to the existing fisheries management system that favour social objectives over economic efficiency.

Figure 5

Aggregate licence and quota values across fisheries

5 Description of Pacific Region fisheries

This section elaborates on the current fisheries management structures and supporting licencing policies and guidelines that exist in the Pacific Region. It describes general requirements that apply broadly to all fisheries and subsequently examines particular management requirements for each group of fisheries. Fisheries are grouped by management category into: Salmon, Pelagic Species, Groundfish and Invertebrates. Specific examples that may affect or impact socio-economic concerns are provided.

5.1 General licensing requirements

5.1.1 Fishers Registration Card

Anyone who is on board a commercial fishing vessel, whether or not they are engaged in commercial fishing activities, must, by law, have a Fishers Registration Card (FRC). In order to obtain an FRC, an applicant, must be over the age of 16, and must be one of:

• a Canadian Citizen
• a Permanent Resident
• a refugee,
• or a holder of a working holiday visa/employment authorization

An FRC is not required for persons under 16 years, or for persons on communal commercial licensed vessels. In the case of communal commercial licences, participants must be on a list of designated persons from the authorizing First Nation.

5.1.2 Vessel based vs. party based licensing

Some fisheries are subject to vessel based licensing rules while others are subject to party based rules. Vessel based licences were initiated in the salmon fishery at the beginning of limited entry as a means to control the capacity of the individual vessels in the fleet.

Under vessel based licensing, a vessel holds the licence eligibility so the vessel owner(s) may apply for the licence and have control of licensing transactions. Most vessel based licence categories are limited entry with limited vessel size.

Under party based licensing, an individual, a First Nation or a company may apply for the licence and have control of licensing transactions holds. Most party based licences are limited entry and are annually designated to vessels holding a vessel based licence eligibility.

5.1.3 Vessel length restrictions

A “foot for foot” replacement rule that limits the capacity of the vessel that may be used is currently in place for some fisheries (i.e. salmon, Schedule II species, prawn, crab and shrimp trawl). Where a maximum vessel length (MVL) has been incorporated, the licence eligibility may not be designated or placed on a vessel with an overall vessel length that exceeds the established MVL. For USA68 tuna, licence eligibility cannot be transferred to a vessel that is longer than the vessel relinquishing the eligibility. These policies enforcing length restrictions and marrying of licenses were established to maintain fleet capacity and limit catch and effort. Over time, there have been many changes to the management of specific fisheries, such as management practices to control effort (i.e. limited entry, area/gear restrictions, individual quota, pooling arrangements, limited openings).

5.1.4 “Marriage” rules

When multiple licences are placed on a vessel, they become linked in perpetuity, or “married”. The licence eligibilities that are married may not be separated. This serves to limit the creation of additional fishing effort, especially in fisheries under input control style management, and in particular, where the licence eligibilities have access to Schedule II species privileges while not increasing the overall number of vessels within the fleet. Exceptions may occur within fisheries managed under a individual transferrable quota regime, such as geoduck, sablefish, halibut and groundfish trawl fisheries because output management controls are in place.

5.1.5 First Nations rights based commercial fisheries

Rights based commercial fisheries exist in certain cases where individual First Nations have demonstrated a Section 35 right to harvest and sell fish. These rights are specific to the First Nation in question.

Five Nuu-chah-nulth First Nations located on the West Coast of Vancouver Island - Ahousaht, Ehattesaht, Hesquiaht, Mowachaht/Muchalaht, and Tla-o-qui-aht (the Five Nations) - have Aboriginal rights to fish within their Fishing Territories and to sell that fish for all species except geoduck. The Heiltsuk on the central coast also have a right to commercial harvest of herring spawn-on-kelp. The Maa-nulth Treaty First Nations’ final agreement includes a provision for the right of sale, which may be triggered under specific circumstances. The Nisga’a Treaty First Nations’ final agreement also includes the provisions for the right to sell salmon under specific circumstances.

Where changes to allocations are required to implement the establishment of rights based fishing opportunities, the government has taken steps to acquire an equivalent amount of access from licence holders in the regular commercial fishery and re-issue that access through Communal Commercial Licences. Referred to as Category F licenses in cases where they operate as a component of the general fishery, communal commercial licences are party based with the First Nation listed as the licence eligibility holder. In the lower Fraser, Somass, and Skeena Rivers and the Five Nations Fishing Territories on the west coast of Vancouver Island, DFO issues communal commercial licenses to enable wide community participation beyond that of the category F licences. Communal Commercial licences cannot be transferred or sold, but any quota holdings associated with a communal commercial licence may be temporarily transferred (leased) to any eligible licence holder. Quota leasing is an important income generator for many First Nation communities.

5.2 Fishery specific requirements

5.2.1 Salmon

There are five species of anadromous salmon in Pacific Region that are subject to commercial harvest, including sockeye, coho, pink, chum and chinook, made up of thousands of individual populations spread over the entire coast.

The commercial fisheries for salmon are comprised of three gear types: gillnet, troll and seine. Each gear type is licensed separately in one of three licence areas for gillnet and troll, or one of two licence areas for seine fisheries. Salmon licences are vessel based. Salmon are generally managed using a combination of input controls^{Footnote 8}, including time and area closures, gear limitations, and vessel size restrictions to achieve a conservation objective. The conservation objectives are generally a specific escapement objective. Alternatively, conservation objectives may be expressed as a target exploitation rate, or in some cases, even a form of quota. In either case the target exploitation rate or quota will almost certainly be derived seasonally from the escapement objectives. Salmon populations are notoriously difficult to forecast, and therefore a considerable amount of management effort, including monitoring escapements and analyzing catch information, is invested as the season progresses, in order to fine-tune estimates of abundance to determine progress towards achieving the conservation objective, while still allowing for harvest.

Concentration of licences and quota

A significant issue throughout the history of the salmon fishery has been overcapitalization and overcapacity. This means that there have frequently been more licensed vessels than the salmon populations can support in any given year. Over the years, government has made a series of concerted efforts to control and reduce the capacity of the salmon fleet, beginning with the licence limitation program in the late 1960s. In March 1996, the government announced the Pacific Salmon Revitalization Strategy. Commonly referred to as the "Mifflin Plan," its stated objectives were:

1. Sustainable development and salmon conservation with the goal of ensuring that the salmon resources currently enjoyed will be protected for future generations.
2. Bringing the commercial salmon fishery closer in line with the principles of sound business practices.
3. Increasing the accountability of the constituent stakeholders in the Pacific salmon fishery by sharing with them the responsibility of resource development.

This plan to revitalize the west coast commercial salmon fishery included voluntary licence retirement, area licencing and single gear licensing (each licence holder was required to choose one gear type and one area). These gear and area licences were eligible for “stacking,” meaning that a vessel could have more than one licence, thereby encouraging an overall reduction in the fleet. The result of voluntary licence retirement and stacking was a reduction of the total number of salmon licences from approximately 4400 during the 1991-94 base period to a total of 2114 salmon licences distributed among 1269 salmon vessels in 2014. Licence stacking was controversial when it was introduced and a vote was conducted to determine whether it would continue. The vote results indicated that 73 % of vessel owners supported its continuation. It was favoured by 70% of the troll licence holders voting, by 71% of the gill net voters, and by 85% of the seine voters.

Distribution of commercial fishing income

Distribution of salmon harvest among the various fleet sectors and licence areas is guided by the Commercial Salmon Allocation Framework (CSAF), which states that allocation is not at the vessel level; but rather is based on defined shares for commercial fleets at the species, fleet and fishery production areas. Initial allocations were established to balance fishing opportunities for the various gear types. The arrangement is in place for a period of 5 years starting in 2015 with provisions to review the allocations after year 4. The CSAF is an element of the more encompassing general Salmon Allocation Policy which provides for priority access to First Nations Food, Social and Ceremonial (FSC) needs as a priority, second only to conservation needs. Recreational and commercial harvest come after conservation and First Nations Food, Social, and Ceremonial harvest in the list of priorities. Commercial salmon harvest has priority access to 95% of sockeye, pink and chum salmon available for harvest, while the recreational community has priority access to chinook and coho. Note that recent court decisions in the Ahousaht case regarding First Nation rights to will necessitate updating of the policy.

In addition, commercial salmon allocation is based on equal access opportunity for all licences, both active and inactive, since there is no way to predict whether any given licence will be active or inactive in any given year.

Certainty and stability

In recent years, the department has worked collaboratively with the commercial industry to develop a more enabling licensing regime for harvesting commercial salmon. This has been done through the Commercial Salmon Allocation Framework. The goal has been for the salmon fishing industry to be able to more readily respond to changing market conditions and lower salmon abundance.

Another significant contribution to certainty and stability comes from the stability in the number of licences issued annually. As has been noted elsewhere, virtually all fisheries on the Pacific coast are classified as limited entry, and salmon is no exception. The government does not tend to change the number of commercial licences that are available in response to increased abundance of fish populations, nor does it ordinarily issue fewer licences when abundances are low.

5.2.2 Pelagic species

The group of species known as Pelagics includes herring, sardine, eulachon, and tuna. Commercial sardine and eulachon fisheries are closed due to low stock levels, and will therefore not form part of this discussion. Tuna is a notable exception to what has been noted above regarding the majority of Pacific fisheries being limited entry or having output controls. No tuna fisheries or licences have limits on catch (i.e. no quotas or TAC). The Section 68 High Seas licence for tuna is open access and CT tuna licence is available to any licence holder with Schedule II privileges. Only the USA68 tuna licence is limited access; consequently only this licence category is discussed below. The Special Use herring fishery is also open access, up to a set quota.

Herring are harvested in five separate fisheries: roe herring seine, roe herring gillnet, herring spawn-on-kelp, food and bait herring, and special use herring. All are party based licences managed using a range of input controls together with some output controls. The herring fisheries are managed in five major and two minor stock areas. A commercial maximum harvest level is established for each area, with allocations distributed across the five commercial herring fisheries in an expected use table.

It is noteworthy that an owner/operator restriction was initially part of the 1972/73 limited entry roe herring licencing program. The intent of this restriction was to limit transferability and thereby reduce the overall herring fleet through attrition. The original intention was that changes in the licence holdings were to be allowed once the desired number of vessels was reached. The anticipated attrition did not occur for a number of reasons, including that some licences were issued to companies, and effective changes in the holders of these licences occurred through sale of the company. In addition, changes in licence holdings of elderly or deceased fishers by transfer to family members were granted through a Ministerial appeal process. In 1979, the owner/operator requirement was dropped from the licence because of enforcement difficulties, and the lack of effectiveness in delivering on objectives (for more details on this refer to the Roe Herring section of Appendix 3.

As noted in previous sections, the Spawn-on-Kelp herring fishery does not allow transfer of licences to different owners. The intent of this measure was to protect First Nations participation in this fishery. Originally, licences were intended to revert back to DFO when the holder retired from the commercial fishery, and DFO could decide whether or not to re-issue the licence and to whom. However, since 1975, changes to the eligibility holder have been permitted through Ministerial appeal in the case of the death of a licence holder. In addition, some spawn-on-kelp licence holders having signed long-term lease agreements (99 years) in order to divest from the fishery.

A bilateral treaty between Canada and the United States specific to Pacific Albacore Tuna governs the limited access in the USA68 tuna fishery. To be eligible for a USA68 licence a vessel must be on the ranked eligibility list, which is limited to 179 eligibilities. This list was established by the Department in 2005 based on licence history and previous participation in the tuna fishery in USA waters and after and the results of an independent licence appeal process. The original list was a ranking of 179 unique vessels; however, through transfers, some vessels now hold multiple eligibilities. The total number of Canadian vessels permitted to fish for tuna in USA waters is established through the treaty regime that is typically negotiated for three-year intervals. The specific vessels permitted in USA waters follow the ranking of the list. From 2009-2011 vessels with eligibilities 1 through 110 had access to the fishery in USA waters. Under the current regime this is limited to vessels with eligibilities 1 through 45.

Concentration of licences and quota

In the roe herring seine fleet, pooling arrangements were adopted in 1998 in order to control the catching capacity and reduce catch overages. The pooling management regime requires licence holders to annually group into a minimum block of eight seine licences, each with the same quota, which is then grouped together to form the pool’s quota. The fishing may be undertaken by any of the vessels in a pool. As a result fewer vessels than the total number of licences participate, and this has led to more controlled fisheries with limited fishery catch overages. This process was initiated in 1997 as a pilot for the herring roe gillnet fishery, in a minimum block of four gillnet licences.

5.2.3 Groundfish species

The Groundfish fisheries are actually a group consisting of seven distinct fisheries operating under five licence categories and within the context of a single Integrated Fisheries Management Plan. Groundfish fisheries are managed primarily using output controls in the form of individual transferrable quotas. Commercial groundfish licences are all vessel based licences, except hook and line rockfish, which is party based. All communal commercial groundfish licences are party based. These fisheries all have specific target species, but also have the capacity to harvest large numbers of non-target species, many of which are not suitable to live release. For example, the mortality of released rockfish, which may be caught in any of the groundfish fisheries, is estimated to be 100%.

To address these issues, and to create a more sustainable and selective fishery, the Department and groundfish stakeholders worked in collaboration to develop an integrated groundfish management regime. This served to bring all groundfish fisheries under a single management regime.

This approach to managing total fisheries mortality has two key characteristics: accountability (documenting all catch) and responsibility (acquiring ITQ to account for mortality of all legal/marketable sized groundfish that are managed under ITQs). Vessels are individually accountable for their catch; both retained and released at-sea, regardless of whether the catch was targeted or bycatch. This approach is heavily dependant on individual transferable quotas (ITQs) and provisions that allow quota to be transferred within and between groundfish fleets to cover off any catch. Other features of the integrated groundfish plan include 100% monitoring both dockside and at-sea, using either observers or electronic monitoring devices and cameras. This integrated groundfish management regime has been in place since April 2006.

Concentration of licences and quota

Rules have been established that limit the amount of ITQ that may move between groundfish fisheries and held on a groundfish licence. Industry representatives recommend quota limits to the Department based on consensus decisions made via a groundfish industry advisory process. ITQ limits vary by fishery and are reviewed annually. In-season adjustments occur frequently for non-directed species in response to observed catch.

Halibut: licences are subject to annual ITQ limits for directed and non-directed species. Specifically, licences can hold up to 1% of the halibut TAC, and nondirected species are generally limited by the amount of catch the licence has already accrued (i.e. additional ITQ cannot be acquired until the current ITQ has been caught).

Lingcod: licences are subject to annual ITQ limits for directed and non-directed species. Specifically, licences can hold up to 5% of the Lingcod TAC, and no more than 10% of the TAC in a given management area. Non-directed species are limited by the amount of Lingcod ITQ held. For some scarce non-directed species, licences are limited by the amount of catch the licence has already accrued (i.e. additional ITQ cannot be acquired until the current ITQ has been caught).

Dogfish: licences are subject to annual ITQ limits for directed and non-directed species. Specifically, licences can hold up to approximately 800,000 pounds of Dogfish ITQ (approximately 3.7% of the TAC). Non-directed species are limited by the amount of Dogfish ITQ held. For some scarce non-directed species, licences are limited by the amount of catch the licence has already accrued (i.e. additional ITQ cannot be acquired until the current ITQ has been caught).

Sablefish, Rockfish: licences are subject to annual ITQ limits for directed and nondirected species. Specifically, licences can only hold up to a fixed quota for directed and most non-directed species. For some scarce non-directed species, licences are limited by the amount of catch the licence has already accrued (i.e. additional ITQ cannot be acquired until the current ITQ has been caught).

Groundfish trawl: licences are subject to annual ITQ limits for more than 30 key species that are based on a share of the TAC. In addition, each groundfish trawl licence is subject to a vessel-specific vessel holdings cap, which is a limit that applies to the total sum of ITQ held.

Vessel holdings caps were calculated for each groundfish trawl licence in 1997 during the first year of the trawl ITQ program. These holdings caps have been subject to increases to reflect the addition of new species to the program and to allow for modernization of the fleet. In 2011 DFO and industry agreed to a two-step approach to allow a 25% increase in individual vessel’s holdings cap. The first 15% increase was implemented during the 2011 season followed by a final 10% increase in the 2012 season. Species-specific ITQ limits that are based on a share of the TAC are reviewed annually and are subject to in-season adjustments.

Distribution of commercial fishing income

DFO allocates 10% of each groundfish trawl TAC to licensed vessel owners as Code of Conduct Quota (CCQ). It is intended to promote fair treatment of crew and safe vessel operation under the quota program. Each groundfish trawl licence receives their CCQ quota at the beginning of the year, but the Minister may alter this allocation as a result of advice from the Groundfish Development Authority (see below) regarding a vessel’s compliance with the general principles set for the CCQ.

Distribution of participants, assets and infrastructure among B.C. Communities

The Groundfish Development Authority (GDA) was established in 1997 as a result of an agreement reached between Canada and British Columbia, to include the Coastal Communities Network and fishing industry participants in a process that would provide advice on the evolving west coast groundfish fishery.

Up to 10% of each groundfish trawl TAC can be allocated as Groundfish Development Quota to licensed vessel owners, on the basis of joint proposals submitted by a processor and one or more licensed vessel owners to achieve employment stabilization, economic development and benefits in coastal communities. Proposals are evaluated by the GDA, which consists of an industry Board of Directors, who in turn make recommendations to DFO about the allocation of the TACs.

Certainty and stability

In general terms, the adoption of output management controls in the groundfish fisheries has served to extend seasons, eliminate the race to the fish, and increase prices, since fish can be landed fresher and in response to market demand. It has also created improved working conditions and general safety. A March 2008 study on employment impacts of ITQ fisheries in Pacific Canada noted, “Crew safety has improved under ITQ management. Vessels are no longer forced to “race for the fish” and fish 24 hours a day, have a sleepdeprived crew and compromise safety. In addition, on bad weather days the vessel operator can decide not to fish without incurring a revenue penalty.”

5.2.4 Invertebrates

The invertebrate species represent another large and very diverse group of fisheries, including: trap fisheries for crab, shrimp and prawns; dive fisheries for sea cucumbers, sea urchins and geoduck and horseclams; trawl fisheries for shrimp, scallops and euphausiids; and by hand for intertidal clams and wild oysters. With the exception of Prawn and Shrimp by trap, Crab, geoduck and shrimp by trawl, which are all vessel based licences, these fisheries are all party based licences.

Each have a relatively unique management approach dictated by the biology of the target species. Some, including euphausiids, sea cucumbers, red sea urchins, green sea urchins, shrimp trawl, scallop trawl as well as geoduck and horseclams are all managed by output controls in the form of individual and /or area quotas. The others are managed using a collection of input controls, including trap limits, size limits, closed times, spawner indices and limits on retention of males/females.

Concentration of licences and quota

Crab and Prawn: licence holders select an area to fish for a three-year period. Area and licence trap limits are in place for each area and in some cases licence stacking is allowed subject to certain conditions (e.g., a reduction in the number of traps that can be used). This is a method that provides economies of scale to the licence holder and reduces overall effort in the fishery. Other relevant measures include gear size requirements, daily fishing time restrictions, soak times (max 18 days) and weekly haul limits.

Accessibility of the fishery for new entrants

Geoduck : TAC was initially divided equally between licences in the form of quota blocks which have been transferable between vessels either permanently or temporarily since 2012. A maximum of 5 quota blocks may be transferred between geographic quota regions. The establishment of smaller transferable quota blocks in geoduck in 2012 was a significant change, which resulted in potentially lower costs to enter the fishery as well as providing increased flexibility for participants.

Distribution of commercial fishing income

A number of existing management measures can have an effect on the distribution of commercial fishing income in some shellfish fisheries. Some of these measures are designed to support conservation objectives, while others are included at the request of industry participants for marketing reasons. For example:

Shrimp trawl: Total allowable catch ceilings and decision rules by species and Shrimp Management Area may affect income distribution, but are intended as conservation objectives.

Prawn/shrimp by trap: relevant measures include seasonal and area closures, gear limits, daily fishing time restrictions, and a single haul limit which may affect income distribution, but are intended to support conservation objectives. Similarly, the constraint against using both trawl and trap gear on the same trip is intended to support conservation objectives, but also affects income distribution.

Red Sea urchin: The fishery may open and close based on market demand and completion of area quotas. Area quotas are divided equally between eligible licences in area.

Sea cucumber: Harvest is by hand picking while diving. The fishery operates under a Total Allowable Catch (TAC) with area based licensing and Individual Quotas (IQ). Licences are stackable without penalty. While these measures may affect income distribution, their intent is to support achievement of conservation objectives and conduct of an orderly fishery.

Clams: Openings may be 1 to 4 days in duration and are reliant on market conditions, water quality and weather. Commercial harvesters may only use hand tools.

6 Summary

The information presented in this report focuses on socio-economic aspects of commercial fisheries management in Pacific Region. It describes specific concerns that have been identified from a variety of sources and relevant information on fisheries management regulations, policies and practices that affect the distribution of benefits derived from the Pacific fisheries. In certain cases, where the information is available, the report notes differences between practices in Atlantic Canada and those on the Pacific coast.

7 List of Tables and figures

• Table 1: Fish processing companies with 10 or more commercial fishing licences
• Table 2: Salmon licence distribution
• Table 3: Halibut licence distribution
• Figure 1a: Changes in licence value
• Figure 1b: Changes in quota value
• Figure 2: Distribution of employment in the BC commercial
• Figure 3: Distribution of employment in the BC fish processing industry
• Figure 4: First nation access
• Figure 5: Cost of access

Appendix 1 - List of reference material

1. Fisheries Act, 1985
2. Aboriginal Communal Fishing Licences Regulations
3. Atlantic Fishery Regulations, 1985
4. Fishery General Regulations
5. Pacific Fishery Management Area Regulations, 2007
6. Pacific Fishery Regulations, 1993
7. Summer 2018 Consultation document – Amendments aimed at preserving the independence of commercial inshore and coastal licence holders
8. Bill C-68, An Act to amend the Fisheries Act
9. Commercial Fisheries Licencing Policy for Atlantic Canada – 1996
10. An undated Information Note regarding PIIFCAF from the DFO website
11. Pacific Region Snapshot of Pacific Commercial Fisheries Draft January 22
12. Pacific Coast Commercial Licensing Policy Review: A Proposed Framework, June 2002
13. Fishing Communities in Transition
14. Fishing for Money – Challenges and Opportunities in the BC Salmon Fishery Final Report prepared for the BC Job Protection Commission, June 10, 1998
15. Economic Impacts of Pacific Salmon Fisheries. Prepared for the Pacific Salmon Commission, July 2017
16. BC Fisheries then and now - Stats BC
17. Commercial Fisheries Licensing Rules and Policies Reference Document Pacific region
18. Maritimes Region Periodic Table of Fisheries and Fleets, June 2017
19. Notes re ”ownerop in BC” dated Tuesday, June 7 2016
20. Pacific Commercial Fisheries
21. Pacific Coast Commercial Fishing Licensing Policy Discussion Document (1990)
22. Ecotrust Canada - ITQ Cautionary Tale
23. Fleet Reduction in British Columbia’s Commercial Salmon Fisheries: 1996- 1998. Ben Muse March 10, 1999
24. Commercial Salmon Allocation Framework
25. Employment Impacts of ITQ Fisheries in Pacific Canada. Prepared for Fisheries & Oceans Canada, Ottawa, by: GS Gislason & Associates Ltd. Vancouver, Canada, in Association with: Edna Lam Consulting and Christopher Sporer Consultants Ltd., March 2008
26. A Fishery Manager's Guidebook - Management Measures and Their Application. FAO Fisheries Technical Pappo-0op0er 424, Rome, 2002

Appendix 2 - Commercial fisheries licensing rules and policies reference document, Pacific Region

Table of contents

• Purpose
• A commercial fishing licence
• Pacific Region licence terminology
• Vessel based vs. Party based Licensing
• National Online Licensing System (NOLS)
• Pacific Fishery Licence Unit (PFLU)
• Commercial licensing reports
• Integrated Fisheries Management Plan (IFMP)
• Notice and Acknowledgement System
• Licence prefix categories
  • Party based licenses
    • Fisher Registration Card (FRC)
    • Roe herring
      • Seine (Categories HS and FHS)
      • Gillnet (Categories HG and FH)
    • Spawn on kelp
      • Categories J and FJ
    • Clam
      • Categories Z2 and Z2ACL
    • Green sea urchin
      • Categories ZA and FZA
    • Red sea urchin
      • Categories ZC and FZC
    • Sea cucumber
      • Categories ZD and FZD
    • Euphausiid
      • Categories ZF and FZF
    • Rockfish
      • Inside and Outside (Categories ZN and FZN)
    • Food and bait herring
      • Category ZM
    • Pacific sardine
      • Categories ZS and ZSF
    • Eulachon
      • Category ZU
    • Pacific wild oyster
      • Categories ZWO and FZWO
    • Special use bait herring
      • Personal (1 Ton) Category ZX
      • Commercial (3 Ton)
        • Category ZY1 (Sport Bait)
        • Category ZY2 (Commercial Bait)
        • Category ZY3 (Domestic Food and Bait)
        • Category ZY4 (Zoo and Aquarium)
    • Commercial salmon - Taku and Stikine River
      • Categories ATBR, ATBRF and FATBR 4
  • Vessel based licenses
    • Salmon
      • Gillnet (Categories AG, FAG and NAG)
      • Seine (Categories AS and FAS)
      • Troll (Categories AT and FAT)
    • Schedule II species
      • Categories C and FC
    • Geoduck and horseclam
      • Categories G and FG
    • Sablefish
      • Categories K and FK
    • Halibut
      • Categories L and FL
    • Crab
      • Categories R and FR
    • Shrimp by trawl
      • Categories S and FS
    • Groundfish trawl
      • Categories T and FT
    • Prawn and shrimp by trap
      • Categories W and FW
    • USA68 – Albacore tuna
      • Category USA68
    • Transporting
      • Category D (also known as a Packing Licence)
    • Schedule II species – Tuna
      • Category CT
    • SEC68 – High Seas
      • Category SEC68
• Fisheries Management Area Map
• Vessel replacement/Nomination of licence eligibilities
• Change of ownership
• Vessel registration
• New vessel identification requirements
• Guidelines for vessel measurements
• Fishing vessel safety
• Pacific Region Licence Appeal Board (PRLAB)

*The list of categories above is a reflection of commercial and communal commercial licences within each fleet. Licences that reflect an F in front of the prefix (e.g., FL) are communal commercial licences.

Purpose

The purpose of this reference document is to provide the commercial fishing industry, and any others who may have an interest, with an overview of the Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO) licensing rules and policies for commercial fisheries within the Pacific Region.

DFO should be consulted for all purposes of interpreting and applying these policies. All persons making use of this reference document are reminded that it has no official sanction and its contents may change without prior notice.

Please note that the Minister of Fisheries and Oceans retains complete discretion to approve an exception to these rules/policies.

A Commercial fishing licence

A fishing licence is a document or instrument by which the Minister of Fisheries and Oceans, pursuant to authority under Section 7 of the Fisheries Act, has an absolute discretion to either issue or authorize to be issued fishing licenses which grant permission to an individual, company or First Nation to engage in the harvest of a certain species or any other activity related to fishing, subject to certain conditions attached to the licence.

A licence is in no sense a permanent authority to fish; the vessel owner or licence eligibility holder essentially acquires a limited fishing privilege rather than any kind of absolute or permanent right.

Pacific Region licence terminology

Communal commercial licences – Referred to as Category F licences, communal commercial licences have been relinquished from the commercial fishing fleet through the Allocation Transfer Program (ATP) or the Pacific Integrated Commercial Fisheries Initiative (PICFI) and are allocated to First Nations through an agreement between the ATP/PICFI and the First Nation. Communal commercial licences are party based with the First Nation identified as the licence eligibility holder. Each communal commercial licence has a maximum vessel length (MVL) associated with it. The communal commercial licence eligibility cannot be designated to a vessel with an overall vessel length (OAL), which exceeds the associated MVL. Regardless of the overall length of the designated vessel, the MVL associated with the communal commercial licence will remain at the established length.

Contact vessel owner – A vessel owner identified to be the contact party for the vessel for all licensing matters. This name will appear on all licensing documents.

Delegation code/public identifier – A unique number that a vessel owner/licence eligibility holder may provide to a person they wish to appoint as their representative. The Public Identifier is also used to assign a person as an authorized individual for an organization (e.g. contact person).

Designation/redesignation - Assignment of a party based licence eligibility to a registered Canadian commercial fishing vessel. Redesignate or redesignation implies a second assignment of the licence to an alternate registered Canadian commercial fishing vessel.

Limited entry – The total number of licences within a fishery is restricted.

Married – Licences which are permanently attached to other vessel based licences held on a single vessel. Single licences may become married if placed on a vessel with other vessel based licence eligibilities. Once married, all licences must move together to a replacement vessel, unless the current vessel replacement rules for that fishery permit to be separated. The exceptions being within the Halibut, Sablefish, Groundfish Trawl and Geoduck fisheries; where a category C licence or the Schedule II Species privileges from within the licence eligibility is retired in conjunction

Maximum Vessel Length (MVL) – The maximum vessel length assigned to a licence eligibility. This length is based on the surveyed overall vessel length of the vessel holding the licence at the time either the licence was relinquished or the maximum vessel length was established. The licence cannot be designated or placed on a vessel with an overall vessel length which exceeds this length.

National Online Licensing System (NOLS) – A system used by DFO to issue commercial and communal commercial fishing licences and Fisher Registration Cards. The same system is used by all vessel owners and licence eligibility holders to view, pay for, and print commercial/communal commercial fishing licences, licence conditions, and/or receipts.

Nomination – A party based licence eligibility holder may request that the Minister consider another individual, company or First Nation for the applicable limited entry licence eligibility. There is currently no nomination process within the Clam, Eulachon and Spawn on Kelp fisheries.

Original Vessel Length (OVL) – the overall length (OAL) of the original vessel, the vessel licenced as of the date in specified fishery.

Overall Length (OAL) – The length of a vessel, based on an official measurement survey according to established DFO guidelines, which includes a measurement of the extreme ends of the outside of the hull.

Party based licence – A licence eligibility held by an individual, a company or a First Nation. The licence eligibility holder may apply for the licence and have control over licensing transactions for that licence. Party based licence eligibilities include Herring, Rockfish, Clam, Sea Cucumber and Sea Urchin.

Representative/delegate – A family member, friend, colleague or other trusted individual appointed by a vessel owner or licence eligibility holder to use the National Online Licensing System to conduct business on their behalf. The appointed representative is permitted to renew licences, submit requests, pay licence renewal fees, print licence documents, and receive notifications on behalf of the vessel owner or licence eligibility holder on record.

Stacking – More than one licence of the same species category has been placed/designated to the same vessel at the same time. In some fisheries, once licences have been stacked, they then become married and take on the overall length of the vessel upon which they are held. Some fisheries have applicable deadlines and special stacking provisions; such as a vessel may not hold more than one licence for the same area.

Total loss – When a vessel has been declared unsuitable for fishing due to an accident or a surveyor’s report. Vessel owners are given three years to permanently replace the vessel and place the licence eligibilities held on the vessel to a vessel of the same length or shorter. Vessel owners are permitted to temporarily place a licence, within the three years, on a vessel with a 10 per cent flexibility in length restriction.

Unlimited entry – The total number of licences within a fishery is not restricted.

Vessel based Licence – A licence is issued “in respect of a vessel” as the licence eligibility must be attached to a vessel. The reported vessel owner(s) may apply for the licence and have control over licensing transactions for that licence. Vessel based licence eligibilities include Salmon, Schedule II Species, Geoduck and Horseclam, Halibut, Sablefish, Shrimp by trawl, Groundfish Trawl, and Prawn and Shrimp by trap.

Vessel replacement – where the vessel owner(s) of a vessel that holds a limited entry vessel based licence eligibility may make an application to permanently/temporarily place the licence eligibility on another registered commercial fishing vessel.

Vessel Registration Number (VRN) – A vessel registration number is assigned to all vessels registered with the Department of Fisheries and Oceans that are engaging in commercial fishing or transporting activities. The VRN can be comprised of five or six digits (i.e. 23456 or 312133). Vessels that are registered as a commercial fishing vessel will have a vessel registration number that begins with a 2 or a 3 (i.e. 23456 or 312133); whereas vessels that are registered as a transporting vessel will have a vessel registration number that begins with a 9 (i.e. 90052).

Vessel based vs. party based licensing

Some fisheries are subject to vessel based licensing rules while others are subject to party based rules. Vessel based licenses were initiated in the Salmon fishery at the beginning of limited entry as a means to control the capacity of the individual vessels in the fleet. In fisheries where the fishing vessel was not seen as the central element of fishing effort, party based licenses were utilized. Within each fishery, there are also differences in the application of licensing rules and restrictions.

Under vessel based licensing, a licence eligibility is held by a vessel and the vessel owner(s) may apply for the licence and have control of licensing transactions. Most vessel based licence categories are limited entry with a limited vessel size restriction.

Under party based licensing, a licence eligibility is held by an individual, a First Nation or a company who may apply for the licence and have control of licensing transactions. Most party based licences are limited entry and required to be annually designated to a registered commercial fishing vessels holding a vessel based licence eligibility. Some party based licences are also limited to vessels that do not have an overall length that exceeds the maximum vessel length associated with the licence eligibility.

National Online Licensing System (NOLS)

All fish harvesters, licence eligibility holders, and vessel owners must use the National Online Licensing System (NOLS) to view, pay for, and print commercial fishing licences, licence conditions and/or receipts.

All limited entry licences must be renewed, and the renewal fees paid, every fishing year to retain the privilege to be issued the licence in the future. This means that vessel owners and licence eligibility holders must renew the licence(s) whether they intend to fish or not. If the licence is not annually renewed, the licence will cease and DFO will not be able to consider a request to issue that licence in the future.

Before a party based or communal commercial licence may be issued (where applicable), licence eligibility holders must annually designate a fishing vessel to hold the licence, by submitting a request through the NOLS. Instructions are available at this website.

NOLS training materials, including step-by-step guides and a detailed user training manual, are available to help users register to use the system and complete their licensing transactions. Refer to this website

The Department also provides client support and assistance on how to use the system via e-mail at fishing-peche@dfo-mpo.gc.ca or by calling toll-free 1-877-535-7307 (7:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. Eastern, Monday to Friday).

Pacific Fishery Licence Unit (PFLU)

The Pacific Fishery Licence Unit can be reached by:

Telephone: 1-877-535-7307
Email: fishing-peche@dfo-mpo.gc.ca or
Fax: (604) 666-5855

Commercial licensing reports

Reports on licence statistics, vessel searches and commercial fishing licenses may be found under the following Fisheries and Oceans Canada webpage .

Integrated Fisheries Management Plan (IFMP)

Current year Integrated Fisheries Management Plans (IFMP) for each commercial fishery may be found on the Fisheries and Oceans Canada WAVES library page.
WAVES – Fisheries and Ocean Canada Library
A copy of the full IFMP can be found when entering ‘Integrated Fisheries Management Plan and the applicable fishery name’ in the search box on the WAVES homepage.

Notice and Acknowledgements System

Fisheries and Oceans has worked with various financial institutions, including the Canadian Bankers Association to develop the Notice and Acknowledgement system for financial agreements entered into by a lender and vessel owners/licence eligibility holders. This was done in response to concerns expressed by the fishing and financial service industries relating to the need for access to capital.

The Notice and Acknowledgement system is a system that may be used where financing is arranged with a lender.

The Notice and Acknowledgement Form, notifies DFO of a financial arrangement between the vessel owner/licence eligibility holder and the lender, in relation to a specific licence eligibility and quota. The Notice and Acknowledgement Forms (or lack of Acknowledgement Form) are considerations that can be taken into account by DFO when determining whether to approve a request submitted by the vessel owner/licence eligibility holder.

The Notice and Acknowledgement process is as follows:

1. The vessel owner/licence eligibility holder or the lender on behalf of the vessel owner/licence eligibility holder can notify DFO of a financial arrangement(s) by filing the appropriate Notice and Acknowledgement Form with DFO.
2. The vessel owner/licence eligibility holder (depending on the licence eligibility being identified) must complete the Declaration of Consent on the Notice and Acknowledgement Form, consenting to DFO notifying the lender when the vessel owner/licence eligibility holder does not pay the required licence renewal fees or when he/she does not apply to renew the licence eligibility
3. DFO will sign the Notice and Acknowledgement Form, acknowledging its receipt, and return a copy of the document to the vessel owner/licence eligibility holder and/or the lender.
4. The original Notice and Acknowledgement Form will be kept on file with the Department of Fisheries and Oceans
5. By filing a Notice and Acknowledgement Form, the vessel owner/licence eligibility holder and lender agrees to submit a completed Acknowledgement of Request for Licence Activity Form, signed by the lender whenever a request to permanently place a vessel based licence to another vessel for the issuance of a replacement licence, the transfer of quota for more than one fishing season or to have the Notice removed altogether, is submitted.
6. The filed Notice and Acknowledgement Forms (or lack of Acknowledgement Form) are considerations that can be taken into account by DFO in determining whether to approve a request submitted by the licence holder for licence activity set out in the current Acknowledgement of Request for Licence Activity Form
7. If there is more than one Notice and Acknowledgement Form on file associated with a particular licence, then DFO will require one Acknowledgement of Request for Licence Activity Form for each Notice.

Where the vessel owner/licence eligibility holder is an Individual, the Notice and Acknowledgement forms are available at this website.

Where the vessel owner/licence eligibility holder is a Company, the Notice and Acknowledgement forms are available at this website.

Licence prefix categories

Commercial fishing licences in the Pacific Region are often referred to by alphabetic letters (known as a “prefix”), which represent the species and fishing method. Some examples are "A" for Salmon, "S" for Shrimp by trawl, and "ZN" for Rockfish.

All Aboriginal communal commercial licence prefixes begin with the letter "F".

All commercial party based and vessel based licenses are issued under the authority of the Fisheries Act and Section 19 of the Pacific Fishery Regulations, 1993 and confers authority to fish under the conditions applicable to this licence, subject to provisions of the Fisheries Act and Regulations made thereunder.

All communal commercial party based licenses are issued under the authority of the Fisheries Act and Subsection 4(1) of the Aboriginal Communal Fishing Licences Regulations and confers authority to fish under the conditions applicable to this licence, subject to provisions of the Fisheries Act and Regulations made thereunder.

Party based licenses

Fish Harvester Registration Card (FRC)

Applicants must be a Canadian Citizen, Permanent Resident, Refugee or Holder of a Working Holiday Visa/Employment Authorization (i.e. Work/Study Permit).

Licence Category
Section 25 of the Pacific Fishery Regulations, 1993 requires persons 16 years of age or older to hold, and be able to produce upon demand, a Fish Harvester Registration Card (FRC) when:

• fishing for commercial purposes in tidal waters; including fishing for tuna from Canadian fishing vessels on the high seas or in the waters of the United States;
• being onboard a commercial fishing vessel that is engaged in commercialfishing;
• leaving a port or place in British Columbia to engage in commercial fishing; and
• being onboard a commercial fishing vessel that is fishing alternately under a commercial licence and a communal commercial licence (e.g., ‘dualfishing’).
• participating in the Taku and Stikine River category ATBR and ATBRFfisheries
• a non-indigenous individual participates in an economic opportunity fishery (XEO) off of Band or Reserve land.

An FRC is not required:

• to engage in commercial fishing, if the person is under 16 years of age;
• for persons on board a registered Canadian commercial fishing vessel that is only licensed for transporting (packing); or
• for persons onboard a registered Canadian commercial vessel that is only licensed under the authority of a communal commercial fishing licence (In lieu person will hold written designation list from the communal commercial licence holder)
• to participate in the Taku and Stikine River category FATBR fishery.

Licence Category Background
An FRC was previously known as a Personal Commercial Fishing Licence (PCFL). These have been issued since the 1900s primarily to identify the number of industry participants. Until about 1986, the PCFL authorized a licence holder to fish certain species without a vessel.

A five-year FRC was introduced in 1982 (and discontinued in 1995) to support a professional certification program that was being considered. Since 1995, only annual FRCs have been issued.

Licence renewal fee

The FRC licence renewal fee is $60.00

The FRC renewal fee includes $10.00 which is set aside for the Salmon Conservation Fund. Each applicant is requested to choose whether the monies be directed to the T. Buck Suzuki Environmental Foundation or the Pacific Salmon Foundation, or divided 50/50 between the two foundations. If an applicant does not make a selection, the monies are split equally between the two organizations.

Licence issuance

A person may only hold one valid FRC, within a given year.

First time applicants must provide two pieces of valid identification:

1. The primary identification is proof of Canadian Citizenship or status in Canada (e.g., a birth certificate or passport).
2. Secondary identification may be a driver’s licence or other form of identification.

*Where the conditions of the permit allows the individual to work in the commercial fishing industry

To apply for an FRC, applicants must submit a request through the National Online Licensing System (NOLS). Instructions are available at this website.

Licence documents

FRCs are valid from the date of issue to December 31st annually for the specified year of issuance.

Licence holders may reprint any lost or destroyed licence documents using the National Online Licensing System.

Roe herring

Seine (Categories HS and FHS)
Gillnet (Categories HG and FH)

Licence category

A commercial or communal commercial Roe Herring by seine licence (category HS or FHS) or by gillnet licence (category HG or FH) is required to commercially fish for Roe Herring. Roe Herring licence eligibilities are limited entry and party based, and licence eligibility holders must annually select a harvest area.

Licence category background

Herring has been one of the most important components of the Pacific Region’s commercial fisheries over the past century, with catch records dating from 1877. The fishery has evolved from a dry salted product in the early 1900s, to a reduction fishery in the 1930s, to the current roe fishery that began in 1972. In addition to the Roe fishery, whole Herring and/or Herring Spawn has been harvested in the following fisheries: food, social and ceremonial; Spawn on Kelp; winter Food and Bait; commercial; sport; and personal use bait, charity sales, zoo and aquarium food, test fishing and research.

Limited entry in the Roe Herring fishery began in 1974. Licence eligibilities were issued upon application by individuals who owned substantial or all shares of gillnet or seine geared Roe Herring fishing vessels.

The criteria for obtaining a Roe Herring licence eligibility in 1974 was:

• participation in the 1972 and 1973 Roe Herring fishery, which made individuals eligible to apply for one licence eligibility for each vessel fished during those years; and
• consideration for issuance of one licence eligibility not based on previous landings, per individual

Annual licence fees for this fishery were originally set at $2,000.00 for a seine licence and $200.00 for a gillnet licence.

Changes in Roe Herring licence holdings were not permitted in the first few years as there was an “owner/operator” restriction; in that a person who is the owner and operator of a commercial fishing vessel or who is a shareholder in a company, other than a fish processing company, that owns more one or more fishing vessels and who is designated by such company as the owner/operator for the purposes of these regulations (previously known as the Pacific Herring Fishery Regulations).

Therefore, prior to August 1, 1990, people who received licenses in 1974 (up to 1977 for Aboriginal Individuals) were still recognized by the Department as the licence holder of record, with the exception of those whose Ministerial appeals for family-related changes in licence holdings had been granted. The original intent of this person, holder-operator, non-transferable licence system was to provide some flexibility in the number of licenses issued annually. For example, if it was desirable, the fleet could be reduced through gradual attrition; as licence holders left the fishery, their licenses would be retired. It is interesting to note that it was originally intended that changes in the licence holdings were to eventually be allowed once the desirable number of vessels remained in the fishery after attrition.

This attrition did not occur for a number of reasons. Some licenses were issued to companies, and effective changes in the holders of these licenses occurred through sale of the company. Changes in licence holdings of elderly or deceased fishers to family members were granted through appeals to the Minister.

In 1979, the owner/operator requirement was dropped from the licence because of enforcement difficulties. As a result, some licence holders began to rent their annual fishing opportunity. This practice, later extended to long-term (99 year) leasing of licenses and supported by a power of attorney granted by the original applicant, provided a means to avoid the prohibition on nominations. This practice became so popular that it presented a problem for the department in identifying the actual operator. There has also been an enormous cost to those involved, as leases involve complex legal and administrative arrangements.

On August 1, 1990, the policy with respect to changes in Roe Herring licence holdings was changed to be as follows:

• Prior to licence application each year, licence holders of record may indicate their intention to no longer apply for a licence by completing a nomination form provided by the department. Where such an intention is stated, the Minister may consider issuance of the licence to another person nominated by the previous licence holder.
• All applications for a Roe Herring licence must be signed by the licence holder of record. Powers of Attorney will not be accepted. To encourage individual participation in the fishery, corporate licence holdings will be restricted to the levels indicated by the 1988 survey of Roe Herring licence holdings. Where a company is nominated by these licence holder as a replacement, the application will be subject to review to ensure that these levels are not exceeded.
• Reduced fee Roe Herring licence holders of record may also indicate their intention to no longer apply for a licence privilege but the person nominated by the licence holder must be an aboriginal individual.

Fishing areas

Gillnet
Gulf – Areas 14 to 18
Prince Rupert – Areas 3, 4 and 5

Seine
Gulf – Areas 14 to 18
Prince Rupert – Areas 5
Gulf (Food and Bait Herring) – Areas 13, 14, 17, 18 and 29

*As the fishing areas associated with the Roe Herring Gillnet and Seine fisheries may change on an annual basis, please refer to the current year Integrated Fisheries Management Plan (IFMP) – Pacific Herring to view the current area selections.

Licence renewal fees

Annual commercial Roe Herring licence (categories HS and HG) renewal fees are available at full and reduced fee amounts. There is no annual renewal fee for a communal commercial category FHS or FH licence. Reduced fee licence eligibilities are held by individuals who have status under the Indian Act and who elect to pay a reduced fee for a Roe Herring licence eligibility. This election may be made at any time and is irreversible.

Licence Issuance A commercial Roe Herring Gillnet or Seine licence must be renewed, and the renewal fee paid, every year by December 31st to retain the privilege to be issued the licence in the future. This means that licence eligibility holders must renew the licence whether they intend to fish or not. If the licence is not annually renewed by December 31st, the licence will cease and DFO will not be able to consider a request to issue that licence in the future.

Prior to licence issue, a licence eligibility holder must:

• make an area selection;
• identify a Pool Contact;
• place the Roe Herring Gillnet licence in a pool (a minimum of four Roe Herring Gillnet licences and no maximum number);
• place the Roe Herring Seine licence in a pool (a minimum of eight licences and no maximum number);
• submit a pool designation list for each pool; and
• designate a vessel for each Roe Herring Seine licence.

Designated seine vessels must:

• be registered as a Canadian commercial fishing vessel; and
• have a valid fish hold inspection certificate

This information must be submitted to DFO using the National Online Licensing System

Under the Canada Shipping Act, all vessels fishing herring or capelin are required to have a valid stability certificate/booklet on board the vessel.

Those Roe Herring Seine licence eligibility holders who select the Option for Food and Bait Herring will:

• Be eligible to apply for a Food and Bait Herring (Category ZM) licence and submit the $30 fee for licence issuance.
• Be selecting this option for the current fishing year only
• Be required to submit the roe seine licence renewal fee to maintain eligibility
• Not be part of the Roe Herring Seine pool designation process

Licence documents

Roe Herring licence documents are valid from the date of issue to December 31st annually.

Licence eligibility holders may reprint any lost or destroyed licence documents using the National Online Licensing System (NOLS).

Seine vessel redesignation

An on grounds Roe Herring Seine vessel redesignation request will not be considered where a vessel is licensed in another area and unable to arrive in time for a fishery in a second area.

After licence issue, vessel redesignation within the current pool may occur on grounds on the approval of a fishery officer.

An on grounds redesignation request may only be considered by Fishery Officers:

• Prior to the fishery openings in the area. Changes in area will not be permitted; or
• if the vessel is disabled (i.e. lost, damaged or mechanical breakdown); or
• if within the current pool

Nomination

Roe Herring licence eligibilities for categories HG or HS may be nominated from one party to another. Communal commercial Roe Herring licences (categories FH or FHS) may not be nominated.

Only one party (e.g., an individual, a company or a First Nation) may be nominated. There are no restrictions as to who may be nominated for a full fee Roe Herring licence; however, only an aboriginal individual may be nominated for a reduced fee Roe Herring licence.

Nomination forms are accepted by the Pacific Fishery Licence Unit every year from April 1st to close of business on October 31st. Nomination forms received after October 31st will not be accepted.

The Nomination for Roe Herring Licence Eligibility form is available at at this website. The nomination form must be signed by the licence eligibility holder on record and notarized by a lawyer or notary.

If you require further discussion or information on the above mentioned nomination policies, please contact the Pacific Fishery Licence Unit.

Spawn on kelp

Categories J and FJ

Licence category

A commercial or communal commercial Spawn on Kelp licence (category J or FJ) is required to commercially harvest Spawn on Kelp. Spawn on Kelp licence eligibilities are limited entry and party based.

Spawn on Kelp licences are issued for herring pond operations. The licence eligibility holder or, in the case of a First Nation, the First Nation' representative, must be on site at all times during operation.

Licence category background

Commercial production of Spawn on Kelp was initiated in 1975.

Spawn on Kelp licences are issued for herring ponding operations. Catcher vessels are only used by some licences to impound live herring and draw them into an enclosure. Other operations use an “open ponding” principle which allows fish to freely enter and exit the pond during spawning.

The area of operation of the catcher vessel and ponding are specific for each Spawn on Kelp licence. A catcher vessel is used for closed ponding operations where as an operating vessel is used in open ponding operations.

Commercial production of Spawn on Kelp was initiated in 1975. Permits were issued to 13 individuals for six tons of product each. Selection of permit holders was based on remoteness of operation site and experience in catching, holding and handling live herring. Special consideration was given to remote communities and to Aboriginal Individuals. Individuals who were successful in obtaining a herring Spawn on Kelp permit were not permitted to also hold a herring roe licence, nor to participate in any way in the Roe Herring fishery either as a vessel skipper or as crew.

Permits were not issued to processing companies. Permits were only issued if adequate supplies of herring and kelp were available in the area being considered. The number of permits issued increased to 21 in 1976 and to 24 in 1977. In 1977 the quota per licence was increased to 10 tons.

An additional five permits were issued to Aboriginal bands in 1978. During that same time, the quota per licence was dropped from ten tons to eight tons. In 1979, one permit holder exchanged a Spawn on Kelp licence for a Roe Herring licence, resulting in a total of 28 permits. In 1983, these limited entry permits formally became category J licenses with a fee of $2,000.00 per licence and a reduced fee of $10.00 per licence for Aboriginal individuals or bands. These fees were intended to be consistent with the fees for a Roe Herring Seine licence. Licence holders are required to operate the licence.

In November 1989, the Minister of Fisheries and Oceans announced that an additional 10 licenses would be issued to harvest herring Spawn on Kelp in B.C. The new licenses were issued to Aboriginal Bands only and each new licence eligibility holder required to render inactive or retire equivalent gillnet or seine privileges from the Roe Herring fishery. This retirement measure was taken to ensure a sustainable level of Roe Herring harvest and to provide stability in both the Spawn on Kelp and Roe Herring fishery sectors. At that time, there were 38 licensed participants in this fishery. A 39th licence was issued in 1993 for one year under an agreement with the Heiltsuk Indian Band.

Licence renewal fee

The annual renewal fee for a commercial category J licence is calculated as follows:

• $1,517.00 multiplied by 7.25 metric tonnes (mt) of Spawn on Kelp authorized to be taken under the licence, minus $1,000.00.
  EXAMPLE: ($1,517.00 x 7.257478 mt) - $1,000.00 = $10,009.59

There is no annual renewal fee for a communal commercial category FJ licence.

Zero quota / zero fee option

Spawn on Kelp licence eligibility holders have the option of electing a zero quota option. The licence renewal fee associated with this option is zero dollars.

Licence issuance

A commercial Spawn on Kelp licence must be renewed, and the renewal fee paid, every year by December 31st to retain the privilege to be issued the licence in the future. This means that licence eligibility holders must renew the licence whether they intend to fish or not. If the licence is not annually renewed by December 31st, the licence will cease and DFO will not be able to consider a request to issue that licence in the future.

Prior to licence issue, the licence eligibility holder must ensure that:

• any ministerial conditions placed on the licence eligibility have been met;
• any conditions of the previous year’s licence have been met, such as the completion, submission and approval of any logbook fish slip or quota overage requirements;
• the sales report for the previous year is submitted
• participation in a DFO approved Spawn on Kelp monitoring program has been established;
• logbooks have been received from a DFO approved service provider; and
• a registered Canadian commercial fishing vessel has been identified as the operating vessel (up to three operating vessels may be designated).

Note: Seine vessels used to capture and impound herring are not required to hold a vessel based commercial fishing licence eligibility on the vessel; however, they must be registered as Canadian commercial fishing vessels with DFO.

Pond set-up or harvesting is NOT permitted prior to licence issue

Licence documents

Spawn on Kelp licence documents are valid from the date of issue to December 31st annually. Licence eligibility holders may reprint any lost or destroyed licence documents using the National Online Licensing System (NOLS).

Vessel redesignation

Vessel redesignation after licence issuance is permitted, when required, by submitting a request through the National Online Licensing System. Instructions are available at this website

Nomination

There is currently no nomination process in place for commercial Spawn on Kelp licence eligibilities to be nominated from one licence eligibility holder to another. Estate administrators may request that the Minister of Fisheries and Oceans grant a nomination exception for Spawn on Kelp licence eligibilities held in the name of estates, by presenting an appeal to the Pacific Region Licence Appeal Board (PRLAB).

Clam

Categories Z2 and Z2ACL

Licence category

A commercial Clam licence (category Z2) or Aboriginal commercial Clam licence (category Z2ACL) and a Fisher Registration Card are required to commercially harvest Clam by hand picking or hand digging. Clam licence eligibilities are limited entry and party based. A party may hold only one Clam licence eligibility.

Five species of inter-tidal Clams are harvested in the Pacific Region: manila, native littleneck, butter, razor, and varnish. Harvesting is done by hand picking or hand digging in intertidal areas during opportunistic tides. Licence eligibility holders are required to wear a high-visibility vest while engaged in Clam harvesting.

A Clam licence is also required to harvest Clams on Oyster tenures.

Licence category background

Commercial Clam fishing began just before the turn of the century. Landings of individual species were not recorded until 1951.

Up to the mid-1970s, butter Clams dominated inter-tidal Clam landings. A change in market demands led steamer Clams (manila and littleneck) to dominate landings since 1981. There was a rapid escalation of the Clam fishery during the 1980s with coast-wide landings of all species reaching a peak of 4,360 tonnes in 1988. Landings then declined due to the removal of accumulated stock on most beaches. In 1998, landings of all species totalled 1,393 tonnes of which 1,115 tonnes were manila Clams.

Area licensing was introduced in 1989 to control fishing efforts by requiring Clam harvesters to annually select one of seven licence areas in which to harvest Clam. Despite this control measure, the number of commercial Clam harvesters remained high (approximately 1,900 annually) and increasingly restrictive management procedures were needed. As a result, some licence areas were open for only one or two days each season and the openings between licence areas were staggered to avoid harvest gluts and to maintain a year-round supply of fresh Clams to the market.

On April 22, 1997, the Minister announced licence eligibility limitations effective January 1, 1998. To be eligible for commercial access in Areas B, D, E, F, and G, applicants must have held a licence in five of the six years from 1989 to 1994. The Pacific Region Licence Appeal Board (PRLAB) also heard appeals from applicants who held a licence in at least three of the six years. To be eligible for an Area C licence, applicants must have held a licence in two of three years from 1991 to 1993. The Area A Clam fishery was directed at the razor Clam and licence limitation rules required holding a licence eligibility in three of four years from 1990 to 1994.

Licence limitations resulted in the establishment of approximately 1,165 licence eligibilities.

Aboriginal commercial Clam (category Z2ACL) licence eligibilities were introduced after consultation and negotiations with Aboriginal groups who requested access to the commercial Clam fishery in all areas consistent with traditional barter and trade. The number of Aboriginal commercial Clam licence eligibilities was negotiated to achieve a coast-wide approximate split of 50 per cent category Z2 and 50 per cent category Z2ACL. This split is based on the original number of commercial Clam licence eligibility holders established in 1998.

In 2003, negotiations with Quatsino First Nation resulted in the allocation of an additional fifteen Z2ACL licence eligibilities, effective for the 2004 fishing season, and the inception of a new area identified as F27. These licence eligibilities are eligible to harvest Clams in statistical area 27 (Koprino Harbour and portion of Klaskino Inlet).

Fishing areas

Licence renewal fee

The annual renewal fee for a clam licence is $30.00. The Fisher Registration Card (FRC) renewal fee is $60.00.

Licence issuance

A commercial Clam licence must be renewed, and the renewal fee paid, every year by December 31st to retain the privilege to be issued the licence in the future. This means that licence eligibility holders must renew the licence whether they intend to fish or not. If the licence is not annually renewed by December 31st, the licence will cease and DFO will be unable to consider a request to issue that licence in the future.

Licence documents

Clam licence documents, a current Fisher Registration Card, and government issued photo identification must be carried at all times by the licence eligibility holder when harvesting Clams and produced upon demand of a fishery officer or guardian.

Licence eligibility holders may reprint any lost or destroyed licence documents using the National Online Licensing System (NOLS).

Nomination

There is currently no nomination process in place for commercial Clam licence eligibilities to be nominated from one licence eligibility holder to another. Estate administrators may request that the Minister of Fisheries and Oceans grant a nomination exception for Clam licence eligibilities held in the name of estates, by presenting an appeal to the Pacific Region Licence Appeal Board (PRLAB).

Green sea urchin

Categories ZA and FZA

Licence category

A commercial or communal commercial Green Sea Urchin licence (category ZA or FZA) is required to commercially harvest Green Sea Urchins by dive. Green Sea Urchin licence eligibilities are limited entry and party based.

Licence category background

Limited entry was introduced in the Green Sea Urchin fishery in 1991. Licence eligibilities were issued to individuals who met a cumulative landing requirement of 9,072 kg (20,000 lbs.) over the two-year period of 1988 and 1989.

In 1995, a two-year pilot program of individual quota (IQ) and a licence nomination process was established. Under the pilot program, IQs included an equal allocation of catch among licence eligibility holders, north and south area licensing, and a limit of three licences designated per vessel. Maximum vessel length (MVL) restrictions were waived while the IQ pilot was in effect.

Individual quota remains in effect for this fishery. DFO reserves the right to reinstate the MVL restrictions at the lengths associated with each licence eligibility, at any time.

Licence renewal fee

The annual renewal fee for a commercial category ZA licence is $430.00. There is no annual renewal fee for a communal commercial category FZA licence.

Licence issuance

A commercial Green Sea Urchin licence must be renewed, and the renewal fee paid, every year by August 31st to retain the privilege to be issued the licence in the future. This means that licence eligibility holders must renew the licence whether they intend to fish or not. If the licence is not annually renewed by August 31st, the licence will cease and DFO will not be able to consider a request to issue that licence in the future.

Prior to licence issue, the licence eligibility holder must ensure that:

• any ministerial conditions placed on thelicence eligibility have been met;
• any conditions of the previous year’s licence have been met, such as the completion, submission, and approval of any logbook fish slip or quotaoverage requirements; and
• a registered Canadian commercial fishing vessel that is eligible for any valid limited entry vessel based licence, a valid communal commercial licence, or a valid Salmon category NAG licence has been designated by submitting a request through the National Online Licensing System. Instructions are available here. There is no maximum number of Green Sea Urchin licences which may be designated to a vessel.

There is no maximum number of Green Sea Urchin licences which may be designated to a vessel.

Licence documents

Green Sea Urchin licence documents are valid from the date of issue to August 31st of the next calendar year.

Licence eligibility holders may reprint any lost or destroyed licence documents using the National Online Licensing System (NOLS).

Vessel redesignations

Redesignation of Green Sea Urchin licences is permitted at any time during the year as long as the licence conditions have been met, such as the completion, submission and acceptance of logbooks. For example, if a licence was issued on January 15th and a request to re-designate is received on March 10th, then logbooks and sales slips up to March 10th are required to be submitted to DFO.

Licence eligibility holders may only redesignate a fishing vessel to hold the licence by submitting a request through the National Online Licensing System. Instructions are available at this website

Prior to redesignation applications being processed, the licence eligibility holder must:

• confirm that the conditions of licence have been met;and
• designate a registered Canadian commercial fishing vessel.
• ensure the designated vessel holds a limited entry vessel based licence eligibility with Schedule II Species privileges.

Nominations

Green Sea Urchin category ZA licence eligibilities may be nominated from one party to another. To do so, licence eligibility holders must indicate their intention to no longer apply for a Green Sea Urchin licence and name the nominated individual using DFO’s Nomination for Category Z Licence Eligibility form. The Minister may then consider issuing the licence to the nominated individual.

Prior to the nomination of a commercial Green Sea Urchin licence eligibility, the licence eligibility holder must ensure that any conditions of the current or previous year’s licence have been met and accepted by the Shellfish Data Unit.

Note that the nomination form must be signed by the licence eligibility holder on record and notarized by a lawyer or notary. If the licence eligibility holder is a company, the Pacific Fishery Licence Unit must have on record a copy of a recent B.C. Company Summary indicating the officers/directors associated with the company.

The Nomination for Category Z Licence Eligibility form is available at this website.

Communal commercial Green Sea Urchin category FZA licence eligibilities may not be nominated.

If you require further discussion or information on the above mentioned nomination policies, please contact the Pacific Fishery Licence Unit.

Logbooks

Logbooks may be obtained by calling D&D Fisheries (604) 886-4819 or ddpacific@dccnet.com.

Red sea urchin

Categories ZC and FZC

Licence category

A commercial or communal commercial Red Sea Urchin licence (category ZC or FZC) is required to commercially harvest Red Sea Urchins by dive. Red Sea Urchin licence eligibilities are limited entry and party based.

Licence category background

The Red Sea Urchin by dive fishery began in the 1970s and has grown rapidly since 1982. The fishery became a limited entry category Z licence eligibility in 1991. Individual quotas were introduced in 1995. Eligibility for licensing in this fishery was determined based on:

1. A 34,020 kg (75,000 lb.) cumulative landing requirement over the three period 1987, 1988 and 1989 or;
2. 20 days recorded harvest in any year from 1987, 1988 or 1989;
3. 2,268 kg (5,000 lb.) landed in any year in the North Coast, Statistical Areas 1 to 10, from 1987, 1988 or 1989.

In 1997, an 18-month licence year, starting in July and ending in June of the next year, was implemented. Area licensing is also in effect, and licences are designated either North or South so that the fishery is not destructive to the species.

At present, licences retain a maximum vessel length (MVL) even though the MVL has been temporarily waived by DFO. Red Sea Urchin licence eligibilities may be designated to a vessel of any length permitted to harvest Schedule II Species. DFO reserves the right to reinstate the MVL restrictions at the lengths associated with each licence eligibility, at any time.

Since 2013, the maximum five licence stacking rule has been waived. As a result, there is no longer a limit to the number of licences which may be stacked on a vessel.

Fishing areas

• North Coast – Areas 1 through 10, 101, 105, 106, 109 & 142
• South Coast – Areas 11 through to 29 & 123

Licence renewal fee

The annual renewal fee for a commercial category ZC licence is $530.00. There is no annual renewal fee for a communal commercial category FZC licence.

Licence issuance

A commercial Red Sea Urchin licence must be renewed, and the renewal fee paid, every year by July 31st to retain the privilege to be issued the licence in the future. This means that licence eligibility holders must renew the licence whether they intend to fish or not. If the licence is not annually renewed by July 31st, the licence will cease and DFO will not be able to consider a request to issue that licence in the future.

Prior to licence issue, the licence eligibility holder must ensure that a registered Canadian commercial fishing vessel that is eligible for any valid limited entry vessel based licence, a valid communal commercial licence, or a valid Salmon category NAG licence has been designated by submitting a request through the National Online Licensing System. Instructions are available at this website.

There is no maximum number of Red Sea Urchin licences which may be designated to a vessel.

Licence documents

Red Sea Urchin licences are valid from the date of issue to July 31st of the next calendar year.

Licence eligibility holders may reprint any lost or destroyed licence documents using the National Online Licensing System (NOLS).

Vessel redesignations

Redesignation of Red Sea Urchin licences is permitted at any time during the year as long as the licence conditions have been met, such as the completion, submission and acceptance of logbooks. For example, if a licence was issued on January 15th and a request to re-designate is received on March 10th, then logbooks and sales slips up to March 10th are required to be submitted to DFO.

Licence eligibility holders may only redesignate a fishing vessel to hold the licence by submitting a request through the National Online Licensing System. Instructions are available at this website.

Prior to a redesignation being processed, the licence eligibility holder must:

• confirm that the conditions of licence have been met;
• designate a registered Canadian commercial fishing vessel; and
• ensure the designated vessel holds a limited entry vessel based licence eligibility, with Schedule II Species privileges

Nominations

Red Sea Urchin category ZC licence eligibilities may be nominated from one party to another. To do so, licence eligibility holders must indicate their intention to no longer apply for a Red Sea Urchin licence and name the nominated individual using DFO’s Nomination for Category Z Licence Eligibility form. The Minister may then consider issuing the licence to the nominated individual.

Prior to the nomination of a commercial Red Sea Urchin licence eligibility, the licence eligibility holder must ensure that any conditions of the current or previous year’s licence have been met and accepted by the Shellfish Data Unit.

Note that the nomination form must be signed by the licence eligibility holder on record and notarized by a lawyer or notary. If the licence eligibility holder is a company, the Pacific Fishery Licence Unit must have on record a copy of a recent B.C. Company Summary indicating the officers/directors associated with the company.

The Nomination for Category Z Licence Eligibility form is available at this website.

Communal commercial Red Sea Urchin category FZC licence eligibilities may not be nominated. If you require further discussion or information on the above mentioned nomination policies, please contact the Pacific Fishery Licence Unit.

Logbooks

Logbooks may be obtained by calling D&D Fisheries (604) 886-4819 or ddpacific@dccnet.com.

Sea cucumber

Categories ZD and FZD

Licence category

A commercial or communal commercial Sea Cucumber licence (category ZD or FZD) is required to commercially harvest Sea Cucumbers by dive. Sea Cucumber licence eligibilities are limited entry and party based.

Licence category background

The Sea Cucumber fishery began as an experimental fishery in 1980. It was licensed as category ZD in 1985 and became a limited entry fishery in 1991.

The licence eligibility criteria were based on:

• 22,680 kg (50,000 lbs.) cumulative landing requirement over the three-year period from 1987 to 1989 inclusive; or
• 20 days recorded harvest in any year from 1987, 1988 or 1989.

In 1993, quotas were assigned to five geographic areas: West Coast Vancouver Island, East Coast Vancouver Island, Central Coast, Prince Rupert District, and the Queen Charlotte Islands. In 1995, individual quotas were implemented as a pilot program to address conservation concerns. In 1998, these quotas were assigned to four geographic areas: West Coast Vancouver Island, East Coast Vancouver Island, Central Coast and Prince Rupert.

At present, licenses to harvest Sea Cucumbers under the individual quota pilot retain a Maximum Vessel Length (MVL) even though the MVL has been temporarily waived by DFO. Sea Cucumber licenses may be designated to a vessel of any length permitted to harvest Schedule II Species. DFO reserves the right to reinstate vessel length restrictions at the lengths associated with each licence eligibility in the future.

Fishing areas

• Area C (Central Coast) – Portions of Areas 7, 8, 9 and 10
• Area W (West Coast Vancouver Island) – Portions of Areas 23 and 24
• Area P (North Coast) – Portions of Areas 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6
• Area G (East Coast Vancouver Island) – Portions of Areas 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16 and 18

Licence renewal fee

The annual renewal fee for a commercial category ZD licence is $100.00. There is no annual renewal fee for a communal commercial category FZD licence.

Licence issuance

A commercial Sea Cucumber licence must be renewed, and the renewal fee paid, every year by September 30th to retain the privilege to be issued the licence in the future. This means that licence eligibility holders must renew the licence whether they intend to fish or not. If the licence is not annually renewed by September 30th, the licence will cease and DFO will not be able to consider a request to issue that licence in the future.

Prior to licence issue, a licence eligibility holder must ensure that:

• any ministerial conditions placed on the licence eligibility have been met;
• any conditions of the previous year’s licence have been met and accepted, such as the completion and submission of harvest logbooks or fish slips; and
• a registered Canadian commercial fishing vessel that is eligible for any valid limited entry vessel based licence, a valid communal commercial licence, or a valid Salmon category NAG licence has been designated by submitting a request through the National Online Licensing System. Instructions are available at this website.

There is no maximum number of Sea Cucumber licences which may be designated to a vessel.

Licence documents

Sea Cucumber licence documents are valid from date of issuance to September 30th of the next calendar year.

Licence eligibility holders may reprint any lost or destroyed licence documents using the National Online Licensing System (NOLS).

Vessel redesignations

Redesignation of Sea Cucumber licences is permitted at any time during the year as long as the licence conditions have been met, such as the completion, submission and acceptance of logbooks. For example, if a licence was issued on January 15th and a request to re-designate is received on March 10th, then logbooks and sales slips up to March 10th are required to be submitted to DFO.

Licence eligibility holders may only redesignate a fishing vessel to hold the licence by submitting a request through the National Online Licensing System. Instructions are available here.

Prior to redesignation applications being processed, the licence eligibility holder must:

• confirm that the conditions of licence have beenmet;
• designate a registered Canadian commercial fishing vessel; and
• ensure the designated vessel holds a limited entry vessel based licence eligibility, with Schedule II Species privileges.

Nominations

Sea Cucumber category ZD licence eligibilities may be nominated from one party to another; however, nominations are only accepted prior to licence issuance or after the Individual Quota has been obtained for that licence for that year.

To do so, the current licence eligibility holder must indicate their intention to no longer apply for a Sea Cucumber licence and name the nominated individual using DFO’s Nomination for Category Z Licence Eligibility form. The Minister may then consider issuing the licence to the nominated individual.

Prior to the nomination of a commercial Sea Cucumber licence eligibility, the licence eligibility holder must ensure that any conditions of the current or previous year’s licence have been met and accepted by the Shellfish Data Unit.

Note that the nomination form must be signed by the licence eligibility holder on record and notarized by a lawyer or notary. If the licence eligibility holder is a company, the Pacific Fishery Licence Unit must have on record a copy of a recent B.C. Company Summary indicating the officers/directors associated with the company.

The Nomination for Category Z Licence Eligibility form is available at this website.

Communal commercial Sea Cucumber category FZD licence eligibilities may not be nominated. If you require further discussion or information on the above mentioned nomination policies, please contact the Pacific Fishery Licence Unit.

Logbooks

Logbooks may be obtained by calling D&D Fisheries (604) 886-4819 or ddpacific@dccnet.com.

Euphausiid

Categories ZF and FZF

Licence category

A commercial or communal commercial Euphausiid licence (category ZF or FZF) is required to commercially harvest Euphausiid by trawl. Euphausiid licence eligibilities are limited entry party based and designated to a commercial vessel annually.

Licence category background

The Euphausiid (otherwise known as krill) fishery began as an experimental fishery in the Strait of Georgia in 1970. The fishery was licensed as category ZF in 1983. Limited entry was introduced in 1993. Individuals with landings of at least 20,000 lbs. during the 1988, 1989, or 1990 seasons were eligible for a personal licence. Licence limitation resulted in the establishment of 19 licence eligibilities. The maximum vessel length (MVL) for each licence eligibility is based on the surveyed overall length of the vessel which was designated in 1991.

The Euphausiid fishery is managed through periodic openings, conservative quotas, limited entry licensing, and a dockside validation program on the basis of area quotas. Confirmation of participation in a monitoring program was instituted in the 2003 fishing year.

Licence renewal fee

The annual renewal fee for a commercial category ZF licence is $100.00. There is no annual renewal fee for a communal commercial category FZF licence.

Licence issuance

A commercial Euphausiid licence must be renewed, and the renewal fee paid, every year by December 31st to retain the privilege to be issued the licence in the future. This means that licence eligibility holders must renew the licence whether they intend to fish or not. If the licence is not annually renewed by December 31st, the licence will cease and DFO will be unable to consider a request to issue that licence in the future.

Prior to licence issue, the licence eligibility holder must ensure that:

• arrangements have been made for service provision required by the conditions of licence, including (but not restricted to) logbook and coding, keypunching, and validation services.
• if the logbook and coding, and keypunching provided by the designated service bureau, are not used the Euphausiid harvesters must contact the Shellfish Data Unit at 250-756-7306 or 250-756-7022 to obtain the information necessary to fulfil these conditions of licence requirements.
• any conditions of the previous year’s licence have been met, such as the submission and approval of any logbook, fish slip or quota overage requirements;
• a registered Canadian commercial fishing vessel that is eligible for any valid limited entry vessel based licence, a valid communal commercial licence, or a valid Salmon category NAG licence has been designated by submitting a request through the National Online Licensing System. Instructions are available at this website; and
• the designated vessel's overall length does not exceed the maximum vessel length of the licence eligibility.

Note that designated vessels must have a survey on file with the Pacific Fishery Licence Unit, completed in accordance with DFO guidelines.

Licence documents

Euphausiid licence documents are valid from the date of issue until December 31st of each calendar year. Licence eligibility holders may reprint any lost or destroyed licence documents using the National Online Licensing System (NOLS).

Vessel redesignation

Redesignation of Euphausiid licences is permitted at any time during the year as long as the licence conditions have been met, such as the completion, submission and acceptance of logbooks. For example, if a licence was issued on January 15th and a request to re-designate is received on March 10th, then logbooks and sales slips up to March 10th are required to be submitted to DFO.

Licence eligibility holders may only redesignate a fishing vessel to hold the licence by submitting a request through the National Online Licensing System. Instructions are available at this website.

Prior to redesignation applications being processed, the licence eligibility holder must:

• confirm that the conditions of licence have been met;and
• designate a registered Canadian commercial fishing that is eligible for avessel based licence.
• ensure the designated vessel's overall length does not exceed the maximum vessel length of the licence eligibility.

Nomination

Euphausiid category ZF licence eligibilities may be nominated from one party to another. To do so, licence eligibility holders must indicate their intention to no longer apply for a Euphausiid licence and name the nominated individual using DFO’s Nomination for Category Z Licence Eligibility form. The Minister may then consider issuing the licence to the nominated individual.

Note that the nomination form must be signed by the licence eligibility holder on record and notarized by a lawyer or notary. If the licence eligibility holder is a company, the Pacific Fishery Licence Unit must have on record a copy of a recent B.C. Company Summary indicating the officers/directors associated with the company.

The Nomination for Category Z Licence Eligibility form is available at this website.

Communal commercial Euphausiid category FZF licence eligibilities may not be nominated. If you require further discussion or information on the above mentioned nomination policies, please contact the Pacific Fishery Licence Unit.

Logbooks

Logbooks may be obtained by calling D&D Fisheries (604) 886-4819 or ddpacific@dccnet.com.

Rockfish inside and outside

Categories ZN and FZN

Licence category

A commercial or communal commercial Rockfish licence (category ZN or FZN) is required to commercially harvest Rockfish (inside and outside). Rockfish licence eligibilities are limited entry and party based.

Licence category background

In March 1992, the Minister announced a licence limitation program for the Rockfish species. This program was implemented in two phases based on area licensing. Rockfish fishing in the inside water of Georgia Strait was limited in the 1992 licence year wit the balance of the coast becoming limited on January 1, 1993.

Licence eligibilities were established for individuals who:

• met a cumulative coastwide catch requirement of 15,000 lbs. of recorded commercial landings of Rockfish verified by sales slips inthe years 1987 to 1990 inclusive;
• had a Rockfish licence and landings in two of the four years between 1987 and 1990;and
• specified an area choice, either the inside areas of the Strait of Georgia or the remainder of the coast.

Licence limitation resulted in the establishment of 74 inside licence eligibilities and 183 licence eligibilities for the remainder of the coast.

A maximum vessel length was established for each licence eligibility based on the surveyed overall length of the last vessel fished in 1991. A nomination process for allowing a licence eligibility holder to nominate another individual to hold the eligibility was also introduced.

Since 1999, vessels have been designated for both inside and outside Rockfish licences with the proviso that they would be issued only one amendment per fishing period. The designation of more than one inside Rockfish licence to a vessel was introduced for the 2002/03 fishing season to increase efficiencies for the fishery within the parameters of the conservation concern for inshore Rockfish stocks. Until 2008, five inside Rockfish licences could be designated to one vessel. In 2008, that number increased to eight.

Rockfish protection areas implemented in 1999 were expanded in 2002 and remain in effect. Since 2006, as part of a three-year pilot program, the Rockfish fishery has been managed through an individual quota regime and allowing unlimited annual reallocations between licences. Vessels participating in this fishery must acquire quota to account for all non-directed catch of Halibut and dogfish. Subject to species and area closures, vessels are permitted to retain and land non-directed catch.

Fishing areas

• Inside
  • Areas 13 to 19 and 28 and 29 and Subareas 12-1 to 12-13, 12-15 to 12-48 and Subareas 20-4 to 20-7.
• Outside
  • Areas 1 to 11, 21, 23 to 27, 101 to 111, 121, 123 to 127, 130 and 142 and Subareas 12-14 and 20-1 to 20-3.

Licence renewal fee

The annual renewal fee for a commercial category ZN licence is $100.00. There is no annual renewal fee for a communal commercial category FZN licence.

Licence issuance

A commercial Rockfish licence must be renewed, and the renewal fee paid, every year by February 20th to retain the privilege to be issued the licence in the future. This means that licence eligibility holders must renew the licence whether they intend to fish or not. If the licence is not annually renewed by February 20th, the licence will cease and DFO will not be able to consider a request to issue that licence in the future.

Prior to licence issue, the licence eligibility holder must:

• indicate if they do not intend to harvest under the authority of the Rockfish licence; and
• designate a registered Canadian commercial fishing vessel that is eligible for any valid limited entry vessel based licence, a valid communal commercial licence, or a valid Salmon category NAG licence by submitting a request through the National Online Licensing System. Instructions are available at this website.

Inside rockfish

Vessels may:

• be designated with up to eight inside Rockfish licences in a year; and
• not exceed the maximum vessel length (MVL) for the initial inside Rockfish licence eligibility.

Once the initial inside Rockfish licence has been designated, the MVL requirement is waived for additional designated inside Rockfish licences whether Option N or not.

If Option N is selected, the designated vessel may exceed the MVL of the Rockfish licence eligibility. The licence holder may also choose to change to the option to participate in the directed fishery at a later date, as long as the vessel meets all the length requirements, where applicable.

Outside rockfish

Vessels may:

• not be designated with more than one outside Rockfish licence in a year;
• be designated with an outside, and more than one inside, licence eligibility in a year;
• not exceed the MVL of the outside Rockfish licence eligibility (even when an initial inside Rockfish licence eligibility is already designated), unless the option to not participate in the directed ZN fishery is made at the time of licence issuance.

If Option N is selected, the designated vessel may exceed the MVL of the Rockfish licence eligibility. The licence holder may also choose to change to the option to participate in the directed fishery at a later date, as long as the vessel meets all the length requirements, where applicable.

Amended licence documents

Licence eligibility holders who elect not to harvest Rockfish may subsequently complete a licence amendment request in order to harvest Rockfish by hook and line. This request must be submitted through the National Online Licensing System. Instructions are available at this website.

Prior to the issue of a licence amendment, the licence eligibility holder must ensure that:

• any ministerial conditions placed on the licence eligibility have been met;
• confirm that the conditions of licence have been met, such as the submission of logbooks or fish slips;
• a registered Canadian commercial fishing vessel has been designated; and
• the designated vessel holds a vessel based licence eligibility and does not exceed the MVL of the licence eligibility to be redesignated.

Licence amendments

Before beginning to harvest under the authority of a Rockfish licence, a Request for Licence Amendment form must be completed and submitted to the Groundfish Management Unit by fax at 604-666-8525. The form is available at this website. Contact the Quota Officer at 604-666-5865 for more information.

Stacking arrangements among licence eligibility holders must be completed prior to the issuance of a licence amendment.

Licence documents

Rockfish licence documents are valid from the date of issue to February 20th of the next calendar year.
Licence eligibility holders may reprint any lost or destroyed licence documents using the National Online Licensing System (NOLS).

Vessel redesignations

Redesignation of Rockfish licences is permitted at any time during the year as long as the licence conditions have been met, such as the completion, submission and acceptance of logbooks. For example, if a licence was issued on January 15th and a request to re-designate is received on March 10th, then logbooks and sales slips up to March 10th are required to be submitted to DFO.

Licence eligibility holders may only redesignate a fishing vessel to hold the licence by submitting a request through the National Online Licensing System. Instructions are available at this website.

Prior to redesignation applications being processed, the licence eligibility holder must:

• confirm that the conditions of licence have been met;
• designate a registered Canadian commercial fishing vessel; and
• ensure that the designated vessel holds a vessel based licence eligibility and does not exceed the maximum vessel length of the licence eligibility to beredesignated.

Nominations

Rockfish, category ZN licence eligibilities may be nominated from one party to another. To do so, licence eligibility holders must indicate their intention to no longer apply for a Rockfish licence and name the nominated individual using DFO’s Nomination for Category Z Licence Eligibility form. The Minister may then consider issuing the licence to the nominated individual.

Prior to the nomination of a commercial Rockfish licence eligibility, the licence eligibility holder must ensure that any conditions of the current or previous year’s licence have been met.

Note that the nomination form must be signed by the licence eligibility holder on record and notarized by a lawyer or notary. If the licence eligibility holder is a company, the Pacific Fishery Licence Unit must have on record a copy of a recent B.C. Company Summary, indicating the officers/directors associated with the company.

The Nomination for Category Z Licence Eligibility form is available at this website.

Communal commercial Rockfish category FZN licence eligibilities may not be nominated. If you require further discussion or information on the above mentioned nomination policies, please contact the Pacific Fishery Licence Unit.

Logbooks

Logbooks may be obtained by calling Archipelago Marine Research at 250-383-4535 (toll-free 1-888- 383- 4535).

Food and bait herring

Category ZM

Licence category

A Food and Bait Herring licence (category ZM) is required to participate in this fishery. Food and Bait Herring licences are unlimited entry and party based. The total allowable catch and the areas available for fishing are determined annually.

The number of category ZM licenses continues to be set at 252. However, the number of licenses issued within a given year, will be based on the number of Roe Herring Seine licenses having selected the Food and Bait Herring option.

Licence category background

Food herring category Z licenses are restricted to eligible applicants and specified the allowable catch of the licence. Although a limited number of Food Herring (Category ZM) licenses are issued each year, it is not a limited entry fishery.

In previous years, eligible applicants were chosen by way of an annual lottery draw. Only one application per vessel was permitted to be submitted, with each licence issued to allow for a maximum harvest of 50 tons.

All lottery applicants were required to:

• Designate a vessel that has been designated for a Roe Herring Seine (category HS) licence eligibility or as a harvest vessel for a Spawn on Kelp (category J) licence eligibility within the past five years (2004 – 2008),
• Ensure that the designated vessel has functioning Refrigerated Seawater (R.S.W.) or Chilled Seawater (C.S.W.) capability,
• Select a fishing area (e.g. Prince Rupert or Strait of Georgia)

The Food and Bait Herring fishery occurs from November to February every year. Historically, category ZM licence holders have harvested from the season open date, typically November 7th, to the end of the fishing season, typically February 9th. With the fishery normally closing prior to the opening of the Roe Herring fishery, which typically was February 10th.

Herring stocks have fluctuated over the years. In the 1930s, catches dropped to 30,000 tons of which a major portion went into reduction products. Between 1968 and 1971, the fishery was curtailed due to stock concerns but was revived in 1977 in response to a collapse of European stocks.

As stocks rebounded, demand declined and the largest market was to supply bait for the Alaska king Crab fishery. By 1982, the industry was concerned that the large quantities being exported were affecting the high value Roe Herring fishery. A 50 ton individual quota system was implemented in 1988 with a total coast-wide quota of 1,500 tons. Since that time, catches have varied from six to 1,200 tons annually.

Since the 2017/2018 season, the number of category ZM licence eligibilities has been set to 252. Based on a one-to-one basis for each category HS and FHS licence eligibility; on a pilot basis. During this pilot process, the lottery process will not be utilized.

Fishing areas

Prince Rupert (North) – Areas 3, 4 and 5
Strait of Georgia (Gulf) – Areas 13, 14, 17, 18 and 29

*As the fishing areas associated with the Food and Bait Herring fishery may change on an annual basis, please refer to the current year Integrated Fisheries Management Plan (IFMP) – Pacific Herring to view the current area selections.

As part of the Roe Herring area selection process, roe seine licence eligibility holders may select the option to harvest in the Strait of Georgia or Prince Rupert Food and Bait fisheries. The maximum number of roe seine licences for each area will be provided following the determination of fishery quotas for each area.

Licence renewal fees

The category ZM licence renewal fee is $30.00.

Licence issuance

There is no limit on the number of category ZM licence eligibilities which may be designated to a vessel. It is the responsibility of vessel owners/masters to consider the carrying capacity of the vessel, when designating multiple licences to a vessel.

Prior to licence issue, the licence holder must ensure that the designated vessel:

• is a registered Canadian commercial fishing vessel with functioning refrigerated seawater (RSW) or chilled seawater (CSW) capability.

Food and Bait Herring licence holders are required to designate the fishing vessel to hold the licence by submitting a request through the National Online Licensing System. Instructions are available at this website.

The available quota for the Strait of Georgia will be shared on a percentage basis by the 252 Roe Herring Seine licence eligibility holders.

Roe seine licence holders who choose the Food and Bait fishery option will not be eligible to participate in the current year Roe Herring Seine fishery, and revised licence conditions will be issued with the share and fixed quota amounts specified. The fixed quota will be established at the time of Roe Herring Seine licence selection.

Under the Canada Shipping Act, all vessels fishing herring or capelin are required to have a valid stability certificate/booklet on board the vessel.

Service provider

Licence holders must ensure that arrangements have been made with an approved service company to meet the notifications, catch verification, and catch sampling requirements of the licence conditions. DFO will provide the observer letter to the vessel master, based on information provided by the Pacific Fishery Licence Unit.

Licence documents

Food and Bait Herring licence documents are valid from the date of issuance to February 12th of the next calendar year. Licence holders may reprint any lost or destroyed licence documents using the National Online Licensing System (NOLS).

Vessel redesignation

Category ZM licenses may be redesignated to another registered Canadian commercial fishing vessel at any time during the year, as long as the conditions of licence have been met, such as the completion, submission and acceptance of logbooks.

Licence holders may redesignate a fishing vessel to hold the licence by submitting a request through the National Online Licensing System. Instructions are available at this website.

There is no limit in the number of category ZM licences that may be designated to a vessel. It is the responsibility of vessel owners/masters to consider the carrying capacity of the vessel when designating multiple licences to a vessel.

Pacific sardine

Categories ZS and ZSF

The Pacific Sardine fishery remains closed due to conservation concerns.

Licence category

A commercial or communal commercial Pacific Sardine licence (category ZS or ZSF) is required to commercially harvest Pacific Sardine. Pacific Sardine licences are party based. Enquiries for experimental/exploratory licences to investigate alternative gear types may be made to DFO’s Pelagics Resource Manager.

Licence category background

In 2002, the Pacific Sardine fishery moved from an experimental/exploratory phase to a commercial fishery. With some remaining uncertainty about potential growth opportunities and the best management approach, DFO has taken an incremental approach to the development of this fishery and continues to follow the principles of the New and Emerging Fisheries policy. Since 2003, up to 50 participants have been permitted in the fishery: 25 commercial and 25 communal commercial. In 2004, priority was given to applicants who participated in the previous year’s fishery, showed good stewardship of the resource, and demonstrated success in market development.

Two similar but separate processes for commercial licences and communal commercial licences have since been used to determine annual access to the fishery:

For the commercial fishery:

• Eligibility criteria has been based primarily on vessel suitability. In 2003, priority was given to vessels that participated in the experimental phases and annually thereafter. Remaining eligible applicants were placed in a lottery to determine a total of 25 eligible participants. Between 2007 and 2009, priority access was granted to 25 eligible participants based on licence issuance in the previous season.
• Between 2007 and 2009, eligible applicants were given a two-week period to apply for and meet licence application requirements, and to be issued a licence. If eligible participants did not apply for licences, the opportunity was given to the next eligible participant as determined by the lottery. This ensured that all 25 licences were issued to applicants committed to participating in the fishery.
• In May 2009, limited entry was introduced and 25 eligibilities were established with qualifying criteria as:
  • the ability of fish harvesters to make allocation changes to the licence within one business day;
  • the ability of the service provider to accurately match catch to licences;
  • no related enforcement issues; and
  • no increased cost to DFO.
• In May 2009, an appeal process was held and a nomination process was introduced for these commercial eligibilities.

For the communal commercial fishery:

• Applicants have been screened against eligibility criteria and then ranked based on adjacency and existing capacity. In 2007, priority access was granted to 18 communal commercial applicants and a lottery was held to determine a list of eligible applicants for the remaining seven licences. In 2008, 10 of the 21 participants with priority access completed the process by the deadline and a lottery was held to determine a list of eligible applicants for the remaining 15 licences. All 25 category ZSF licences were issued in 2008.
• Priority access for 2009 was provided to the 25 communal commercial participants issued licences in 2008. Applications and letters were sent to these 25 eligible applicants on May 19, 2009 with a deadline date of June 5, 2009 to meet application requirements. A lottery was planned to determine an eligibility list after the deadline; however, all 25 eligible applicants submitted applications by the deadline and no lottery was required or held.

Species

Pacific Sardine (Sardinops sagax), Chub mackerel (Scomber japonicus), and Jack mackerel (Trachurus symmetricus).

Gear

Pacific Sardine may be captured by purse seine or trap net. Gear specifications are outlined in the Integrated Fisheries Management Plan.

Licence renewal fee

As the fishery is closed for conservation concerns, there is currently no annual renewal fee for a category ZS licence. Should the fishery reopen, the annual licence renewal fee will be $30.00. There is no annual renewal fee for a communal commercial category ZSF licence.

Licence issuance

A commercial Pacific Sardine licence must be renewed, and the renewal fee paid, every year by February 9th to retain the privilege to be issued the licence in the future. This means that licence eligibility holders must renew the licence whether they intend to fish or not. If the licence is not annually renewed by February 9th, the licence will cease and DFO will not be able to consider a request to issue that licence in the future.

All Pacific Sardine licence eligibility holders are required to annually designate the fishing vessel to hold the licence by submitting a request through the National Online Licensing System. Instructions are available at this website.

Prior to licence issue, applicants must:

• be on the list of eligible applicants for the Pacific Sardine fishery;
• designate a registered Canadian commercial fishing vessel that is:
  • currently holds or has been designated with a valid Roe Herring Seine licence, a valid limited entry vessel based licence, a valid communal commercial licence, or a valid category NAG Salmon licence OR for communal commercial Pacific Sardine applicants only, be designated as a Spawn on Kelp catcher vessel.
  • able to accommodate a certified observer;
  • geared with a purse seine; and
  • equipped with at least one of the following freezer systems:
    • refrigerated seawater system
    • champagne system
    • super chilling
    • freezing at sea capability
• have access to product processing, with quality control mechanisms in place, and a Pacific Sardine market identified.

A maximum of five commercial or communal commercial Pacific Sardine licences are permitted to be designated to a vessel.

Licences that have already been harvested to the maximum quota may stay on the same vessel and will not be counted against the maximum limit of licences allowed. When a vessel has not previously harvested under authority of a Pacific Sardine licence, further review may be required.

Licence documents

Pacific Sardine licence documents are valid from the date of issue to February 9th of the next calendar year.

Licence eligibility holders may reprint any lost or destroyed licence documents using the National Online Licensing System (NOLS).

Vessel redesignation

Redesignation of Pacific Sardine licences is permitted at any time during the year as long as the licence conditions have been met, such as the completion, submission and acceptance of logbooks.

Licence eligibility holders may only redesignate a fishing vessel to hold the licence by submitting a request through the National Online Licensing System. Instructions are available at this website.

Prior to redesignation applications being processed, the licence eligibility holder must:

• confirm that up-to-date logbooks and landing information has been submitted to the service provider; and
• designate a suitable vessel that meets the application requirements and is currently holds or has been designated with a valid Roe Herring Seine licence, a valid limited entry vessel based licence, a valid communal commercial licence or a valid category NAG licence; OR, for communal commercial Pacific Sardine applicants only, be designated as a Spawn on Kelp catcher vessel.

Nomination

Pacific Sardine category ZS licence eligibilities may be nominated from one party to another at any time. To do so, licence eligibility holders must indicate their intention to no longer apply for a Pacific Sardine licence and name the nominated individual using DFO’s Nomination for Category Z Licence Eligibility form. The Minister may then consider issuing the licence to the nominated individual.

Prior to the nomination of a commercial Pacific Sardine licence eligibility, the licence eligibility holder must ensure that any conditions of the current or previous year’s licence have been met and accepted by the service provider.

Note that the nomination form must be signed by the licence eligibility holder on record and notarized by a lawyer or notary. If the licence eligibility holder is a company, the Pacific Fishery

Licence Unit must have on record a copy of a recent B.C. Company Summary indicating the officers/directors associated with the company.

The Nomination for Category Z Licence Eligibility form is available at this website.

Communal commercial Pacific Sardine category ZSF licence eligibilities may not be nominated.

If you require further discussion or information on the above mentioned nomination policies, please contact the Pacific Fishery Licence Unit.

Logbooks

Logbooks may be obtained through D & D Pacific Fisheries Ltd. by calling Darin Macey or Don Christian at 604-886-4819 or toll free at 1-800-775-5505.

Eulachon

Category ZU

The Eulachon fishery remains closed due to conservation concerns.

Licence category

A Eulachon licence (category ZU) is required to commercially harvest Eulachon on the Fraser river. Eulachon licence eligibilities are limited entry and party based.

Licence category background

In the 1930s, Eulachon began to be commercially harvested on the Fraser River. Initially, anyone with a Schedule II Species (category C) or a limited entry, vessel based category licence was eligible to fish Eulachon. In 1995, due to concerns raised by Aboriginal groups and commercial fish harvesters that Eulachon stocks were at very low levels, an active management regime and stock assessment program were initiated. Eulachon fishing increased in 1996 due to speculation over licensing changes, diminished opportunities in other fisheries, changes to employment insurance, and an increase in the availability of Eulachon. There has not been a commercial or recreational fishery since 2001 due to conservation concerns.

Limited entry was introduced in 1998. Licence eligibilities were issued to individuals who met a cumulative landing requirement of 1,000 lbs. or greater in three out of six years from 1990 to 1995. Licence limitation resulted in the establishment of 16 licence eligibilities. A maximum vessel length was established for each licence eligibility based on the surveyed overall length of the vessel fished.

Licence renewal fee

As the fishery is closed for conservation concerns, there is currently no annual renewal fee for a category ZU licence. Should the fishery reopen, the annual licence renewal fee will be $30.00.

Licence issuance

A commercial Eulachon licence must be renewed, and the renewal fee paid, every year by December 31st to retain the privilege to be issued the licence in the future. This means that licence eligibility holders must renew the licence whether they intend to fish or not. If the licence is not annually renewed by December 31st, the licence will cease and DFO will not be able to consider a request to issue that licence in the future.

Prior to licence issue, the licence eligibility holder must ensure that:

• any ministerial conditions placed on the licence eligibility have been met; and
• a registered Canadian commercial fishing vessel has been designated.

As the fishery remains closed, the requirement for logbook approval has been waived.

Nomination

There is currently no nomination process in place for Eulachon licence eligibilities to be nominated from one licence eligibility holder to another.

Estate administrators may request that the Minister of Fisheries and Oceans grant a nomination exception for Eulachon licence eligibilities held in the name of estates, by presenting an appeal to the Pacific Region Licence Appeal Board (PRLAB).

Pacific Wild Oyster

Categories ZWO and FZWO

Licence category

A commercial or communal commercial Pacific Wild Oyster licence (category ZWO or FZWO) is required to commercially harvest Pacific wild Oysters.

Pacific Wild Oyster licences are limited entry and party based.

A Category ZWO licence designates the authorized harvester named on the licence to harvest under the authority of the licence. Additional harvesters are permitted to assist the licence holder in harvesting on the beach. The licence holder and any additional harvesters must be in possession of a valid Fishers Registration Card (FRC).

A category FZWO licence designates the Aboriginal Organization to designate harvesters under the authority of the licence. Harvester(s) must be designated by the First Nation that holds the licence. The designation must be made in writing and include the person’s name and reference the Communal Commercial Licence.

Licence holders and those assisting are responsible for understanding all management measures and licence conditions before harvesting Pacific wild Oysters.

Licence category background

In October 2013, the Department announced future licence eligibility limitation for the commercial Pacific Oyster fishery. Past commercial licence holders having held a licence in at least one year during the period of 2009-2013 were able to apply for a one-time opportunity to establish eligibility.

As part of this process the Department also created 20 new communal commercial category FZWO licences for First Nation participation. Along with licence limitation, the Department announced new assessment and monitoring requirements for the fishery.

Licence limitation resulted in the establishment of approximately 136 licence eligibilities. The fishery operates under a Total Allowable Catch (TAC) and individual licence quotas. The current commercial fishery occurs within the south coast of British Columbia mainly along the mid portions of the east and west sides of Vancouver Island. Commercial harvest sites are divided into two licence areas.

Past commercial harvest opportunities under Provincial management have averaged 40 to 60 participants annually over the last ten years with a total allowable catch in 2011 of 417 tonnes. During the 2012 and 2013 season, DFO continued the Provincial management model while the transition was underway and the Department consulted and decided upon the future management and assessment frameworks for the fishery.

Fishing areas

• West Coast Vancouver Island (WCVI) – Area 21 to 27
• East Coast Vancouver Island (ECVI) – Area 12 to 19

Licence renewal fee

The annual renewal fee for a commercial category ZWO licence is $30.00. There is no annual renewal fee for a communal commercial category FZWO licence.

Licence issuance

A commercial Pacific wild Oyster licence must be renewed, and the renewal fee paid, every year by February 28th to retain the privilege to be issued the licence in the future. This means that licence eligibility holders must renew the licence whether they intend to fish or not. If the licence is not annually renewed by February 28th the licence will cease and DFO will not be able to consider a request to issue that licence in the future.

Prior to licence issuance, licence eligibility holder(s) must ensure:

• ensure any Ministerial conditions placed on the licence eligibility are met,
• any conditions of the previous years’ licence, such as completion of logbooks, are met and accepted.

The licence eligibility holder of record for category ZWO licenses may annually choose to participate or redesignate another harvester to be named on the licence for the period of the annual licence. The annual licence fee must be paid and the licence obtained prior to requesting redesignation.
Logbook/fish slip requirements must be met prior to redesignation.

Category FZWO licenses are issued in the name of the aboriginal organization that holds the licence. Harvesters must be designated by the First Nation that holds the licence. Designations must be made in writing and include the person’s name and reference licence.

There is currently no mechanism in place to accept an area change.

Licence documents

Pacific wild Oyster licence documents, a current Fisher Registration Card, and government-issued photo identification must be carried at all times by the licence eligibility holder when harvesting Oysters and produced upon the demand of a fishery officer or guardian.

Pacific wild Oyster licence documents are valid from the date of issuance to February 28th of the next calendar year.

Licence eligibility holders may reprint any lost or destroyed licence documents using the National Online Licensing System (NOLS).

Licence eligibility nominations

Pacific Wild Oyster, category ZWO licence eligibilities may be nominated from one party to another. Licence eligibility holders may indicate their intention to no longer apply for a Pacific Wild Oyster licence by completing the Nomination for Category Z Licence Eligibility form. Where such an intention is stated, the Minister may consider issuance of the licence to a person nominated by the previous licence eligibility holder.

Prior to the nomination of a commercial Pacific Wild Oyster licence eligibility, licence eligibility holders are required to:

• Ensure any conditions of the current or previous year licence such as completion and submission of fishing logbooks are met
• Complete, sign and submit a nomination application. If the licence eligibility holder is a company, the Pacific Fishery Licence Unit must have on record a copy of a recent B.C. Company Summary indicating the officers/directors associated with the company.

Note that the nomination form must be signed by the licence eligibility holder on record and notarized by a lawyer or notary.

The Nomination for Category Z Licence Eligibility form is available at this website.

Communal commercial Pacific Wild Oyster category FZWO licence eligibilities may not be nominated.

If you require further discussion or information on the above mentioned nomination policies, please contact the Pacific Fishery Licence Unit.

Logbooks

Logbooks may be obtained by calling D&D Fisheries (604) 886-4819 or ddpacific@dccnet.com.

Special use bait herring

Personal (1 Ton) Category ZX

Commercial (3 Ton)

• Category ZY1 (Sport Bait)
• Category ZY2 (Commercial Bait)
• Category ZY3 (Domestic Food and Bait)
• Category ZY4 (Zoo and Aquarium)

Licence categories

A Special Use Bait Herring licence (category ZX or ZY) is required to harvest Special Use Herring. A category ZX licence is required for herring caught for personal use, while a category ZY licence is required for herring caught for commercial use. Special Use Herring licences are unlimited entry and party based.

Licences issued under these categories do not imply or confer a right or privilege to be issued a similar licence in future seasons.

ZX – Personal use herring

• Licence purpose: Fish caught under the authority of this licence cannot be sold and are for the sole use of the licence holder.
• One-ton licences are issued to anyone who owns or operates a licensed commercial vessel.
• Licences are issued on a “first come, first served” basis until the allocation for ZXlicences has been reached.
• A landing report must be submitted to the Special Use Herring Resource Manager for each ZX licence issued, even if no fishing takes place.

ZY1 – Sport bait herring

• Licence purpose: Fish caught under the authority of this licence may only be sold as live bait to sport fishers or frozen for domestic or export sport fisheries.
• Three-ton licences are issued to anyone who owns or operates a licensed commercial vessel.
• In the Strait of Georgia, multiple three-ton ZY1 licences (up to five per vessel) will only be issued between November 7th to February 15th and October 1st to November 6th. Vessels may only stack licences from one licence category at a time.
• Licences are issued on a “first come, first served” basis until the allocation for ZY1 licences has been reached.

ZY2 – Commercial bait herring

• Licence purpose: Fish caught under authority of this licence may only be sold as fresh or frozen bait to commercial fish harvesters for commercial use.
• Three-ton licences issued to anyone who owns or operates a licensed commercial vessel.
• Licences that are not unique quota licences are issued on a “first come, first served” basis until the total allowable catch for ZY2 licences has been reached.

ZY3 – Domestic food and bait herring

• Licence purpose: Fish caught under authority of this licence may only be sold fresh for noncommercial or non-sport use.
• Up to three ZY3 licences may be stacked on a vessel. Vessels may only stack licencesfrom one category at a time. The vessel must meet the criteria for licence issuance.

ZY4 – Zoo and aquarium animal food

• Licence purpose: Fish caught under authority of this licence may only be used to feed animal’s resident at the zoo or aquarium of the named licence holder.

Licence category background

The purpose of the special use bait herring fishery is to provide opportunities for licence holders to harvest herring for different uses, such as personal use bait, domestic food, sport fish bait, commercial bait, and zoo and aquarium animal food. Special use bait herring is not permitted to be harvested during other herring fisheries, such as the Roe Herring fishery, the Spawn on Kelp fishery, or the food and bait fishery.

Sport bait herring (ZY1)

In the late 1970s and through the 1980s, there were strong recreational herring bait fisheries. To supply these fisheries, three-ton impoundment permits were issued to the small live-bait operations that had become prolific throughout the Strait of Georgia, with scattered operations into the North Coast area. These permits were to be used in conjunction with fishing permits which allowed the harvest of herring for personal use or for the delivery of herring to a processor or operator who possessed a valid impoundment permit.

Commercial bait herring (ZY2)

The commercial bait licence category ZY2 was developed in 1995 to provide quota for bait that would be used in commercial fisheries, such as the Halibut fishery. Prior to this date, fishing activity for commercial bait had been underway for many years, especially in the Prince Rupert District, and was managed through the issuance of permits. The category ZY2 licence is operationally the same as the category ZY1 licence, permitting the ponding of herring using threeton licences.

Domestic food and bait herring (ZY3)

In the early 1980s, the opportunity to harvest herring for human food was provided through the issuance of three-ton permits for fresh, local sales only. When the licence category ZY3 was introduced in 1995, three-ton quotas and four 50-ton quotas continued to be issued through licences. Three-ton licences were available until 2006/07 and discontinued in 2007/08. In 2009, the allocation for category ZY3 licences was reduced to 150 tons.

Zoo and aquarium animal food (ZY4)

Historically, the quota in licence category ZY4 has been available to any zoo or aquarium operating in Canada or the United States, upon request to DFO.

Licence renewal fees

The category ZX or ZY licence renewal fee is $30.00, per category.

Licence application and issuance

An Application for Special Use Bait Herring Category ZX and ZY form may be obtained by making a request through the National Online Licensing System or by calling the Special Use Herring Manager at 604-666-7851.

Eligible applicants may submit the completed application through the National Online Licensing System. Instructions are available at this website. Only one type of licence may be applied for per application.

Licences will be processed in the order in which they are received and issued to applicants that meet all licence requirements, until the quota allocated for the requested licence category has been reached.

While stacking of licences is permitted, all catch landings must be validated against an issued licence. In the case of a vessel with stacked licences, all landings will be accounted for against the individual licences stacked on the vessel. A vessel may not stack licences from more than one category at a time.

No party may hold more than one active special use bait herring licence at a time. When a special use bait herring licence has been landed and validated, and all conditions of the licence have been met, the licence holder may apply for another special use bait herring licence. Proof of validation via correspondence from a service provider will be required prior to another licence being issued.

No fishing may take place until the licence documents are received and on board the vessel.

Licence requirements

Prior to licence issue, applicants must:

• ensure that any conditions of a previous year’s licence have been met, such as the completion, submission, and approval of any landing reports and fishslips:
  • A log must be submitted even where no harvesting has occurred, e.g., for nil catch.
  • All landing reports and fish slips must be submitted to the DFO’s Pacific Regional Headquarters at 200-401 Burrard Street, Vancouver, BC, V6C3S4.
  • Persons applying for a ZX licence must submit a landing record to DFO’s Pacific Regional Headquarters by November 15th eachyear.
• designate a registered Canadian commercial fishing vessel that is eligible for any valid limited entry vessel based licence, a valid communal commercial licence, or a valid Salmon category NAG licence:
  • The applicant is not required to be the owner of the designated vessel as licences may be issued to an applicant who intends to use or receive the herring. For example, if the herring is to be impounded, then the applicant may be the impoundment operator.
• list the name and fisher identification number (FIN) of the vessel master.

Designated vessels may fish only one category ZX licence, and a maximum of five category ZY1 licences, at one time. When a licence has been fished, and all of the licence conditions have been met, the licence holder is eligible to apply for another licence.

Only category ZY3 and category ZY4 licences may be redesignated to different vessels, once the licences have been issued.

Under Transport Canada’s Small Fishing Vessel Inspection Regulations, all vessels carrying capelin or herring in bulk are required to have a stability booklet with a valid stamp aboard.

Please note that all category ZY applications received will be sent to the Regional Herring Officer for review and approval prior to licence issue.

Licence documents

Special use bait herring licence documents are valid from the date of issue to November 6th of the next calendar year, unless otherwise specified on the licence conditions.

The special use bait herring fishery is closed from 00:01 hours on February 16th to 23:59 hours on April 30th for the Roe Herring season. Licences obtained before the February 16th closure that have remaining quota (e.g., have not fished out) may be used after the fishery re-opens on May 1st.

Licence holders may reprint any lost or destroyed licence documents using the National Online Licensing System (NOLS).

Vessel redesignations

Vessel redesignation after licence issuance is only permitted for category ZY3 and category ZY4 licences.

Logbooks

Logbooks may be obtained by calling J.O. Thomas & Associates (604) 291-6340

Commercial salmon – Taku and Stikine River

Transboundary commercial salmon (Category ATBR)

• Full Fee
• Reduced Fee

Transboundary aboriginal commercial salmon (Category ATBRF)

Transboundary communal commercial salmon (Category FATBR)

Licence category

The authority for this licence and category is found in the Pacific Fishery Regulations, 1993. Transboundary commercial and communal commercial salmon licence eligibilities are limited entry party based licences for specified licenced areas.

An Fisher Registration Card (FRC) is required to harvest with a Salmon Taku and Stikine River licence eligibility (categories ATBR and ATBRF). An FRC is not required to harvest under a category FATBR licence.

Licence category background

There are currently 17 limited entry party based commercial Salmon (category ATBR) licence eligibilities allocated for commercial fishing on the Stikine River.

There are currently 8 limited entry party based commercial salmon (category ATBR) licences allocated for commercial fishing on the Taku River.

There are three communal commercial (category FATBR) licence eligibilities allocated to the Taku River Tlingit First Nation (TRTFN) pursuant to the Aboriginal Communal Fishing Licences Regulations for participation in the general commercial fishery. These licence eligibilities must be designated to a fisher.

There are six Aboriginal commercial salmon (category ATBRF) licence eligibilities allocated to the Taku River Tlingit First Nation (TRTFN). Seven category ATBRF licence eligibilities are allocated to the Tahltan Indian Band. These licence eligibilities must be designated to a fisher.

Fishing areas

• Taku River
• Stikine River – Upper and Lower

Licence renewal fees

Annual Salmon Taku and Stikine River licence (categories ATBR and ATBRF) renewal fees are available at full and reduced fee rates.

Reduced fee licence eligibilities must be held by Aboriginal individuals who have status under the Indian Act and who elect to pay a reduced fee for the Salmon licence eligibility.

There is no annual renewal fee for a communal commercial (category FATBR) licenses.

Designation

Commercial and communal commercial Salmon Taku and Stikine River (category ATBRF and FATBR) licence eligibility holders are required to annually designate a Fisher to hold the licence. This must be done by navigating to the ‘Submit a Request’ menu selection within the National Online Licensing System (NOLS). Full instructions are available at this website).

Licence issuance

A commercial Salmon Taku and Stikine River (category ATBR) licence may be renewed, and the renewal fee paid, every year by December 31st.

Prior to licence issue, licence eligibility holder must ensure that:

• any ministerial conditions placed on licence eligibility have been met;and
• any conditions of theprevious year’s licence have been met.

Licence documents

Salmon Taku and Stikine River licence documents are valid from the date of issuance until December 31st annually for the specified year of issuance.

Licence eligibility holders may reprint any lost or destroyed licence documents using the National Online Licensing System (NOLS).

Nomination

Commercial Salmon Taku and Stikine River (category ATBR) licence eligibilities may be nominated from one party to another. To do so, licence eligibility holders must indicate their intention to no longer apply for the licence eligibility and name the nominated individual using the Nomination for Taku and Stikine River Salmon Licence Eligibility Application form. When such intent is stated, the Minister may consider issuance of the licence eligibility to the nominated party.

Effective as of August 2004, the following is the current policy with respect to commercial Salmon fishing licences for the Taku and Stikine River.

This Policy is not intended to require any person who presently holds a commercial salmon fishing licence to relinquish the licence nor can it fetter the Minister’s absolute discretion with respect to the issuance of fishing licences. It has no force of law.

Definitions

In this policy,
“direct family members”, in respect of a person, means a spouse, child, brother, sister or parent of the person;
“spouse” includes a common law spouse and a same-sex partner;
“First Nation” refers to the Taku River Tlingit First Nation, the Iskut First Nation and/or the Tahltan First Nation; and
“Minister” means the Minister of Fisheries and Oceans or an appropriate departmental official.

Discretion of Minister

Subsection 7(1) of the Fisheries Act provides that the Minister of Fisheries and Oceans has absolute discretion to issue fishing licences. The Minister may decide to issue a licence to the party nominated by the licence holder or to someone else either before the 60 day period or after the 90 day period has elapsed.

Nomination of another party

This Policy sets out the process where the holder of a commercial salmon fishing licence for the Taku River or the Stikine River wishes to relinquish his privilege to fish under a licence he holds and nominates another party to be issued such a licence.

Direct family member

Where the party nominated is a direct family member of the licence holder, the Minister would consider issuing a commercial salmon fishing licence for the Taku River or the Stikine River to that direct family member

Not direct family member

Where a direct family member of the licence holder is not nominated, the Minister, would send a registered letter to the Taku River Tlingit First Nation (if the licence is for the Taku River) and to the Iskut First Nation and Tahltan First Nation (if the licence is for the Stikine River). The letter would advise the First Nation that a commercial salmon fishing licence for the river in question has or will be relinquished.

If, within 60 days of the date that the registered letter was mailed, the First Nation provides written notice that it wishes to be considered for the issuance of a commercial salmon fishing licence for the Taku River or the Stikine River and within 90 days of the date that the registered letter was mailed, the licence holder provides written notice nominating the First Nation to be issued such a licence, the Minister would consider issuing a commercial salmon fishing licence for the Taku River or the Stikine River to the First Nation.

If, within 60 days of the date that the registered letter was mailed, the First Nation does not provide written notice that it wishes to be considered for the issuance of a commercial salmon fishing licence for the Taku River or the Stikine River, or if the licence holder does not provide written notice nominating the First Nation within 90 days of the date that the registered letter was mailed, the Minister could consider issuing a commercial salmon fishing licence for the Taku River or the Stikine River to a third party nominated by the licence holder.

Licensing

Where a request to issue a commercial salmon fishing licence to another party is approved by the Minister, subject to the Minister’s absolute discretion in these matters, an appropriate licence will be issued through the Yukon/Transboundary Rivers Area of the Pacific Region to that party.

The Yukon/Transboundary Rivers Area will maintain an inventory of these licences.

General

Requests to relinquish a licence and nominate another party to be issued a licence should be sent to the following address:

Area Director
Fisheries and Oceans Canada
100 – 419 Range Road
Whitehorse, Yukon Y1A 3V1

Persons who wish to relinquish their licence and nominate another party for licence issuance should take into account that the process may take up to 130 days from the date that written notification is provided to the Area Director of Yukon/Transboundary Rivers Area of their intent to relinquish their licence.

A copy of the Nomination for Taku and Stikine River Salmon Licence Eligibility Application form may be obtained from the Pacific Fishery Licence Unit (PFLU). This may be done by navigating to the ‘Submit a Request’ menu selection within the National Online Licensing System (NOLS). Full instructions are available at this website.

Logbooks

All catch must be report every 24 hours, via fish slips to Fisheries and Oceans, when participating in the fishery.

Salmon gillnet

Gillnet (Categories AG, FAG and NAG)

Seine (Categories AS and FAS)

Troll (Categories AT and FAT)

Licence category

A commercial or communal commercial Salmon licence (any category A, FA or NAG) is required to commercially harvest Salmon. Category A licence eligibilities are limited entry and vessel based. The licence eligibilities for category FA and NAG are party based and must be annually designated to a registered Canadian commercial fishing vessel that meets established length restrictions. Vessels are required to have a survey either on file with the Pacific Fishery Licence Unit or the survey must be submitted with the vessel designation. Vessels must be surveyed according to DFO guidelines category FA licences are held by Aboriginal groups. Category NAG licence eligibilities are held by the Northern Native Fishing Corporation.

Vessels authorized to fish under the authority of a Salmon licence are also permitted to:

• fish for Schedule II Species, according to the conditions of each licence;
• transport fish caught by other vessels; and
• be designated to fish under the authority of a category Z licence.

Licence category background

Salmon has been a limited entry vessel based fishery since 1969.

Salmon Category A licenses were issued for fishing vessels which had a recorded catch of 10,000 lbs. or more of pink or chum Salmon, or equivalent, during 1967 or 1968.

The introduction of entry controls in the Salmon fishery in 1969 marked the beginning of licence limitation in Pacific fisheries in Canada. Salmon (A) licenses were issued for fishing vessels which had a recorded catch of 10,000 lbs. or more of pink or chum Salmon, or equivalent during 1967 or 1968. A total of 5870 Salmon (A) licenses were issued in 1969.

The fee for a Salmon (A) licence in 1969 was $10.00. Effective for the 1970 Salmon season, the licence fee was raised from $10 to $100 for Salmon (A) vessels less than 15 net tons in capacity. Vessels larger than this were charged $200 in annual fees in a rough attempt to make fee proportional to fishing capacity. The stated purpose of the fee increase was to fund a buy back program for the Salmon fleet. Effective for the 1971 season, these fees were doubled to $200 and $400 respectively; at the same time, another fee category was introduced; vessels under 30 ft. continued to pay a $100 annual fee. In 1981, Salmon licence fees in each of the three categories were increased again to $200, $400 and $800 respectively. The most recent increase in fees occurred in 1987, when licence fees were increased to $400, $800 and $1,600 respectively.

Between 1969 and 1977 there was no restriction on the type of gear (gillnet, seine or troll) which could be used on a Salmon licensed vessel. In 1977, a moratorium on the number of vessels allowed to fish with seine gear was implemented. In 1982, Salmon vessels with a seine licence privilege were issued distinct Salmon validation tabs. Those Salmon vessels with a seine licence privilege were entitled to fish for Salmon with any gear. Those vessels without a seine licence privilege could use either gillnet or troll gear or both.

Aboriginal individuals may elect to pay a lower annual fee for a Salmon (A) licence, however, where this election has been made, the lower fee applies in all years thereafter and the vessel may only be sold to an Aboriginal individual. If a vessel has been issued a Salmon (A) licence, to which this restriction applies and is sold to a non-aboriginal individual, the licence eligibility ceases. This election and restriction in the Salmon (A) licence also applies to the Northern Native Fishing Corporation (NNFC), an aboriginal owned and operated company licence and section 19 – Registrations and Licenses of the Pacific Fishery Regulations, 1993.

The Salmon (B) licence initiated in 1969 with entry limitation and was issued to vessels that had a recorded catch during 1967 or 1968 of less than 10,000 lbs. of pink or chum Salmon, or equivalent. It was argued that these vessels traditionally participated in the Salmon fishery only during peak runs and that their exclusion from the fishery would detrimentally affect the vessel owner’s long term income and vessel values. There were 1062 Salmon (B) licenses issued originally.

In 1970, a phase-out period for these Salmon (B) licenses was announced; they would be issued annually only up to 10 years. The licence fee remained at $10. In 1978, when most of the Salmon (B) licenses were set to expire, the Minister extended them for an additional five years; a total of 103 licenses, which were still held by the original Salmon (B) vessel owners. The licence fee was doubled in 1981 to $20.00. At present, there are no Salmon (B) licenses still be issued by the Minister. In 1982, B.C. Packers Ltd. sold 243 vessels and 254 licenses (most of its northern gillnet fleet) to the Northern Native Fishing Corporation (NNFC). The concept behind NNFC is that the corporation retains the licence privilege even though they may sell the vessels to individual Native fishers. In order to facilitate the corporation’s operation, the Minister created a Salmon (category N) licence. Salmon (N) licenses are personal licenses held by the NNFC.

Salmon (N) licenses are issued only to the Northern Native Fishing Corporation for vessels designated by the corporation. They were introduced in 1983 upon the relinquishment and retirement of a Salmon (A) licence by the NNFC for each Salmon (N) licence issued. At present, these licenses are now referred to as category NAG licenses as all 254 of these licenses are in the Salmon gillnet fleet. In 1996, under the Pacific Salmon Revitalisation Plan, area and gear selection were introduced and Salmon licensed vessel owners were required to select a gear and an area for each licence eligibility. Gear selections were seine, gillnet or troll. Gear selection was permanent. Area selections were: Areas A or B for seine; Areas C, D or E for gillnet; and Areas F, G or H for troll. In addition, a vessel was only able to hold one licence eligibility per area.

Area licensing has been a feature of Salmon management for the past 10 years with area selections processes in 1996, 2000, 2006 and 2007. The initial area selection was for a four-year period. Licence stacking was also introduced in 1996 to help decrease the number of vessels actively participating in the fishery, while allowing vessel owners to fish in more than one area or with more than one gear.

Fishing areas

Seine

• Area A – Areas 1 to 10, Subarea 101-7
• Area B – Areas 11 to 29 and 121

Gillnet

• Area C – Areas 1 to 10, Subarea 101-7
• Area D – Areas 11 to 15 and 23 to 27
• Area E – Areas 16 to 22, 28, 29 and 121

Troll

• Area F – Areas 1 to 10, 101 to 110, 130 and 142
• Area G – Areas 11, 20 to 27, 111, 121, 123 to 127 and Subareas 12-5 to 12-16
• Area H – Areas 12 to 19, 28 and 29

Licence renewal fees

Annual commercial Salmon licence (categories AG, AS and AT) renewal fees are available at full and reduced fee rates. Annual renewal fees are based on the length of the vessel.

Reduced fee licence eligibilities must be held on vessels owned by Aboriginal individuals who have status under the Indian Act and who elect to pay a reduced fee for a Salmon licence eligibility.

Commercial Salmon category NAG licence renewal fees are available at reduced fee rates. The renewal fees are based on the maximum vessel length (MVL) related to the category NAG licence eligibility.

There is no annual renewal fee for a communal commercial (category FAS, FAG or FAT) licenses.

Licence issuance

A commercial Salmon licence must be renewed, and the renewal fee paid, every year by March 31st to retain the privilege to be issued the licence in the future. This means that vessel owners and category NAG licence eligibility holders must renew the licence whether they intend to fish or not. If the licence is not annually renewed by March 31^st, the licence will cease and DFO will not be able to consider a request to issue that licence in the future.

Every year, category NAG and communal commercial category FA licence eligibility holders must also designate a fishing vessel to hold the licence. This may be done by submitting a request through the National Online Licensing System. Instructions are available at this website.

Prior to licence issue, vessel owners and licence eligibility holder must ensure that:

• any ministerial conditions placed on licence eligibility have been met;and
• any conditions of theprevious year’s licence have been met.
• the designated vessel's overall length does not exceed the maximum vessel length of the category NAG or category FA licence eligibility.

Licence documents

Salmon licence documents are valid from the date of issuance until March 31st of the next calendar year. Vessel owners and licence eligibility holders may reprint any lost or destroyed licence documents using the National Online Licensing System (NOLS).

Vessel replacement

The owner(s) of a category AG, AS or AT licenced commercial Salmon vessel may makeapplication to replace the commercial fishing vessel. Both the replacement vessel and the vessel being replaced must have a survey on file with the Pacific Fishery Licence Unit (PFLU) or submitted with the vessel replacement application. Vessels must be surveyed according to Fisheries and Oceans Canada guidelines. A commercial Salmon licence eligibility may not be split from other vessel based licence eligibilities. When no stacking is involved, replacement vessels for Salmon licence eligibilities must remain at the exact overall length or smaller than the existing vessel.

Where a vessel is eligible for a reduced fee Salmon licence, an Aboriginal individual must own the replacing vessel.

If a vessel is eligible for more than one licence category, all licence eligibilities must be placed on the replacement vessel, except where the Integrated Fisheries Management Plan (IFMP) for a species allows.

Licences eligible for a temporary vessel replacement (e.g., total loss of vessel) will not be permitted to be stacked.

Salmon category NAG and communal commercial category FA licence eligibilities are not eligible for vessel replacement.

Stacking

DFO processing of Salmon licence eligibility stacking applications ends on May 31st every year.
Stacking applications are not accepted from June 1st to November 30th.

For the purpose of stacking licences, a single Salmon licence eligibility may be stacked to a vessel that is up to 30 per cent longer in overall length than the overall length of the vessel from which the licence eligibility is being removed.

Salmon licence eligibilities that are married to other licence categories (or another Salmon licence) may be stacked, but the additional 30 per cent in overall length is not applicable, and the Salmon stacking cannot result in the stacking of other licence categories, except where permitted for that licence category.

Different gear and area licence eligibilities may be combined on one vessel. That is, one vessel may have a Salmon gillnet licence eligibility and a Salmon troll licence eligibility. Multiple Salmon licence eligibilities of the same gear may be held on one vessel so long as each licence eligibility has a different area, as a vessel may not hold more than one Salmon licence eligibility for the same area.

An area change request may only be made when an application for licence stacking is submitted and the area change may only be made for the licence eligibility that is being stacked. The owner of the receiving vessel must make the request by completing the applicable section on the form.

Reduced fee licence eligibilities for categories AG, AS and AT may be stacked with either another reduced fee licence eligibility or a full fee licence eligibility, but the receiving vessel must be owned by an Aboriginal individual.

Category NAG licence eligibilities may be stacked with any category A licence eligibility (full or reduced fee), a communal commercial category FA, or another category NAG licence eligibility, in compliance with all stacking rules, except that they will not be tied to the other Salmon licence eligibility. Stacking a category NAG licence eligibility does not result in a change of licence area for the category NAG licence eligibility.

Category FA licence eligibilities may be stacked with any category A or category NAG licence eligibility or another category FA licence eligibility, in compliance with all stacking rules, except that they will not be tied to the other Salmon licence eligibility. Stacking deadline dates may vary for category FA licence eligibilities due to the sign off dates of communal or contribution agreements. Stacking a category FA licence eligibility does not result in a change of licence area for the category FA licence eligibility.

Stacking/vessel replacement application requirements

The Application to Replace a Commercial Vessel form is available at this website.

The Application for Salmon Licence Eligibility Stacking may be obtained by submitting a request through the National Online Licensing System. Instructions are available at this website.

Both of the vessels involved in the vessel replacement/stacking are required to have a survey either on file with the Pacific Fishery Licence Unit or the survey must be submitted with the vessel replacement application. Vessels must be surveyed according to DFOguidelines.

If the vessel being replaced, or from which the stacked Salmon licence eligibility originated, has been designated for limited entry category Z licence eligibilities, those licences must be redesignated to another suitable vessel.

If you require further discussion or information on the above mentioned vessel replacement policies, please contact the Pacific Fishery Licence Unit.

Logbooks

Logbooks may be obtained through Archipelago Marine Research by calling 250-383-4535 (toll-free 1- 888- 383-4535). Electronic Monitoring may be arranged through M.C. Wright & Associates Ltd. via telephone (250) 753-1055 or email info@mcwrightonline.com.

Schedule II species

Categories C and FC

Licence category

A commercial or communal commercial Schedule II Species licence (category C or FC), or any other limited entry vessel based licence, is required to commercially harvest Schedule II Species except tuna and where fishing privileges for Schedule II Species have been relinquished (e.g., within the Groundfish Trawl or Geoduck by dive fisheries).

Category C licence eligibilities are limited entry and vessel based. Category FC eligibilities areparty based and must be annually designated to a registered Canadian commercial fishing vessel that meets length restrictions. Category FC licences are held by a First Nation.

Vessels fishing under the authority of a Schedule II Species licence may also be designated to fish under the authority of a category Z licence.

Licence category background

The Schedule II Other Species licence eligibility was introduced at the time of entry limitation in the Salmon fishery in 1968 and originally authorized commercial fishing of all non-Salmon species.

The Category C licence became subject to entry limitation in 1977. The limitation was based on evidence of landings of at least $500 value in the preceding two years 1975 and 1976. The requirement that Category C licensed vessels land $500 worth of fish at least every second year was maintained until 1982. In 1979, the practice of issuing a Category C licence to a vessel retired from the Salmon fishery was discontinued, hence, no new vessels were able to enter any fishery except as a replacement vessel.

The category C licence is described as a general species licence, because it permits fishing for a number of species of fish using varied types of gear for which no other category of licence is required.

“Schedule II” refers to Schedule II in Part II of the Pacific Fishery Regulations, 1993 which outlines the species covered.

Species

Lingcod, Spiny Dogfish, Rockfish, Halibut, Sablefish, Skate, Sole and Flounder, Tuna, and Pacific cod.

Gear

Fishing for Schedule II Species is permitted by hook and line gear; specifically, longline, jig, and troll. When conducting a directed lingcod fishing trip only troll and jig gear is permitted.

As of April 1, 2006, transporting commercial dogfish by any vessel other than the harvesting vessel (i.e., for transshipping) is prohibited. There are also new requirements specific to the transporting of live Rockfish.

Licences which met the qualifying criteria for a category C licence based on catch history, received an initial dogfish and lingcod quota allocation. Vessels not receiving an initial allocation had the opportunity to participate in the lingcod and/or dogfish fishery through a Schedule II Species privilege by acquiring an individual vessel quota for the lingcod or dogfish management area to be fished.

Prior to 2013, the harvest of tuna in Canadian fisheries waters and the high seas was included in the categories C and FC licence conditions. Tuna has since been removed from these licence conditions. Vessels holding any limited entry vessel based licence eligibility retaining Schedule II Species privileges must now apply for a separate category CT licence in order to harvest tuna in Canadian fisheries waters and the high seas.

Licence renewal fee

The annual renewal fee for a commercial category C licence is $30.00. There is no annual renewal fee for a communal commercial category FC licence.

Licence issuance

A commercial Schedule II Species licence must be renewed, and the renewal fee paid, every year by February 20^th to retain the privilege to be issued the licence in the future. This means that vessel owners must renew the licence whether they intend to fish or not. If the licence is not annually renewed by February 20^th, the licence will cease and DFO will not be able to consider a request to issue that licence in the future.

Every year, communal commercial Schedule II Species licence eligibility holders must also designate a fishing vessel to hold the licence by submitting a request through the National Online Licensing System. Instructions are available at this website.

Prior to licence issue, vessel owners and licence eligibility holder must ensure that:

• any ministerial conditions placed on licence eligibility have been met;and
• any conditions of theprevious year’s licence have been met.
• the designated vessel's overall length does not exceed the maximum vessel length of the category FC licence eligibility.

Licence amendments

Before beginning to harvest under the authority of a category C licence, the vessel owner, licence eligibility holder or an authorized representative must request and receive a licence amendment from the Groundfish Management Unit by submitting a completed Request for Licence Amendment form to the Unit by fax at 604-666-8525. The form is available at this website.

Licence documents

Schedule II Species licence documents are valid from the date of issue to February 20th of the next calendar year.
Vessel owners or licence holders may reprint any lost or destroyed licence documents using the National Online Licensing System (NOLS).

Vessel replacement

The owner(s) of a commercial Schedule II Species licensed vessel may apply to replace the commercial fishing vessel. Both the replacement vessel and the vessel being replaced must have a survey on file with the Pacific Fishery Licence Unit or the survey must be submitted with the vessel replacement application. Vessels must be surveyed according to DFO guidelines.

Vessel owner(s) must also adhere to the following rules:

• the replacement vessel may not exceed the overall length of the vessel beingreplaced;
• a vessel may hold only one Schedule II Species licence eligibility; and
• a Schedule II licence may not be combined with other vessel based licence eligibilities except where the Integrated Fishery Management Plan for that species allows:
  • when a replacing vessel is eligible for a Schedule II Species licence, it must be surrendered to DFO or placed on another vessel prior to the placement of vessel based licence eligibility on the vessel.

The Application to Replace a Commercial Vessel form is available at this website.

Communal commercial licences are not eligible for vessel replacement.

If you require further discussion or information on the above mentioned vessel replacement policies, please contact the Pacific Fishery Licence Unit.

Relinquishments

Should a married Halibut or Sablefish licence eligibility be permanently placed to a vessel holding a Schedule II Species (category C) licence eligibility, the category C licence eligibility will be relinquished (permanently retired), and the relinquishing vessel owner will be required to complete a personalized Commercial Fishing Vessel Licence Eligibility Relinquishment form. This form may be obtained by submitting a request through the National Online Licensing System. Instructions are available at this website.

When the placement is temporary, then the category C licence eligibility is held until the Halibut or Sablefish licence eligibility is permanently placed to another vessel.

Geoduck and Horseclam

Categories G and FG

Licence category

A commercial or communal commercial Geoduck and Horseclam licence (category G or FG) is required to commercially harvest Geoduck and Horseclam. Category G licence eligibilities are limited entry and vessel based. Category FG licence eligibilities are party based and must be annually designated to a registered Canadian commercial fishing vessel that meets established length restrictions. Category FG licences are held by a First Nation.

Vessels authorized to fish under the authority of a Geoduck and Horseclam licence are also permitted to:

• fish for Schedule II Species according to the conditions of each licence, except when fishing privileges have been relinquished (permanently retired);
• transport fish caught by other vessels; and
• be designated to fish under the authority of a category Z licence.

Licence category background

In 1977, a review of the newly developed commercial Geoduck fishery was undertaken. Based on this review, starting July 1, 1977, the harvesting of Geoducks for commercial purposes was prohibited except under the terms of the permit issued pursuant to Section 6(6) of the British Columbia Fishery Regulations. At that time, the rate of growth of the Geoduck fishery was uncertain and limits to entry were not considered necessary. However, it was anticipated that a limited entry program would be necessary in future to balance fishing effort with the size of the resource.

The number of vessels landing Geoducks increased rapidly from five at the inception of the fishery in 1976, to 72 vessels with landings in 1979 when a moratorium on new permits was issued. Permits for 1981 were restricted to those fishers who landed more than 30,000 pounds in 1978 or 1979 including January 1 to March 31, 1980, depending on when the fishery was first licensed.

The Geoduck and Horse Clam category G licence was introduced in 1983. Licenses were issued to vessels that were authorized by the Pacific Region, Director General of Fisheries and Oceans, to harvest Geoduck and horse Clams by means of diving from a commercial fishing vessel and had marketed a minimum of 13,500 kg of both species in any combination during the year 1978 or during the period commencing January 1, 1979 and ending December 31, 1980.

In 1989, with the support of the commercial industry, a pilot project using individual vessel quota management and included a three year area rotation was started in the Geoduck fishery. This program was extended by the Minister and is still in effect.The coast is divided into three areas: North Coast, West Coast Vancouver Island, and waters inside Vancouver Island.

In 2007, the number of Geoduck and Horseclam licence eligibilities that may be ‘stacked’ on any one vessel was raised from three to five. The ability to participate in supplemental harvests of Geoduck and Horseclam from enhanced beds was also introduced.

A change to the licence expiry date was implemented in the 2016 fishing season, resulting in the Geoduck fishery now running for 14 months (from January 1st to February 28th of the following year). As a result of the change, no extra quota were allocated to account for the new 14 month fishery and future fishing plans would now run from March 1 to the end of February the following year.

Fishing areas

The coast is divided into three regions, the North Coast, West Coast VancouverIsland (WCVI), and Inside Waters (Gulf).
Since 2012 each quota block has been designated to a region and a licence will be able to fish in multiple regions relative to its quota blocks.

The coast-wide distribution of quota blocks will be as follows:

• Inside Waters - portions of Areas 12 through 19, and 29: 65 quota blocks or 11.8% ofthe Coastwide commercial TAC
• WCVI - portions of Areas 20, 23, 24, 25, 26, and 27, and related offshore areas: 75 quota blocks or 13.6% of the Coastwide commercial TAC.
• North Coast - portions of Areas 1 through 10, and related offshore areas: 410 quota blocks or 74.5% of the Coastwide commercial TAC.

Licence renewal fee

The annual renewal fee for a commercial category G licence is calculated as follows:

• $252.00 multiplied by the number of tonnes of Geoduck and Horseclam authorized to be taken under that licence, minus 40 per cent of that product, up to a maximum reduction of $1,000.00.

There is no annual renewal fee for a communal commercial category FG licence.

Licence issuance

A Geoduck and Horseclam licence must be renewed, and the renewal fee paid, every year by February 28th to retain the privilege to be issued the licence in the future. This means that vessel owners must renew the licence whether they intend to fish or not. If the licence is not annually renewed by February 28th, the licence will cease and DFO will not be able to consider a request to issue that licence in the future.

Every year, communal commercial Geoduck and Horseclam licence eligibility holders must also designate a fishing vessel to hold the licence by submitting a request through the National Online Licensing System. Instructions are available at this website.

Prior to licence issue, vessel owners and licence eligibility holders must ensure that:

• any ministerial conditions placed on the licence eligibility have been met; and
• any conditions of the previous year’s licence have been met, such as the completion, submission, and approval of any logbook fish slip or quota overage requirements.
• the designated vessel's overall length does not exceed the maximum vessel length of the category FG licence eligibility.

The limit for licence eligibilities held on a vessel has been waived. A vessel may hold a maximum of 50 quota blocks. These may all be for the same licence area or a combination of areas.

Licence status report

The licence status report provides a listing of all current Geoduck quota blocks and areas for category G or FG licensed vessels, including caps, reallocated quota, catch-to-date, and balance of uncaught quota for any given date. A licence status report may be obtained by calling Archipelago Marine Research at 250-383-4535 (toll-free 1-888-383-4535).

Quota reallocations

In order to reallocate the quota blocks, a Request for Reallocation of Geoduck Quota form must be submitted to DFO using the National On-Line Licensing System (NOLS). For permanent reallocations, all owners of record must sign the form and provide notarized signature(s). For temporary reallocations, only one owner must sign the form.

Upon DFO approval Archipelago Marine Research processes requests for reallocations of Geoduck quota blocks.

Should the quota reallocation be approved, a licence amendment will be issued to reflect the new individual vessel quota and/or by-catch holding amounts. All licence amendments must be attached to the licence conditions and on board the vessel when actively harvesting/fishing Geoduck by dive.

Licence amendments

Before beginning to harvest under the authority of a Geoduck and Horseclam licence, the vessel owner/master must have on board a valid Geoduck licence amendment. This amendment provides the quota, so without it, the vessel is not permitted to land any fish. A licence amendment is provided when requested by a licence holder through the National Online Licensing System.

Licence documents

Geoduck licence documents are valid from the date of issue until February 28th of the following calendar year.

Replacements for lost or destroyed licence documents may be obtained by reprinting the licence document through the National Online Licensing System (NOLS).

Vessel replacement

The owner(s) of a commercial Geoduck and Horseclam licensed vessel may apply to replace the commercial fishing vessel. Both the replacement vessel and the vessel being replaced must have a survey on file with the Pacific Fishery Licence Unit or the survey must be submitted with the vessel replacement application. Vessels must be surveyed according to DFO guidelines.

Vessel owner(s) should also note the following rules:

• Geoduck and Horseclam licence eligibilities do not become (permanently) married to other vessel based licence eligibilities and may be separated.
• Geoduck and Horseclam licence eligibilities may be placed either permanently or temporarily (where applicable) on any registered Canadian commercial fishing vessel that does not exceed the original vessel length (OVL) of the Geoduck and Horseclam licence eligibility. This is subject to DFO policies governing the placement of other vessel based licence eligibilities also held on the vessel being replaced. The receiving vessel may exceed the OVL as long as the vessel holds another vessel based licence eligibility and remains eligible for that licence while the Geoduck and Horseclam licence is on the vessel. When the receiving vessel holds a Schedule II Species licence eligibility, the Schedule II Species licence eligibility must be relinquished.
• When a Schedule II Species licence eligibility is relinquished, in conjunction with a Geoduck and Horseclam licence eligibility vessel replacement, and the overall length of the receiving vessel is greater than the OVL of the Geoduck and Horseclam licence eligibility, the OVL of the Geoduck and Horseclam licence eligibility shall be amended to the overall length of the receiving vessel. The OVL amendment shall not exceed the maximum vessel length of the Geoduck and Horseclam licence eligibility.
• When the receiving vessel does not already hold a vessel based licence eligibility, the Schedule II Species privileges associated with the Geoduck and Horseclam licence eligibility must be relinquished.
• Applications to place a Geoduck and Horseclam licence on a vessel that already holds one or more Geoduck and Horseclam licences that have relinquished the Schedule II Species privileges must be reviewed by DFO on a case-by-case basis.
• A maximum of 50 quota blocks may be placed on one vessel.
• Owners of vessels that currently hold both a Geoduck and Horseclam and a Schedule II Species licence eligibility may apply to place the Schedule II Species licence eligibility on a vessel that does not exceed the OVL of the original (1989) Geoduck and Horseclam licensed vessel. Such applications should be made within a reasonable time frame. When this occurs, the OVL of the remaining Geoduck and Horseclam licence eligibility will be amended to the OVL of the vessel that holds the eligibility and the maximum vessel length will be adjusted accordingly. This is consistent with the commitment made by DFO in the Geoduck Fishery – 1989 Enterprise Allocation document.

The Application to Replace a Commercial Vessel form is available at this website.

Communal commercial licences are not eligible for vessel replacement.
If you require further discussion or information on the above mentioned vessel replacement policies, please contact the Pacific Fishery Licence Unit.

Logbooks

Logbooks may be obtained through Archipelago Marine Research by telephone (250-752-7205) or email GeoduckAMM@archipelago.ca.

Sablefish

Categories K and FK

Licence category

A commercial or communal commercial Sablefish licence (category K or FK) is required to participate in the directed commercial Sablefish fishery. Category K licence eligibilities are limited entry and vessel based. Category FK eligibilities are party based and must be designated to a registered Canadian commercial fishing vessel that meets established length restrictions. Category FK licences are held by First Nation groups.

Vessels authorized to fish under the authority of a Sablefish licence eligibility are also permitted to catch and retain other Groundfish species by hook and line gear or trap gear, as outlined in the licence conditions. These vessels are also permitted to:

• fish for Schedule II Species according to the conditions of each licence;
• catch and retain other Groundfish species;
• transport non-Groundfish species caught by other vessels; and
• be designated to fish under the authority of a category Z licence.

Licence category background

Prior to extended jurisdiction in 1977, Canada had a limited domestic offshore black cod fishery, and an extensive foreign offshore fishery. Canada phased out foreign effort in this fishery by 1980 as Canadians showed interest in this species. The new black cod fleet included a number of Canadian vessels phased out of the Alaska Halibut fishery.

On October 4, 1979, the Minister of Fisheries and Oceans announced that the fishery would become a limited entry fishery. The announcement noted that “because black cod is limited to an annual yield of 3500 metric tons, it is necessary to restrict the number of vessels participating in this fishery, to protect the resource” and “the dramatic influx of vessels in recent months threatens to disrupt this fishery.” The projected number of eligible vessels at the time of limitation was 16. The final number of licenses issued after appeals was 48.

Sablefish category K licenses were first issued in 1981 in respect of commercial fishing vessels if:

1. The vessel owner produced records showing that, while fishing by means of longline or trap gear in 1978, or up to October 5, 1979, the vessel was used to catch Sablefish, and made a recorded commercial catch of Sablefish in dressed head-off condition, equal to at least:
   1. 6800 kg (15,000 lbs.) in the case of a vessel 18.28 m (60 ft.) or less in overall length, or
   2. 22,680 kg (60,000 lbs.) in the case of a vessel more than 18.28 m (60 ft.) in overall length, or
2. A category C licence was issued in respect of that vessel in 1980 and the owner produced records showing expenditures during the period January 1, 1978 to October 5, 1979, for freezing equipment, and longline or trap gear, intended to be used to fish for Sablefish, amounting to at least:
   1. $20,000 in the case of a vessel 18.28 m (60 ft.) or less in overall length,
   2. $100,000 in the case of a vessel more than 18.28 m (60 ft.) in overall length,
3. Vessels more than 18.28 m (60 ft.) in overall length which fished in the Alaska Halibut fishery in 1978 or 1979 but were excluded by the 1979 Halibut agreements and were issued 1980 Salmon (Category A) or Halibut (Category L) licence tabs.

For the years 1981 through to 1989 the Sablefish fishery operated with DFO setting the Total Allowable Catch (TAC) and the number of fishing days for the licensed fleet. The use of this open fishery management strategy/derby style, lead to consistent overrunning of the TAC, which in turn led to continued reductions in fishing days (from 245 in 1981 to 14 days in 1989) for the following year. Industry became alarmed at the prospect of a further reduction in the number of fishing days for 1990. After the industry had many lengthy discussions on alternate management strategies, the use of an Individual Vessel Quota System in the Sablefish fishery for 1990 was recommended to an approved by the Minister of Fisheries and Oceans.

In 1990, a two year trail period using individual vessel quota (IVQ) management commenced. Each licence holder has an individual quota which is a percentage of the TAC. The individual quota was calculated for each licence holder based 30% on the vessel’s overall length and 70% on historical performance.

The Sablefish IVQ’s has since been extended. Quota blocks have been identified as the annual quota block for each licence as determined by the set allocation formula defined in the 1990 management plan and shown as a percentage of the Sablefish TAC for the Sablefish Category K licensed fleet.

Each quota block is broken into quota shares. For 1994, there were 692 quota shares. Of these, 644 shares were equal to 0.15% of the Sablefish TAC for the Sablefish licensed fleet. The remaining 48 quota shares were each less than 0.15% of the Sablefish TAC and represent the remainder of each licence holder’s quota block.

In 1999, a 19-month licence year was used in order to transition the Sablefish licence year to August 1st to July 31st from a calendar year. The new Sablefish licence year came into effect in 2000.

In 2006, a three-year pilot plan was introduced in the commercial Groundfish fisheries. The pilot was intended to strengthen conservation in commercial Groundfish fisheries in the Pacific Region through a range of measures, including improving bycatch monitoring, reducing discard, and making fish harvesters accountable for their bycatch.

A comprehensive management plan for all Groundfish fisheries (e.g., Schedule II Species, Groundfish Trawl, Rockfish hook and line, Halibut, and Sablefish) was also created to replace all of the individual plans that were produced in previous years. This new Integrated Fisheries Management Plan (IFMP) for Groundfish was released on April 26, 2006.

Licence renewal fee

The annual renewal fee for a commercial category K licence is calculated as follows:

• $241.00 multiplied by the number of tonnes of Sablefish initially allocated to the licence eligibility, less 40 per cent of that product, up to a maximum reduction of $1,000.00.

There is no annual renewal fee for a communal commercial FK licence.

Licence issuance

A commercial Sablefish licence must be renewed, and the renewal fee paid, every year by February 20th to retain the privilege to be issued the licence in the future. This means that vessel owners must renew the licence whether they intend to fish or not. If the licence is not annually renewed by February 20th, the licence will cease and DFO will not be able to consider a request to issue that licence in the future. Every year, communal commercial Sablefish licence eligibility holders must also designate a fishing vessel to hold the licence by submitting a request through the National Online Licensing System. Instructions are available at this website.

Prior to licence issue, vessel owners and licence eligibility holder must ensure that:

• any ministerial conditions placed on licence eligibility have been met;and
• any conditions of theprevious year’s licence have been met.
• the designated vessel's overall length does not exceed the maximum vessel length of the category FK licence eligibility.

Licence amendments

The Sablefish licence must be issued before a request for licence amendment or reallocation of individual transferable quota will be processed.

The vessel owner/master must have on board a valid Sablefish licence amendment prior to fishing. This amendment outlines the total amount of fish by species that the vessel may land for the fishing season, so without it, the vessel is not permitted to land any fish.

A Request for Licence Amendment form must be completed by the vessel owner/licence eligibility holder or the designated agent and faxed to the Groundfish Management Unit at 604-666-8525. The form is available at this website.

Licence documents

Sablefish licence documents are valid from the date of issue to February 20th of the next calendar year.

Vessel owners or licence holders may reprint any lost or destroyed licence documents using the National Online Licensing System (NOLS).

Vessel replacement

The owner(s) of a commercial Sablefish licensed vessel may apply to replace the commercial fishing vessel. Both the replacement vessel and the vessel being replaced must have a survey on file with the Pacific Fishery Licence Unit or the survey must be submitted with the vessel replacement application. Vessels must be surveyed according to DFO guidelines.

Vessel owner(s) should also note the following rules:

• A single commercial Sablefish licence eligibility may be placed on a vessel that does not hold another vessel based licence eligibility as long as the replacing vessel does not exceed the overall length of the existing vessel.
• A Sablefish licence eligibility may be separated from any combination of married licence eligibilities as long as it is placed on another commercially licensed fishing vessel, of any length, that holds a Salmon, Geoduck and Horseclam, Halibut, Crab, Shrimp by trawl, Groundfish Trawl, or Prawn and Shrimp by trap licence eligibility. Sablefish licence eligibilities may not be stacked.
• When the intention is to make the Sablefish licence a stand-alone licence and the replacing vessel has a Schedule II Species licence eligibility, the Schedule II Species licence eligibility must be relinquished (permanently retired).

The Application to Replace a Commercial Vessel form is available at this website.

Communal commercial licences are not eligible for vessel replacement.

Temporary vessel replacement

When a Sablefish licence is temporarily placed on a vessel which holds a Schedule II Species licence eligibility, then the Schedule II Species licence eligibility must be returned to DFO. The Schedule II Species licence will be held for the duration of the time the Sablefish licence is temporarily placed.

If you require further discussion or information on the above mentioned vessel replacement policies, please contact the Pacific Fishery Licence Unit.

Logbooks

Logbooks may be obtained through Archipelago Marine Research by calling 250-383-4535 (toll-free 1- 888- 383-4535).

Halibut

Categories L and FL

Licence category

A commercial or communal commercial Halibut licence (category L or FL) is required to participate in the directed commercial Pacific Halibut fishery. Category L licence eligibilities are limited entry and vessel based. Category FL licence eligibilities are party based and the eligibility must be designated to a registered Canadian commercial fishing vessel that meets established length restrictions. Category FL licences are held by a First Nation.

Vessels authorized to fish under authority of a Halibut licence are also permitted to:

• fish for Schedule II Species according to the conditions of each licence;
• catch and retain other Groundfish species as outlined in licence conditions;
• transport fish caught by other vessels; and
• be designated to fish under the authority of a category Z licence.

Licence category background

Limited entry was introduced in the Halibut fishery in 1979. To qualify, vessels must have recorded commercial catch of 1,360 kg (3,000 lb.) of Halibut (dressed head-off weight) during 1977 or 1978. Ten Halibut licences were issued to Aboriginal individuals who depended on Halibut for a major portion of their income and who utilized leased vessels owned by processing companies. These Halibut licences were initially party based eligibilities but were later converted to vessel based licence eligibilities. A two-year trial of Individual Transferable Quota (IVQ) in the Halibut fishery began in 1991. IVQs were set for each licence eligibility based on a combination of vessel catch history and vessel length. In 1993, reallocation and stacking of Halibut IVQ were allowed on a trial basis. Each licence eligibility received quota in two equal shares and each share was expressed as a percentage of the total allowable catch (TAC). Shares were based upon the allocation formula adopted in 1990. The success of the Halibut IVQ program allowed for its continuation.

For 1994, the trial program for Halibut IVQ’s was again extended. There were further modifications for 1994. Again, the objective of the changes were to allow more flexibility for the fleet in the area of temporary quota transfers and in the area of permanent Halibut category L licence transfers.

The transfer and stacking of Halibut IVQ was allowed on a trail basis for the 1994 Halibut fishery as follows:

1. Each initial Halibut licence quota has been split into two equal shares. A total of 870 IVQ shares is available among 435 licensed vessels. Each share can then be expressed as a percentage of the Halibut TAC and share will vary in size depending on the allocation formula adopted in 1990.
2. Quota shares can be transferred among Halibut licensed vessels only and are not constrained by vessel size. Quota shares can be transferred without transferring the Halibut licence. It will be possible for a Halibut licence to exist without quota shares attached to it.
3. A maximum of four shares can be held or fished by a Halibut licensed vessel in 1994.
4. In 1994, the restrictions on the number of quota share transfers has been removed. It has been changed from the maximum of two share transfers per vessel, which was permitted in 1993. A quota share transfer is defined as the transfer of one share from a licensed Halibut vessel onto a licensed Halibut vessel.
5. All quota share transfers must be approved by DFO prior to fishing those shares.
6. Once a quota share has had landings validated against it, the remainder of that quota share can not be transferred.
7. Quota share transfers will only be permitted on a temporary (annual) basis.

Due to a Federal Court Trial Division decision in 1996, DFO implemented a new IVQ formula in 1997. However, when the Federal Court of Appeal overturned this decision in 1998, the Minister of Fisheries and Oceans decided to return to the original formula. The changed IVQ formula in 1997 resulted in an average benefit of 9,145 pounds for 38 licence eligibilities and an average disadvantage of 880 pounds for the other 395 licence eligibilities. To compensate those who lost quota in 1997, IVQ adjustments were made in equal amounts over three years: 1999, 2000, and 2001.

During this time, a maximum of two quota share reallocations between Halibut licence eligibilities was permitted, vessels were limited to fishing four shares in a season, and it became possible for a licence eligibility to have nil shares attached. All quota share reallocations had to be approved by DFO prior to fishing those shares and, once a share had landings validated against it, the remainder of that quota could not be reallocated.

As of 1999, quota allocation was no longer based on shares; instead, it was negotiated on the basis of poundage. Quota may also be reallocated either temporarily or permanently. Vessel owners may permanently reallocate all quotas except for .01149 per cent of the TAC or they may temporarily reallocate as little as one pound of quota. A licence eligibility may not hold more than one per cent of the TAC, except licence eligibilities/vessels that fished more than one per cent of the TAC in any year from 1993 to 1998. These licence eligibilities may hold quota up to their individual maximum.

In 2006, a three-year pilot plan was introduced in the commercial Groundfish fisheries. The pilot was intended to strengthen conservation in commercial Groundfish fisheries in the Pacific Region through a range of measures, including improving bycatch monitoring, reducing discard, and making fish harvesters accountable for their bycatch.

A comprehensive management plan for all Groundfish fisheries (e.g., Schedule II Species, Groundfish Trawl, Rockfish hook and line, Halibut, and Sablefish) was also created to replace all of the individual plans that were produced in previous years. This new Integrated Fisheries Management Plan (IFMP) for Groundfish was released on April 26, 2006.

Licence renewal fee

The annual renewal fee for a commercial category L licence is calculated as follows:

• $310.00 multiplied by the number of tonnes of Halibut allocated, minus 40 per cent up of that product up to a maximum reduction of $1,000.00.

There is no annual licence fee for a communal commercial category FL licence.

Licence issuance

A commercial Halibut licence must be renewed, and the renewal fee paid, every year by February 20th to retain the privilege to be issued the licence in the future. This means that vessel owners must renew the licence whether they intend to fish or not. If the licence is not renewed by February 20th, the licence will cease and DFO will not be able to consider a request to issue that licence in the future.

Every year, communal commercial Halibut licence eligibility holders must also designate a fishing vessel to hold the licence by submitting a request through the National Online Licensing System. Instructions are available at this website.

Prior to licence issue, vessel owners and licence eligibility holders must ensure that:

• any ministerial conditions placed on the licence eligibility have been met; and
• any conditions of the previous year’s licence have been met.
• the designated vessel's overall length does not exceed the maximum vessel length of the category FL licence eligibility.

Licence amendments

The Halibut licence eligibility must be issued before a Request for Licence Amendment or reallocation of individual transferable quota will be processed.

The vessel owner/master must have on board a valid Halibut licence amendment prior to fishing. This amendment outlines the total amount of fish by species that the vessel may land for the fishing season, so without it, the vessel is not permitted to catch, retain or land any fish.

A Request for Licence Amendment form must be completed by the vessel owner, licence eligibility holder, or designated agent and faxed to the Groundfish Management Unit at 604-666-8525. The form is available here.

Licence documents

Halibut licence documents are valid from the date of issue to February 20th of the next calendar year. Vessel owners or licence eligibility holders may reprint any lost or destroyed licence documents using the National Online Licensing System (NOLS).

Licence status report

The licence status report provides a listing of all current Halibut IVQ and Rockfish holdings for category L or FL licensed vessels, including caps, reallocated quota, catch-to-date, and balance of uncaught quota for any given date. A licence status report may be obtained by calling the Groundfish Management Unit at 604-666-5865.

Vessel replacement

The owner(s) of a category L licensed Halibut vessel may apply to replace the commercial fishing vessel. Both the replacement vessel and the vessel being replaced must have a survey on file with the Pacific Fishery Licence Unit or the survey must be submitted with the vessel replacement application. Vessels must be surveyed according to DFO guidelines.

Vessel owner(s) should also note the following rules:

• A single category L Halibut licence eligibility may be placed on a vessel that does not hold another vessel based licence eligibility up to the overall vessel length (OAL) of the original vessel, which is the vessel licensed as of January 31, 1993.
• A single category L Halibut licence eligibility may be placed on a vessel that holds another vessel based licence eligibility with Schedule II Species privileges, up to the maximum vessel length (MVL) of the Halibut licence eligibility. The MVL being the length of the original vessel licensed as at January 31, 1993, plus 25 feet.
• A category L Halibut licence eligibility may be separated from other licence eligibilities and placed on a vessel that does not exceed the MVL, as long as the replacing vessel holds another vessel based licence eligibility with Schedule II Species privileges.
• When the intention is to make the Halibut licence a stand-alone licence and the replacing vessel has a Schedule II Species licence eligibility, the Schedule II Species licence eligibility must be relinquished (permanently retired). When the placement is temporary, the Schedule II Species licence eligibility is held until the Halibut licence eligibility is permanently placed on a vessel.
• When a Schedule II Species licence eligibility is relinquished from a vessel with an OAL less than the MVL but greater than the OAL of the vessel licensed as at January 31, 1993, the licence eligibility may be placed on an unlicensed vessel up to the OAL of the vessel that relinquished the Schedule II Species eligibility. There is no change to the MVL for the Halibut licence eligibility.
• Vessels may hold more than one Halibut licence eligibility in a year, but not at the same time.
• Vessels may not fish Halibut under the authority of more than one licence eligibility a year.
• When vessel owners wish to swap two married Halibut licence eligibilities, neither may exceed the MVL assigned to each licence eligibility.

Communal commercial licences are not eligible for vessel replacement.

The Application to Replace a Commercial Vessel is available at this website.

Temporary vessel replacement

The temporary placement of Halibut licence eligibilities is only allowed when the vessel to be replaced becomes a total loss.

Temporary replacement vessels may not exceed the MVL of the Halibut licence eligibility. The MVL is the length of the original vessel licensed as of January 31, 1993, plus 25 feet. Temporary replacement vessels may not have harvested Halibut in the current Halibut-fishing year. If a Halibut licence eligibility is temporarily split from other licence eligibilities, the remaining eligibilities may not be placed on a third vessel. If you require further discussion or information on the above mentioned vessel replacement policies, please contact the Pacific Fishery Licence Unit.

Quota reallocations

The Groundfish Management Unit processes requests for reallocations of Halibut IVQ and Rockfish by-catch holdings. A completed Request for Reallocation of Halibut IVQ and/or Rockfish Holdings form must be faxed to the Unit at 604-666-8525. For permanent reallocations, all vessel owners of record must sign the form. For temporary reallocations, only the licence eligibility holder or one vessel owner must sign the form.

Note that licence amendments must be on board when fishing.

Fish harvesters should refer to the current Integrated Fisheries Management Plan for guidelines regarding the reallocation of Halibut IVQ. Any questions with regard to these guidelines should be referred to the Groundfish Management Unit by calling 604-666-5865. Any matters relating directly to the management of the fishery or quota such as quota reallocations and caps will also be handled through the Unit.

Logbooks

Logbooks may be obtained through Archipelago Marine Research by calling 250-383-4535 (toll-free 1- 888- 383-4535).

Crab

Categories R and FR

Licence category

A commercial or communal commercial Crab licence (category R or FR) is required to commercially harvest Crab by trap. Category R licence eligibilities are limited entry and vessel based. Category FR licence eligibilities are party based and must be annually designated to a registered Canadian commercial fishing vessel that meets established length restrictions. Category FR licences are held by a First Nation.

Vessels authorized to fish under authority of a Crab licence are also permitted to:

• fish for Schedule II Species according to the conditions of each licence;
• transport fish caught by other vessels; and
• be designated to fish under the authority of a category Z licence.

Licence category background

Commercial Crab fishing is limited to the use of trap or ring net gear with specific restrictions. Crab licences authorize the harvest of Dungeness Crab Cancer magister) and Red Rock Crab (Cancer productus). Retention of King Crab, Red (Paralithodes camtschatica) and Golden (Lithodes aequispina) is permitted only by special arrangement which may be made after submitting a request through the National Online Licensing System. Instructions are available at this website.

Prior to 1990, Crab was a Schedule II Species fished under authority of limited entry vessel based licences (i.e. categories A, B, C, G, K, L, N, S or T). The crab licence category was not limited for 1990 and had an annual fee of $200 applied.

In August 1990, the Crab category R vessel based licence eligibility was established and in 1991, limited entry was introduced in this fishery. The criteria to establish Crab licence eligibility was:

• 6,804 kg (15,000 lbs.) cumulative recorded landings which continued over the three-year period from 1987 to 1989 inclusive; and,
• applicants must have held a 1990 Crab licence.

Annual area selection with five area choices applied until a three-year pilot area selection program was implemented in 1997, which increased the number of area choices to seven. Areas C and D were split into two sub-areas: Area C became Area G (north) and Area H (south); and Area D became Area I and Area J.

For the three-year (1997-2000) pilot program, Areas G and H were recombined into Area C. Areas I and J, however, were given annual area designation and were limited to a maximum of 300 traps.

Vessel owners selected new areas prior to the opening of the 2000 fishing season. Licence eligibilities issued in 1999 were valid for the period of January 1st to April 30, 2000 to facilitate the area selection process.

In 2002, Crab vessel owners/licence eligibility holders selected an area for the three year period beginning January 1, 2003 and ending December 31, 2005. In 2005, the vessel owners/licence eligibility holders selected an area for the three year period beginning January 1, 2006 and ending December 31, 2008. In 2008, they selected an area for a one year period beginning January 1, 2009 and ending December 31, 2009. In 2009, vessel owners/licence eligibility holders selected an area for a three year period beginning January 1, 2010 and ending December 31, 2012.

In 2008, as a result of varied management actions required within Area E, vessel owners in this area were required to select one of three area options:

• Sooke Option – Areas 20, 21, 22, 25, 26, 121, 125 and 126
• Tofino Option – Areas 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 121, 123, 124, 125 and 126
• Quatsino Option – Areas 21, 22, 25, 26, 27, 121, 125, 126 and 127 Licences

were not permitted to be re-designated or moved between areas within Area E.

A pilot trap tag program was implemented in Area B in 1999. Under this program, trap tags were required on all traps and a maximum of 400 traps per vessel was allowed. To facilitate the move towards trap limitation in all areas, the expiration date for the 1999 licence was extended to April 30, 2000.

Trap limits became a condition of the Crab licence in all areas on May 1, 2000. Trap limits were set at:

• Area A – from six to 1,200, based on vessel length;
• Area B – maximum 400;
• Areas E and G – maximum 500;
• Area H – maximum 436; and
• Areas I and J – maximum 300.

Fishing areas

Trap reallocation

Temporary crab trap reallocation will be permitted on an annual basis.

Where traps are reallocated to another vessel within the same fishing area, 100% of the traps associated with the crab licence eligibility reallocating the traps will be relinquished and the trap allocation will be zero for the licence year. Whereas the receiving vessel may then fish a maximum of 50% of the relinquished traps. All trap reallocations will be reverted back to the original crab licence eligibility at the end of the licence year.

All requests to temporarily reallocate the crab traps must be done prior to license issuance and the applicable deadline. Trap reallocations cannot be reversed once the transaction has been completed.

Licence renewal fee

The annual renewal fee for a commercial category R licence is $590.00. There is no annual renewal fee for a communal commercial category FR licence.

Licence issuance

A commercial Crab licence must be renewed, and the renewal fee paid, every year by March 31st to retain the privilege to be issued the licence in the future. This means that vessel owners must renew the licence whether they intend to fish or not. If the licence is not renewed by March 31st, the licence will cease and DFO will not be able to consider a request to issue that licence in the future.

Every year, communal commercial Crab licence eligibility holders must also designate a fishing vessel to hold the licence by submitting a request through the National Online Licensing System. Instructions are available at this website.

Prior to licence issue, vessel owners and licence eligibility holders must ensure that:

• any ministerial conditions placed on the licence eligibility have been met;
• any conditions of the previous year’s licence have been met, such as the completion, submission, and approval of harvest logs and fish slips; and
• participation in a DFO-approved Crab trap limit compliance program has been established by indicating that arrangements have been made for a third party to:
  • receive hails of fishing activity;
  • issue logbooks and trap tags and replacements; and
  • provide an on-grounds inspection of gear for compliance with trap limits.
• the designated vessel's overall length does not exceed the maximum vessel length of the category FR licence eligibility.

Licence documents

Crab licence documents are valid from the date of issue to March 31st of the next calendar year. Vessel owners or licence holders may reprint any lost or destroyed licence documents using the National Online Licensing System (NOLS).

Trap limits

Compliance with trap limits is monitored through several programs including electronic monitoring or at-sea observers, plastic trap tags, and on-ground compliance checks. Harvesters must take an active role in ensuring compliance with trap limits by meeting their trap tagging, reporting and monitoring requirements.

Trap limits have been established in each area coast wide. A listing of the trap limits for each area can be found within the Integrated Fisheries Management Plan (IFMP) – Crab, which can be found on the Fisheries and Oceans Canada WAVES library page.

Vessel replacement

The owner(s) of a Crab licensed vessel may apply to replace a commercial fishing vessel. Both the replacement vessel and the vessel being replaced must have a survey on file with the Pacific Fishery Licence Unit or the survey must be submitted with the vessel replacement application. Vessels must be surveyed according to DFO guidelines.

Vessel owner(s) should also note the following rules:

• the replacement vessel may not exceed the overall length of the vessel being replaced;
• any ministerial conditions placed on the licence eligibility must be met, as well as any application requirements and conditions of the licence;
• stacking of Crab licence eligibilities is not allowed;
• licence eligibility area changes are not permitted at the time of vessel replacement; and
• Crab licence eligibilities become married to other vessel based licence eligibilities when combined on a vessel and may not be separated.

Communal commercial licences are not eligible for vessel replacement.

The Application to Replace a Commercial Vessel form is available at this website.

Temporary vessel replacement

Temporary vessel replacements are allowed if the vessel has been declared a loss or the vessel is out of service due to an accident or unforeseen damage. Vessels that are in disrepair at the time of purchase, have engine problems, or have encountered delays in annual maintenance or rebuilding do not qualify for a temporary replacement.

Written confirmation from an insurance company, shipyard, or marine engineer explaining why the vessel is inoperative must be submitted to a Pacific Fishery Licence Unit when declaring the vessel a total loss.

Temporary replacement vessel may not exceed the overall vessel length plus 10 per cent of the Crab vessel.

Should the Crab licence eligibility be temporarily split from other licence eligibilities, the remaining eligibilities may not be placed on a third vessel.

If you require further discussion or information on the above mentioned vessel replacement policies, please contact the Pacific Fishery Licence Unit.

Logbooks

Logbooks for area A may be obtained through Ecotrust Canada by calling 250-624-4191. Logbooks for all other areas may be obtained through Pacific Coast Fishery Services Inc. by calling (250) 390-1822.

Shrimp by trawl

Categories S and FS

Licence category

A commercial or communal commercial Shrimp by trawl licence (category S or FS) is required to commercially harvest Shrimp using trawl gear. Category S licence eligibilities are limited entry and vessel based. Category FS licence eligibilities are party based and must be designated to a registered Canadian commercial fishing vessel that meets established length restrictions. Category FS licences are held by a First Nation.

Licence category background

Historically, fishing for Shrimp had occurred in the Strait of Georgia, the north coast inlets and waters off the lower west coast of Vancouver Island. Limited entry was introduced into the fishery in January 1977. To qualify, vessels must have had a record of landings in 1975 and/or 1976.

From 1989 to 1994, the number of active Shrimp vessels ranged from 164 to 175. This increased to 216 in 1995 and to 222 in 1996. In 1996, vessel owners were able to split Salmon licence eligibilities under the Voluntary Salmon Licence Retirement Program and this resulted in 65 additional vessels that held only Shrimp by trawl licences.

When a vessel holds both Shrimp by Trawl (category S) and a Prawn and Shrimp by trap (category W) licences, all catch taken under the authority of one licence category must be offloaded before the vessel may fish under the authority of the other licence category.

The licence limitation program for Shrimp Trawl fishing in British Columbia coastal waters was put into effect in January 1977, with a total of 237 licenses issued. The limitation was initiated in response to a rapid expansion of fishing and processing capacity directed at the offshore Tofino Shrimp stocks during 1975 and 1976. This increased effort was not sustained beyond a few years, however, as the stock declined to the point where it could not support a large offshore trawl fleet.

The reasons for this decline are not known, but do not appear to be linked to the fishing pressure on the stocks.

Since the implementation of Shrimp licence limitation, the main area of fishing activity has been the Strait of Georgia. Fishing effort on the norther coast has been low since Shrimp licenses were introduced. A small-scale fishing effort takes place in Barkley Sound, as well as a few other inlets on the west coast of Vancouver Island.

Licence renewal fee

The annual renewal fee for a commercial category S licence is $100.00.
There is no annual renewal fee for a communal commercial category FS licence.

Licence issuance

A commercial Shrimp by trawl licence must be renewed, and the renewal fee paid, every year by March 31st to retain the privilege to be issued the licence in the future. This means that vessel owner must renew the licence whether they intend to fish or not. If the licence is not renewed by March 31st, the licence will cease and DFO will not be able to consider a request to issue that licence in the future.

Every year, communal commercial Shrimp by trawl licence eligibility holders must also designate a fishing vessel to hold the licence by submitting a request through the National Online Licensing System. Instructions are available at this website.

Prior to licence issue, the vessel owner or licence eligibility holder must ensure that:

• any ministerial conditions placed on the licence eligibility have been met;
• any conditions of the previous year’s licence have been met, such as the submission and approval of Shrimp by trawl harvest logs and hail reports, or the submission of a Nil report to the Shellfish Data Unit if the licence was not fished; and
• if they do not use the harvest log, the approved service company has contacted the Shellfish Data Unit at 250-756-7306 or 250-756-7022 to obtain the information necessary to fulfil these requirements.
• the designated vessel's overall length does not exceed the maximum vessel length of the category FS licence eligibility.

Licence documents

Shrimp by trawl licence documents are valid from the date of issue to March 31st of the next calendar year.

Vessel owners or licence eligibility holders may reprint any lost or destroyed licence documents using the National Online Licensing System (NOLS).

Vessel replacement

The owner(s) of a Shrimp by trawl licensed vessel may apply to replace a commercial fishing vessel. Both the replacement vessel and the vessel being replaced must have a survey on file with the Pacific Fishery Licence Unit or the survey must be submitted with the vessel replacement application. Vessels must be surveyed according to DFO guidelines.

Vessel owner(s) should also note the following rules:

• only one Shrimp by trawl licence is allowed on a vessel at a time;
• the replacement vessels may not exceed the overall length of the vessel being replaced;
• category S licence eligibilities become married to other vessel based licence eligibilities when combined on a vessel; and
• a Shrimp by trawl licence eligibility cannot be separated from other vessel based licence eligibilities.

Communal commercial licences are not eligible for vessel replacement.

The Application to Replace a Commercial Vessel form is available at this website.

Temporary vessel replacement

Temporary vessel replacements are allowed if the vessel has been declared a loss or the vessel is out of service due to an accident or unforeseen damage. Vessels that are in disrepair at the time of purchase, have engine problems, or have encountered delays in annual maintenance, or rebuilding do not qualify for a temporary replacement.

Written confirmation from an insurance company, shipyard, or marine engineer explaining why the vessel is inoperative must be submitted to a Pacific Fishery Licence Unit when declaring the vessel a total loss.

Temporary replacement vessel may not exceed the overall vessel length plus 10 per cent of the Shrimp by trawl vessel.

Should the Shrimp by trawl licence eligibility be temporarily split from other licence eligibilities, the remaining eligibilities may not be placed on a third vessel.

If you require further discussion or information on the above mentioned vessel replacement policies, please contact the Pacific Fishery LicenceUnit.

Logbooks

Logbooks may be obtained through Pacific Coast Shrimpers Cooperative Association (PCSCA) by telephone (250-658-0179) or email (clayton@ieccorporate.com)

Groundfish trawl

Categories T and FT

Licence category

A commercial or communal commercial Groundfish Trawl licence (category T or FT) is required to commercially harvest Groundfish species using trawl gear. Category T licence eligibilities are limited entry and vessel based. Category FT licence eligibilities are party based and must be designated to a registered Canadian commercial fishing vessel that meets established length restrictions. Category FT licences are held by a First Nation.

Vessels authorized to fish under the authority of a Groundfish Trawl licence are also permitted to:

• fish for Schedule II Species according to the conditions of each licence, except when fishing privileges have been relinquished;
• transport fish caught by other vessels; and
• be designated to fish under the authority of a category Z licence.

Licence category background

A number of events preceded limitation in the Groundfish Trawl fishery. The trawl fleet expanded in capacity between 1972 and 1974 partly as a result of government shipbuilding subsidies. The number of vessels increased from 44 to 66 and nine of these exceeded 80 feet in length.

Groundfish markets collapsed in 1974, which precipitated a series of subsidies, deficiency payments to vessel owners, and conditional grants to processors. To ensure that vessels which were most affected by the market collapse received financial assistance, DFO announced that deficiency payments would apply only to trawlers which had recorded 1973 or 1974 Groundfish landings.

Limited entry was introduced to the Groundfish Trawl fishery in January 1977, and 237 licence eligibilities were established. Eligibilities were established for vessels or replacement vessels that had a recorded commercial catch of Groundfish by trawl gear in 1973, 1974 or up to April 30, 1975. Eligibilities were also granted in appeal cases where landing criteria were not met but major expenditures directly associated with Groundfish Trawling had been incurred.

Quota and management measures to control the harvest of Pacific Groundfish stocks were implemented in 1979. Management measures included: the establishment of total allowable catch, species/area/time closures, and vessel trip limits. Since 1980, DFO has also consulted with industry through the Groundfish Trawl Advisory Committee to develop annual management plans and to plan and implement an individual transferable quota (IVQ) system in 1997. The resulting IVQ fishery had quotas that could be fully reallocated for 29 different species in 56 different management areas. No area or quota restrictions applied; however, trip limits could apply to certain species covered under thislicence.

In April 2006, a three-year pilot integrated management plan was introduced. The objective of the pilot plan was to improve stock management through by-catch monitoring, reduced discarding, and requiring fish harvesters to be accountable for all catch. This was supported by new monitoring standards (100 per cent at-sea and dockside monitoring), individual vessel quotas (IVQs) in lingcod and dogfish, individual quotas in Rockfish fisheries (in addition to the rest of the Groundfish fisheries managed under IVQs), and a temporary quota reallocation process to address by-catch that is available between the various commercial Groundfish sectors.

Amended Groundfish Trawl vessel replacement rules were announced in Fishery Notice FN0640 on August 29, 2008. The two main changes were: the maximum vessel length was extended to original vessel length plus 50 per cent; and Groundfish Trawl eligibilities placed onto a vessel without an existing vessel based licence would have the Schedule II Species portion of the licence conditions relinquished (permanently retired).

Licence option selection

Prior to licence issuance, each Groundfish Trawl vessel owner/licence eligibility holder may choose to fish under the conditions of one of two options (A or B) for the current fishing year. By default, DFO sets the trawl licence option to the option issued as of the end of the previous season. Option selection for each Groundfish Trawl licence may be done by navigating to the ‘Submit a Request’ menu selection within the National Online Licensing System (NOLS). Full instructions are available at this website.

A general description of the permitted activities under each option are:

Option A

• Permitted to fish with bottom trawl gear in all areas, except management Area 4B(Fisheries Management Areas 12 to 20 and 29) open to bottom trawling.
• Permitted to fish by mid-water trawl coast-wide.
• Subject to one hundred (100) percent dockside monitoring for all landings.
• Subject to one hundred (100) percent at sea observer coverage when fishing with bottom or mid-water gear except when mid-water trawling for hake and delivering all fish caught as fresh round product to land.
• Subject to one hundred (100) percent at sea monitoring coverage when fishing when midwater trawling for hake.
• Permitted to fish throughout the year for Groundfish species subject to TAC up to the amount of the IVQ specified on the licence.
• Permitted to reallocate IVQ holdings subject to the rules governing such reallocations.
• Limited to 15,000 pound per trip for all combined Rockfish species not subject to TAC.
• Permitted to retain incidentally caught mackerel equal to six (6) percent of the offshore pacific hake IVQ portion of quota holdings.
• No trip limit for Groundfish species (excluding Rockfish) not subject to a TAC.
• Not permitted to fish for and retain Eulachon, wolf-eels, any Salmon species, Pacific Herring, Green Sturgeon, White Sturgeon, Pacific Basking Shark, Tope (Soupfin) Shark or Bluntnose Sixgill Shark.
• Halibut is not permitted to be retained. By-catch mortality caps for Halibut will be issued an individual vessel basis. Licence holders will be responsible and accountable for all Halibut mortality incurred.
• Corals and Sponges are not permitted to be retained unless specifically authorized by Fisheries and Oceans Canada.
• A fleet wide habitat bycatch conservation limit (HBCL) for Corals and Sponges has been set and allocated as IVQ to individual Groundfish Trawl vessels. The HBCL IVQ istransferable among Groundfish Trawl licence holders within annual caps. Groundfish Trawl licence holders will be responsible and accountable for all coral and sponge mortality incurred.

Option B

• Required to request monthly amendments to Groundfish Trawl licence prior to fishing.
• Permitted to fish by bottom trawl in Area 4B (Areas 12 to 20 and 29) only.
• Not permitted to fish by mid-water trawl in any Area.
• Limited to a maximum of 15 landings per calendar month.
• Subject to one hundred (100) percent dockside monitoring for all landings.
• Subject to mandatory at-sea monitoring of all fishing activities.
• A 15,000 pound calendar month limit for all Groundfish species combined other than dogfish, lingcod and Rockfish; of which no more than 200 pounds shall be Sablefish, and of which no more than 200 pounds shall be Petrale sole, and of which no more than 500 pounds shall be Pacific Cod.
• Not permitted to fish for and retain Eulachon, Halibut, lingcod, any Rockfish, squid, octopus, wolf-eels any Salmon species, Pacific Herring, Green Sturgeon, White Sturgeon, Pacific Basking Shark, Tope (Soupfin) Shark or Bluntnose Sixgill Shark,
• No limit on the quantity of dogfish.

Licence renewal fee

The annual renewal fee for a commercial category T licence is calculated as follows:

• base licence fee of $500.00 plus the permanent individual vessel quota holdings of the licence on February 20th of the next calendar year measured in pounds.

There is no annual renewal fee for a communal commercial category FT licence.

Licence issuance

A commercial Groundfish Trawl licence must be renewed, and the renewal fee paid, every year by February 20th to retain the privilege to be issued the licence in the future. This means that vessel owners must renew the licence whether they intend to fish or not. If the licence is not renewed by February 20th, the licence will cease and DFO will not be able to consider a request to issue that licence in the future.

Every year, communal commercial Groundfish Trawl licence eligibility holders must also designate a fishing vessel to hold the licence by submitting a request through the National Online Licensing System (NOLS). Instructions are available at this website.

Prior to licence issue, vessel owners or licence eligibility holders must ensure that:

• they have chosen one of two fishing options for the fishing season: option A (Outside) or option B (Inside) by submitting a request through the National Online Licensing System.
• any ministerial conditions placed on the licence eligibility have been met; and
• any conditions of the previous year’s licence have been met.
• the designated vessel's overall length does not exceed the maximum vessel length of the category FT licence eligibility.

Note that Groundfish Trawl vessel owners or licence eligibility holders who choose option B are permitted to make a change once each year to option A. Those who choose option A may not change their selection for the remainder of the fishing year.

Licence amendments

Before beginning to harvest under the authority of a Groundfish Trawl licence, a Request for a Licence Amendment form must be completed and submitted to the Groundfish Management Unit by fax at 604- 666-8525. The form is available at this website.

1. Option A - vessels must be in possession of a valid amendment to the vessels Groundfish Trawl licence prior to fishing. Contact the Quota Officer at 604-666-0010 for further information.
2. Option B - vessels will be issued monthly amendments. The owner of an Option B vessel must submit A Request for Licence Amendment form for each month and be in possession of a valid amendment prior to fishing. Contact the Quota Officer at 604-666-0010 for further information.

Quota allocations

Prior to quota reallocations, the current year’s licence must be issued and a reallocation request form, signed by all vessel owners of record for the vessel the IVQ is being reallocated from, must be submitted by fax to the Groundfish Management Unit at 604-666-8525.

All questions regarding IVQs and reallocation of IVQs or Total Allowable Catch must be referred to the Quota Officer at 604-666-0010.

Licence documents

Groundfish Trawl licence documents are valid from the date of issue to February 20th of the next calendar year.

Vessel owners or licence eligibility holders may reprint any lost or destroyed licence documents using the National Online Licensing System.

Vessel replacement

The owner(s) of a category T licensed vessel may apply to replace the commercial fishing vessel. Both the replacement vessel and the vessel being replaced must have a survey on file with the Pacific Fishery Licence Unit or the survey must be submitted with the vessel replacement application. Vessels must be surveyed according to DFO guidelines.

Vessel owner(s) should also note the following rules:

• A Groundfish Trawl licence eligibility may be placed either permanently or temporarily on any registered Canadian commercial fishing vessel which does not exceed the maximum vessel length (MVL), which is the overall length of the vessel that held the licence eligibility as of December 1, 1998 plus 50 per cent. This is subject to DFO policies governing the placement of other vessel based licence eligibilities also held on the vessel beingreplaced.
• When a single Groundfish Trawl licence eligibility is placed on a shorter vessel, there remains a future opportunity to place the licence eligibility on a registered Canadian commercial vessel which does not exceed the MVL.
• A Groundfish Trawl licence eligibility may be separated from other licence eligibilities and placed on a registered Canadian commercial fishing vessel that does not exceed the MVL. When the receiving vessel does not already hold a vessel based licence eligibility, the Schedule II Species privileges associated with the Groundfish Trawl licence eligibility must be relinquished (permanently retired).
• Groundfish Trawl licensed vessel owners may swap Groundfish Trawl licence eligibilities within the Groundfish Trawl fleet, subject to the length restrictions outlined above. When swapping occurs, the IVQ and holdings caps follow each licence eligibility.
• Vessels involved in the swapping of Groundfish Trawl licence eligibilities may hold and fish under the authority of the swapped Groundfish Trawl licence eligibilities in the same fishing year, except when a vessel had begun fishing under the authority of the Groundfish Trawl licence, that vessel may not fish under the authority of another Groundfish Trawl licence in the same fishing year.

Communal commercial licences are not eligible for vessel replacement.

The Application to Replace a Commercial Vessel form is available at this website.

Temporary vessel replacement

Temporary vessel replacements are allowed if the vessel has been declared a loss or the vessel is out of service due to an accident or unforeseen damage. Vessels that are in disrepair at the time of purchase, have engine problems, or have encountered delays in annual maintenance or rebuilding do not qualify for a temporary replacement.

Written confirmation from an insurance company, shipyard, or marine engineer explaining why the vessel is inoperative must be submitted to a Pacific Fishery Licence Unit when declaring the vessel a total loss.

Temporary replacement vessel may not exceed the overall vessel length plus 10 per cent of the Groundfish Trawl vessel. Should the Groundfish Trawl licence eligibility be temporarily split from other licence eligibilities, the remaining eligibilities may not be placed on a third vessel. If you require further discussion or information on the above mentioned vessel replacement policies, please contact the Pacific Fishery Licence Unit.

Prawn and shrimp by trap

Categories W and FW

Licence category

A commercial or communal commercial Prawn and Shrimp by trap licence (category W or FW) is required to commercially harvest Prawn and Shrimp using trap gear. Category W licence eligibilities are limited entry and vessel based. Category FW licence eligibilities are party based and must be annually designated to a registered Canadian commercial fishing vessel that meets established length restrictions. Category FW licences are held by a First Nation.

Vessels authorized to fish under authority of a Prawn and Shrimp by trap licence are also permitted to:

• fish for Schedule II Species according to the conditions of each licence; and
• transport fish caught by other vessels; and

Species

• Shrimp or prawns (Pandalus species and Pandalopsis dispar [Sidestripe Shrimp]).
• The term Prawn refers solely to the spot Shrimp Pandalus platyceros, while the term Shrimp refers to all other species of Shrimp other than Prawns.

Licence category background

Prior to 1990, Prawn and Shrimp by trap fishing was authorized by a party based, category ZH licence eligibility designated to a vessel annually. In 1990, licence limitation was introduced into the fishery. Licence eligibilities were issued to individuals who landed a minimum of 1000 lbs. of Shrimp or Prawns by trap in any two of the 1986, 1987 or 1988 fishing seasons. Prior to appeals, 128 applicants were eligible and 276 licence eligibilities were established after the appeals were heard. A maximum vessel length (MVL) was established for each licence eligibility based on the surveyed length of the last vessel licensed to fish Prawn and Shrimp by trap prior to January 1, 1990.

In 1993, the limited entry length restricted category ZH licence eligibilities were converted to category W vessel based licence eligibilities. Vessels identified were required to be within the same MVL restriction and had to be eligible for a vessel based licence eligibility. When the vessel held a Schedule II Species eligibility, that eligibility was retired.

From 1991 on, trap limitations were considered as a means of control over the annual increase in gear that rose to more than 80,000 traps in 1994. Trap limits were adopted as a pilot program for the 1995 and 1996 seasons, with a limit of 300 traps per licence eligibility. Vessel owners have an annual option of combining two trap allocations on a single vessel. When combined, traps are limited to 500. To offset associated incremental monitoring and enforcement costs, vessel owners pay management fees. Trap limits were extended indefinitely as a management practice for this fishery. No area or quota restrictions apply. Beginning in 2004, amended conditions were made available to participate in the Prince Rupert Harbour humpback Shrimp fishery anticipated to open September 1st annually. An amendment request is required to participate and this fishery will continue based on continued biological sampling and monitoring. Confirmation of having obtained service bureau services for additional observer sampling is also required.

Due to vessel stability and ship safety concerns, the maximum allowable wetted trap weight is 7 kg (15.4 lbs.). Fish harvesters who had trap inventory still in use exceeding this limit were required to register the number of “heavy traps” with DFO and were only permitted to use these traps until the 2012 fishing season.

In 2010, additional closure areas were established in the Gwaii Haanas National Marine Conservation Area under the Canada National Marine Conservations Areas Act. Additional closures and restrictions regarding octopus retention were also introduced.

At the same time, it was decided that commercial vessels were prohibited from having Prawn or Shrimp catch on board that was not caught under the authority of the commercial licence. This was to prevent commercial vessels from circumventing their licence restrictions and limits, retaining undersize prawns, and illegal sales. ‘Dual fishing’ (fishing for food, social and ceremonial purposes concurrently with commercial fishing) was also not allowed.

The use of solid sided traps was phased out completely by 2016. Solid-sided traps have been replaced by improved trap designs that better sort undersize prawns while on the sea floor.

Licence renewal fee

The annual renewal fee for a commercial category W licence is $320.00.
There is no annual renewal fee for a communal commercial category FW licence.

Licence issuance

A commercial Prawn and Shrimp by trap licence must be renewed, and the renewal fee paid, every year by December 31st to retain the privilege to be issued the licence in the future This means that vessel owners must renew the licence whether they intend to fish or not. If the licence is not renewed by December 31st, the licence will cease and DFO will not be able to consider a request to issue that licence in the future.

Every year, communal commercial Prawn and Shrimp by trap licence eligibility holders must also designate a fishing vessel to hold the licence by submitting a request through the National Online Licensing System. Instructions are available at this website.

Prior to licence issue, the vessel owner must ensure that:

• any ministerial conditions placed on the licence eligibility have been met; and
• any conditions of the previous year’s licence have been met, such as the submission and approval of logbooks.
• the designated vessel's overall length does not exceed the maximum vessel length of the category FW licence eligibility.

Trap reallocations

All vessels are allocated 300 traps at the beginning of the season. Temporary trap reallocation is permitted on an annual basis when both licence eligibilities are allocated 300 traps at the timeof application.

Trap reallocations are only accepted prior to licence issuance of both licence eligibilities. When traps are reallocated, 100 are temporarily relinquished and the receiving vessel may fish a maximum of 500 traps. Trap allocations revert to original licence eligibilities at the end of the season.

Traps may be reallocated to but not from owner/operator (“grandfathered”) restricted licence eligibilities.

Licence documents

Prawn and Shrimp by trap licence documents are valid from the date of issue to December 31st annually.

Vessel owners and licence eligibility holders may reprint any lost or destroyed licence documents using the National Online Licensing System (NOLS).

Vessel replacement

The owner(s) of a Prawn and Shrimp by trap licensed vessel may apply to replace a commercial fishing vessel. Both the replacement vessel and the vessel being replaced must have a survey on file with the Pacific Fishery Licence Unit or the survey must be submitted with the vessel replacement application. Vessels must be surveyed according to DFO guidelines.

Vessel owner(s) should also note the following rules:

• only one Prawn and Shrimp by trap licence is allowed on a vessel at a time;
• the replacement vessels may not exceed the overall length of the vessel being replaced; and
• Prawn and Shrimp by trap licence eligibilities become married to other vessel based licence eligibilities when combined on a vessel,

Communal commercial licences are not eligible for vessel replacement.

The Application to Replace a Commercial Vessel form is available at this website.

Temporary vessel replacement

Temporary vessel replacements are allowed if the vessel has been declared a loss or the vessel is out of service due to an accident or unforeseen damage. Vessels that are in disrepair at the time of purchase, have engine problems, or have encountered delays in annual maintenance or rebuilding do not qualify for a temporary replacement.

Written confirmation from an insurance company, shipyard, or marine engineer explaining why the vessel is inoperative must be submitted to a Pacific Fishery Licence Unit when declaring the vessel a total loss.

Temporary replacement vessel may not exceed the overall vessel length plus 10 per cent of the Prawn and Shrimp by trap vessel.

Should the Prawn and Shrimp by trap licence eligibility be temporarily split from other licence eligibilities, the remaining eligibilities may not be placed on a third vessel. If you require further discussion or information on the above mentioned vessel replacement policies, please contact the Pacific Fishery Licence Unit.

Fish Buying Station Licence and Transporting Licence Requirements

When product is transferred from one vessel to another vessel or a vehicle, that vessel or vehicle requires a provincial Fish Buying Station licence. This licence is required for all types of vessels and vehicles, including aircraft. The licence may also be required for personal vehicles in some instances, when a vehicle is carrying the catch from more than one vessel, even if the licence holder owns both vessels. Fish harvesters should contact the B.C. Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Fisheries Courtenay Access Centre at 250 897-7541 for additional information.

If catch is transferred from a Prawn and Shrimp by trap licensed vessel to another vessel, the receiving vessel must have a commercial fishing licence or a transporting licence according to the Pacific Fishery Regulations, Part II, Section 24.

Multi-licensed vessels

When a Prawn and Shrimp by trap (category W or FW) licensed vessel also holds a Shrimp by trawl (category S or FS) licence eligibility, all Shrimp including Prawns caught under the authority of the category S or FS licence eligibility must be offloaded before that vessel may fish under the authority of the category W or FW licence eligibility. Likewise, all prawns caught under the authority of the category W or FW licence eligibility must be offloaded before fishing may begin under the authority of the category S or FS licence eligibility.

Logbooks

Logbooks may be obtained through J.O. Thomas and Associates Ltd. by calling 604-291-6340

USA68 – Albacore Tuna

Category USA68

Licence category

A licence issued pursuant to Section 68 of the Fishery (General) Regulations is required for all vessels fishing albacore tuna in the waters of the United States of America (USA). Limited entry vessel based licences which authorize an application for a tuna (category CT) licence do not authorize fishing for albacore tuna in the waters of the USA.

Licence category background

From 2000 to 2002, applicants for a Section 68 licence to fish for tuna were given conditions based on the gear type indicated on their application: troll (aka jig), longline, or troll and longline. The current conditions of licence have incorporated all three gear types.

In 2004, under the revised Canada/USA Pacific Albacore Tuna Treaty, a vessel’s effort in vessel- fishing months is monitored from the date in any calendar month of entry into the USA zone for the purpose of fishing for albacore tuna. This includes any day in a calendar month, so notification of fishing on June 30th would constitute one vessel month in June. Scouting or looking for fish is also considered fishing. The only exception is if a vessel has declared its intent to transit.

In 2005, new management measures for fishing albacore tuna in USA fisheries waters were introduced. The treaty on Pacific coast albacore tuna vessels and port privileges required a three-year phased reduction in access by Canadian vessels operating in USA waters.

As a result, DFO introduced a limitation regime to manage the fishing fleet’s effort with a monthly system that allocates the available fishing months yearly to a limited number of licence eligibilities so that treaty limits are not exceeded.

The licence eligibility criteria took into account past participation before and after the control date of April 15, 2000, and provided priority access to the most consistently active vessels fishing in USA waters. A list of vessels eligible for a Section 68 licence for fishing in USA waters was established for 2005 and onward. Vessels that qualified for placement on the eligibility list were those that were commercially licensed as of December 31, 2004 with recorded albacore tuna catch in USA waters during the period between 1995 and 1999 and continued participation between 2000 and 2002.

In 2007, the default access level of 75 per cent of the year three limits established under the Canada/USA Pacific Albacore Tuna Treaty was utilized, which meant 94 vessels or 376 vessel fishing months could be used from licence issuance to March 31, 2008. The remaining 85 licence eligibility holders (179 in total) were able to obtain vessel fishing months through a reallocation process. Issuance of a USA68 licence was required prior to fishing in USA waters and prior to reallocating vessel fishing months to another USA68 licence holder.

In 2007, tuna harvesters were required by the Western and Central Pacific Fisheries Commission and the Inter-American Tropical Tuna Commission to install and maintain a vessel monitoring system to fish for tuna in the Pacific Ocean. To minimize the impact on tuna harvesters, DFO developed general technological requirements which allow the harvesters to obtain one system to satisfy both of the commission’s resolutions.

In 2009, as per the revised Canada/USA Pacific Albacore Tuna Treaty, there was an increase in access for Canadian vessels into USA waters from 94 vessels to 110 vessels. The previously used vessel month system was changed to a defined fishing season of 4.5 months, such as June 15th to October 31st.

Licence eligibility holders are now able to reallocate the entire season by means of a permanent vessel replacement.

Licence renewal fee

The annual renewal fee for a category USA68 licence ranked 1 through 45 on the eligibility list is $500.00.

There is no fee for those category USA68 licenses ranked 46 through 179, as these licenses do not permit access to fish.

Licence issuance

Those USA68 licenses that have been ranked 1 through 45 on the eligibility list must be renewed, and the renewal fee paid, every year should the harvest of tuna be permitted.

Prior to licence issue, vessel owners must:

• contact the Canadian Highly Migratory Species Foundation at 250-658-0179 (fax: 250-658- 4709) to arrange for associated forms, logbooks, and related keypunching/data transmission services.

Vessel identification

While in the USA fishing zone, Canadian vessels must display the vessel name, the vessel identification number (VRN), and a letter C in contrasting colours at least 12 inches high, so that they are clearly visible to both aircraft and surface vessels. The letter C must be positioned at the end of each place the VRN appears on the vessel.

Under the Canada/USA Pacific Albacore Tuna Treaty, each country is required to submit a list of its tuna vessels for approval before these vessels begin fishing operations. Only vessels holding a Section 68 USA tuna licence will be on the list provided to the USA government. Vessel owners who do not have the licence on board their vessel, or are not on the list, may be prosecuted by USA authorities.

All Canadian tuna vessels operating in the Pacific Ocean, including within Canada’s Pacific EEZ, must be listed on the IATTC Regional Vessel Registry. Harvesters can check the IATTC Regional Vessel Registry to ensure that their vessel is registered.

Registration forms are available from the Tuna Resource Manager.

Licence documents

Licences issued pursuant to Section 68 for tuna are valid from the date of issue to March 31st of the next calendar year.

Vessel owners may reprint any lost or destroyed licence documents using the National Online Licensing System (NOLS).

Vessel replacement

The owner(s) of a category USA68 licensed vessel may apply to replace the commercial fishing vessel.

Both the replacement vessel and the vessel being replaced must have a survey on file with the Pacific Fishery Licence Unit or the survey must be submitted with the vessel replacement application. Vessels must be surveyed according to DFO guidelines.

The owner(s) should also note the following rules:

• USA68 licences are not married to any other vessel based licences;
• a single vessel may hold more than one USA68 licence eligibility;
• vessel replacements are not permitted during the fishing period of June 15th to September 15th;
• increases in overall vessel length are not permitted in association with any USA68 licence replacements;
• vessel replacements related to USA68 licences 1 through 45 must be placed on a vessel that already holds a USA68 licence (e.g., USA68 1 through 179); and
• vessel replacements related to USA68 licences 46 through 179 may be placed on a vessel that does not already hold a USA68 licence.

All vessel replacements must be approved by DFO prior to being processed.

If you require further discussion or information on the above mentioned vessel replacement policies, please contact the Pacific Fishery Licence Unit.

Transporting

Category D - *also known as a Packing Licence

Licence category

Section 24 of the Pacific Fishery Regulations, 1993 does not permit the transport of fish harvested during commercial fishing unless the vessel is registered and licensed to be used in commercial fishing in Canada or a transporting licence (category D) has been issued to the vessel.

Transporting licences are unlimited entry and vessel based. A transporting licence may only be issued to an unlicensed vessel. Limited entry vessel based licences allow the transport of Roe Herring, Prawn and Shrimp by trap, and Salmon caught by other vessels.

Vessels that will be transporting only Paralytic Shellfish Poisoning (PSP) Geoduck sampling product, or any product that will not be sold commercially, are not eligible for a transporting licence. This must be done under authority of a licence issued under Section 4 (1) of the Contaminated Fisheries Regulations. Vessels that will be PSP sampling as well as serving as back-up transport vessels for Geoduck or other harvested species must meet all category D transporting licence issue requirements, such as proof of transporting activity at least once in the previous three years.

Applicants should contact the applicable resource manager for a licence issued under Section 4 (1) of the Contaminated Fisheries Regulations for an Experimental, Scientific or Special Access licence, as appropriate. A transporting licence is not required and will not be issued to vessels planning to transport only Oysters, Clams, gooseneck barnacle or aquaculture stock (e.g., farmed fish and shellfish).

Red Sea Urchin, Green Sea Urchin, Sea Cucumber, and Geoduck harvests must be validated prior to being transported. The transport of Sablefish, Halibut, Groundfish Trawl, Rockfish, Schedule II Species, Eulachon, Crab, Shrimp by trawl, and Pacific Sardine is prohibited, as the licensed fishing vessel must land the harvest.

Transport licences do not allow freezing of fish. Fish may be frozen on the licensed fishing vessel and transhipped to another vessel for transport.

Licence category background

The transporting category D licence, also known as a packing licence, has been issued in respect of commercial vessels as an open entry licence category since 1972. This licence does not enable commercial harvesting of any species and licenses the vessel for only packing or transport of fish caught by commercial fishing vessels. No species or area restrictions apply.

Licence renewal fee

The category D licence renewal fee is $30.00.

Licence application and issuance

A copy of the Application for Transporting Licence - Category D may be obtained by submitting a request through the National Online Licensing System. Instructions are available at this website.

The Application for Transporting Licence - Category D must be completed and submitted to DFO using the National Online Licensing System. The vessel owner or any authorized representative may sign the application. The vessel identified on the application must meet DFO’s vessel registration requirements. A confirmation letter from the party for whom the vessel will be providing packing services must indicate the expected commercial packing activity. This confirmation letter must be submitted along with the application.

Commercial transporting licences are issued with the reasonable expectation that transporting activities will occur throughout the commercial fishing season.

Only legitimately active commercial transporting vessels will be issued licences. Issuance in future years will be dependent on the submission of sales slips to track the commercial transporting activity associated with the transporting vessel.

All vessels not previously registered as a transporting vessel with the Pacific Fishery Licence Unit must submit through the National Online Licensing System:

1. A completed Application for Commercial Fishing Vessel Registration and the required $50.00 registration fee.
2. A Marine survey report, dated after May 1, 1989, that has been conducted in accordance with DFO’s current guidelines for vessel measurement.
3. A copy of vessel ownership documents (i.e., for vessels registered with Transport Canada, a copy of the Certificate of Registry or Registered Bill of Sale).

Licence documents

Transporting licence documents are valid from the date of issue to December 31st of each calendar year.

Vessel owners may reprint any lost or destroyed licence documents using the National Online Licensing System (NOLS).

Fish slip books

Commercial transporting licences are issued with the expectation that transporting activities will occur throughout the commercial fishing season.

Blank fish slips are available at this website. Fish slip books with or without company name printed may also be ordered directly from Proforma Business Forms at 604-596-6133. Note that custom orders may take six to eight weeks to process.

Schedule II species – Tuna

Category CT

Licence category

A Schedule II Species – Tuna licence (category CT) is required to commercially harvest tuna in Canadian fisheries waters and the high seas.

Category CT licence eligibilities are unlimited entry and vessel based.

The conditions of a category CT licence allow for any limited entry vessel based licence eligibility that has not relinquished its Schedule II Species portion, to apply for and obtain a category CT licence. Vessels that do not hold a limited entry vessel based licence may still apply for a SEC68 tuna licence to harvest tuna on the high seas; this would exclude fishing for tuna in Canada’s Exclusive Economic Zone waters.

Licence category background

Prior to 2013, the harvest of tuna in Canadian fisheries waters and the high seas was included within the Schedule II Species portion of vessel based licence eligibilities.

Licence renewal fee

The category CT licence renewal fee is $30.00.

Licence application and issuance

Vessel owners who have not previously applied for a category CT licence may request one using the National Online Licensing System. The vessel must hold a limited entry, vessel based licence eligibility that has not relinquished (permanently retired) the Schedule II Species portion of the licence.

Prior to licence issue, the vessel owners must ensure that any ministerial conditions placed on the licence have been met.

Licence documents

Schedule II Species – tuna licence documents are valid from the date of issue to March 31st of the following year.

Vessel owners may reprint any lost or destroyed licence documents using the National Online Licensing System (NOLS).

SEC68 – High Seas

Category SEC68

Licence category

A licence issued pursuant to Section 68 of the Fishery (General) Regulations is required to authorize fishing or trans-shipping on the high seas of the Pacific Ocean, which are beyond the Exclusive Economic Zones of Canada and the United States of America (USA). This includes:

• Canadian fishing vessels that do not hold a licence eligibility as detailed in the Licence Application and Issuance section below; and
• applicants who have been selected through the annual lottery draw to fish in the offshore Seamount Sablefish fishery.

Vessels with a valid category CT licence do not require a separate Section 68 licence to fish for tuna species on the high seas.

Licence renewal fee

The category SEC68 licence renewal fee is $500.00.

Licence application and issuance

A copy of the Application for a Licence to Fish or Trans-ship in Waters other than Canadian Fisheries Waters may be obtained by submitting a request through the National Online Licensing System. Instructions are available at this wesbite. Completed applications for high seas licences must be submitted by email (fishing-peche@dfompo.gc.ca) or through the National Online Licensing System.

The vessel owner or authorized representative must sign the application form. Where the vessel owner is a company, the Pacific Fishery Licence Unit must have on record a copy of a recent B.C. Company Summary indicating the officers/directors associated with the company.

Where the vessel owner is a First Nation, the Pacific Fishery Licence Unit must have on record a Confirmation of Band or First Nation Group Signing Authorities form listing the signing authorities. A copy of the Confirmation of Band or First Nation Group Signing Authorities form is available by submitting a request through the National Online Licensing System.

High Seas applications for species other than tuna will be forwarded to the appropriate DFO Fishery Manager or Co-ordinator for review and approval prior to licence issue.

Prior to licence issuance, applicants must designate a registered Canadian commercial fishing vessel according to the following rules:

• For tuna, a vessel that is NOT eligible for vessel based commercial licences for Salmon, Schedule II Species, Geoduck, Sablefish, Halibut, Crab, Shrimp by trawl, Groundfish Trawl or Prawn and Shrimp by trap OR a vessel that has been designated to fish a category NAG or eligible category F licence for the current year.
• For offshore Seamount Sablefish fishery, a vessel that is eligible for a Sablefish licence.

To designate a vessel that is not currently registered as a Canadian commercial fishing vessel, applicants must first submit a completed Application for Commercial Vessel Registration form. The registration requirements are outlined on the reverse of the application form. For example, the registration requirement for a marine survey report does not have to be met by vessels designated solely to a high seas licence.

Fishing area definitions

• Northeast Pacific – Outside Convention area
• Northeast Pacific – Inside Convention
• Northwest Pacific – Inside Convention
• Eastern Central Pacific – Inside Convention
• Eastern Central Pacific – Outside Convention area
• Southeast Pacific
• Southwest Pacific
• Western Central Pacific

Licence documents

High seas licences issued pursuant to Section 68 for tuna are valid from the date of issue to March 31st of the next calendar year or the expiry date indicated on the licence document. Vessel owners may reprint any lost or destroyed licence documents using the National Online Licensing System (NOLS).

Fisheries Management Area Map

An electronic copy of the map above and/or species specific area maps.

The current descriptions of Licence Areas for all the Commercial Fisheries in the Pacific Region

Vessel replacement/nomination of licence eligibilities

Vessel replacements – Vessel based licence eligibilities

Except where licence policy or the applicable Integrated Fisheries Management Plan (IFMP) allows:

• the replacement vessel may not exceed the overall length (OAL) of the vessel being replaced.
• all vessel based licence eligibilities must be placed on the replacement vessel
• licence area changes are not permitted.

If the vessel to be replaced is no longer eligible for commercial fishing licence eligibilities as a result of the Application to Replace a Commercial Vessel, any party based licenses (i.e. category Z, communal commercial etc.) designated to the vessel being replaced must be redesignated to a suitable vessel or relinquished to the DFO.

Where the replacing vessel has a Transporting, category D licence, the licence will be expired and the vessel must be registered or reregistered as a commercial fishing vessel prior to placing a commercial licence eligibility on the vessel.

Logbook/fish slip requirements must be met where applicable; either for the previous year or the current year to date.

All vessel replacements must be marked as permanent on the Application to Replace a Commercial Vessel.

An Application to Replace a Commercial Vessel temporarily may be made if the vessel has been declared a loss or the vessel is out of service due to an accident or unforeseen damage. Written confirmation from an insurance company, shipyard, or marine engineer explaining why the vessel is inoperative is required. Vessels that are in disrepair at the time of purchase, have engine problems, have encountered delays in annual maintenance or rebuilding do not qualify for a temporary vessel replacement.

An Application to Replace a Commercial Fishing Vessel must be made and signed by all the owner(s) on record of the vessel to be replaced. All signatures must be notarized by a lawyer or notary public. If the vessel owner is a company, the Pacific Fishery Licence Unit must have on record a copy of a recent B.C. Company Summary indicating the officers/directors associated with the company. The contact vessel owner of the replacement vessel must also sign the application, however, the signature is not required to be notarized.

Both vessels are required to have a marine survey report either on record or submitted with the Application to Replace a Commercial Vessel. The marine survey report must be dated after May 1, 1989 and be conducted by a certified Marine Surveyor according to the DFO Guidelines for Vessel Measurement. Only original surveys will be accepted.

The Application to Replace a Commercial Vessel form is available at this website.

If the vessel replacement is accepted a letter confirming the acceptance will be sent to original vessel owner(s) and the contact vessel owner of the replacing vessel.

Nominations – Party based licence eligibilities

Category Z licence eligibilities are applicable to the Green Sea Urchin (category ZA), Red Sea Urchin (category ZC), Sea Cucumber (category ZD), Euphuasiid (category ZF), Rockfish (category ZN), Pacific Sardine (category ZS), and Pacific Oyster (category ZWO) fisheries.

Category Z licence eligibility holders may complete the Nomination for Category Z Licence Eligibility form to indicate that they no longer intend to apply for the licence eligibility. When such intent is stated, the Minister of Fisheries and Oceans may consider issuance of the licence eligibility to the nominated party.

Nominations may be considered:

• Euphausiid (category ZF) and Rockfish (category ZN) throughout the year
• Green Sea Urchin (category ZA), Red Sea Urchin (category ZC) and Sea Cucumber (category ZD) are considered only prior to current year licence issuance or after the individual quota has been achieved

Roe Herring licence eligibility holders (category HG and HS) may complete the Nomination for Roe Herring Licence Eligibility form to indicate that they no longer intend to apply for the licence eligibility.

Roe Herring licence eligibility (category HG and HS) nominations are only accepted annually from April 1 to October 31 inclusive. Postmarks will not be accepted. Reduced fee Roe Herring licence eligibility holders (Aboriginal Individuals) may only nominate an Aboriginal Individual that is considered a Status Indian as defined under the Indian Act, R.S., c. 149 s. 1.

Nominations of communal commercial licenses (category F) are not accepted. The applicable nomination form must:

• be completed and submitted to a Pacific Fishery Licence Unit
• clearly identify the licence eligibility to be nominated
• be signed by the licence eligibility holder of record and must be notarized by a lawyer or notary public. If the licence eligibility holder is a company, the Pacific Fishery Licence Unit must have on record a copy of a recent B.C. Company Summary indicating the officers/directors associated with the company.
• Only one party may be nominated (an individual, company or First Nation). Multiple nominees will not be accepted.
• Logbook/fish slip requirements must be met where applicable; either for the previous year or the current year to date.

The Nomination for Category Z Licence Eligibility form is available at this website.

The Nomination for Roe Herring Licence Eligibility form is available at this website.

If the nomination is accepted, a letter confirming the acceptance will be sent to Nominator and the Nominee.

Change of vessel ownership

The Notice of Change of Ownership (NCO) form may be used to advise of the changes to a vessel registered with Fisheries and Oceans Canada as a registered Canadian commercial fishing vessel. Ownership changes must be reported to the Department of Transport (DOT) prior to informing the Pacific Fishery Licence Unit.

In accordance with section 18 of the Fishery (General) Regulations, where there is a transfer of ownership of a registered vessel or a loss, destruction, dismantling or other removal of a registered vessel from use as a fishing vessel, the person in whose name the vessel is registered shall:

• notify the Minister in writing of the event within fifteen days after the occurrence of the event,
• report the name and address of the new owner(s)

In accordance with section 20 of the Fishery (General) Regulations, where it is not intended that the vessel will be used in any activity that requires the vessel to be registered, remove the Vessel Registration Number (VRN) that is painted on or affixed to the vessel.

The following documents must be submitted with the Notice of Change of Ownership form:

• A copy of the registered bill of sale
• A copy of the Declaration of Transmission (estates)
• Amended Certificate of Registry (blue book)
• Copy of Certified true transcript

A copy of the Notice of Change of Ownership form may be obtained by contacting the Pacific Fishery Licence Unit.

Once the Notice of Change of Ownership is processed, a letter confirming the ownership change will be sent to both the new vessel owner(s) and the previous vessel owner(s).

Vessel registration

All vessels that are to be used in commercial fishing must be registered as a commercial fishing vessel with Transport Canada and obtain a Vessel Registration Number (VRN) from the Department of Fisheries and Oceans.

For new commercial vessels

Vessels not previously registered with DFO, the following must be submitted:

• A completed Application for Commercial Vessel Registration and the registration fee of $50.00.
• Proof of ownership; for vessels registered under the Canada Shipping Act, a copy of the Certificate of Registry or a registered Bill of Sale.
• An official marine survey report, dated after May 1, 1989 that has been conducted by a Marine Surveyor in accordance with the current DFO Guidelines for Vessel Measurement.

For previously registered commercial fishing vessels

Vessels previously registered with DFO that have been unlicensed for more than 15 days must submit the following:

• A completed Application for Commercial Vessel Registration. If a new VRN does not have to be issued or there are no vessel data changes, the $50.00 registration fee is not required.
• An official marine survey report, dated after May 1, 1989 that has been conducted by a Marine Surveyor in accordance with the current DFO Guidelines for Vessel Measurement must be on record or submitted along with the Application for Commercial Vessel Registration.

For previously registered commercial fishing vessels reporting data changes

• Vessels registered with DFO that have a change of vessel name, Transport Canada DOT number, vessel dimensions to be recorded or a change in activity (from fishing to transporting or transporting to fishing), must submit:
• A completed Application for Commercial Vessel Registration and the registration fee of $50.00
• For changes in vessel name and data (other than overall length) for vessels registered with DOT, a copy of the amended Certificate of Registry
• For changes in DOT number for vessels registered with Transport Canada, a Certificate of Registry.

Changes to overall length of a previously registered vessel will only be considered where a marine survey has been reviewed and accepted by the DFO and changes have been done in accordance with policies. Vessel owners are expected to make every effort to meet the guidelines as set in the regulations. The Application for Commercial Vessel Registration form is available at this website.

New vessel identification requirements

All vessel owners must ensure that the Vessel Registration Number (VRN) assigned to their vessel is painted or fixed securely onto their vessel. The VRN must be placed on the vessel where it is clearly visible. It must also be displayed in solid block numerals of a certain size (see chart below) in white on a black background or vice versa.

Location of numeral: Vessels without a superstructure, as high as possible on both sides ofthe vessel. Vessels with a superstructure, as high as possible on both sides of the superstructure and on the top of the superstructure with the top of the numerals towards the bow.

Guidelines for vessel measurements

General information

The Pacific Fishery Licence Unit (PFLU) will only review original copies of survey reports dated after May 1, 1989, which:

• state that the measurements were done in accordance to DFO guidelines using metal tape;
• identify the points used for the measurements on photographs;
• record measurements in metric, so if the measurements were taken in imperial, the measurement and conversion must be indicated; and
• are accompanied by the photographs that meet the requirements outlined below.

Evaluation and Condition surveys are not usually accepted, as vessel measurements are often not taken when an evaluation survey is done or the measurements have not been taken in accordance with these guidelines.

When the PFLU already has a survey on file for a vessel, it will not review another survey unless vessel modifications have been undertaken with the knowledge of the Unit. See modifications below for further information.

For DFO licensing purposes, definitions of the required measurements are:

Overall length

The horizontal distance measured between perpendiculars erected at the extreme outside ends of the vessel. This includes any bow or stern additions or modifications that are airtight or may be made airtight at any time simply by adding plugs, caps, or lids.

Overall length measurements are NOT to include items such as bowsprits, anchor rollers or leads, stern rollers, hull guards, or bow bulbs that are attached under the waterline for fuel efficiency.

A deck extension platform at either the bow or stern with the following design are excluded from overall length measurement:

• only an open framework of braces/brackets supports the platform;
• the platform has no solid plating surrounding it, either above or below the deck level (note that an open frame or rails may be added above the deckline of the platform); or
• there are no watertight compartments associated with the platform, above or below the waterline.

When bows are modified to include a forward bulkhead, airtight or not, this bow must be included in the overall length. In order to be excluded from a vessel’s overall length, bow modifications must meet the definition of a deck extension as defined above. Vessel owners or builders should consult with the PFLU prior to modifying vessels.

Vessels equipped with water jet drive(s) are to be measured from the bow to the extreme ends of the hull and not to the transom where the jets emerge.

Any attachments that are questionable should be clearly photographed, measured and noted in the survey report. DFO will review these attachments to determine whether or not they will be included in the overall length.

Beam

Beam is measured at the widest point of the hull and to the outside edge of the hull excluding side guards, fenders, and capping. The widest point will normally be amidships.

Depth

Depth is measured from top of deck at the side amidships to bottom of keel. Note that this is an outside measurement. If a vessel is registered under the Canada Shipping Act, depth measurements may be obtained from the vessel’s Certificate of Registry.

Photographs

Survey reports must be accompanied by a minimum of three 4 x 6 or 5 x 7 photographs, which show:

1. A full “head on” stern photograph.
2. A full side view photograph of the vessel that clearly shows the bow to the stern. The vessel must be identifiable in the photo by having the name or Transport Canada licence number properly affixed to the vessel.
3. A full “head on” bow photograph.
4. Photographs of any vessel attachments that may be questionable as to whether they should be included in the overall length or not.

Additional photographs are also required if vessel modifications have been undertaken. These photographs should clearly show “before and after” shots of where modifications were done.

All photographs must be signed and dated by the surveyor except when they are submitted separately from the survey. In this case, photographs may be signed and dated by the vessel owner.

Photographs for newly constructed vessels must include photos that clearly indicate decking is in place. Polaroid and landscape-style photographs are no longer accepted.

Modifications

Vessel modifications may not be undertaken while the vessel is licensed.

Where the Department has a vessel survey on file and the vessel is unlicensed, it will be unable to accept a new survey unless vessel modifications have been conducted in accordance with all vessel measurement guidelines.

Once modifications are completed, the following items are required:

• a new marine survey report that is accompanied by additional photographs which indicate before and after photographs of the area where the vessel was modified.
• Written confirmation that modifications have been accepted by Transport Canada
• Written confirmation that modifications have not affected the seaworthiness of the vessel.
• A completed Application to Register a Commercial Fishing Vessel form and the $50 vessel registration fee.

Fishing vessel safety

Vessel owners and masters have a duty to ensure the safety of their crew and vessel. Adherence to safety regulations and good practices by owners, masters and crew of fishing vessels will help save lives, prevent vessel damage and protect the environment. All fishing vessels must be in a seaworthy condition and maintained as required by Transport Canada (TC), WorkSafeBC, and other applicable agencies. Vessels subject to inspection should ensure that the certificate of inspection is valid for the area of intended operation.

In the federal government, responsibility for shipping, navigation, and vessel safety regulations and inspections lies with TC; emergency response with the Canadian Coast Guard (CCG) and DFO has responsibility for management of the fisheries resources. In BC, WorkSafeBC also regulates health and safety issues in commercial fishing. This includes requirements to ensure the health and safety of the crew and safe operation of the vessel.

Before departing on a voyage the owner, master or operator must ensure that the fishing vessel is capable of and safe for the intended voyage and fishing operations. Critical factors for a safe voyage include the seaworthiness of the vessel, having the required personal protective and life-saving equipment in good working order, crew training, and knowledge of current and forecasted weather conditions. As safety requirements and guidelines may change, the vessel owner, crew, and other workers must be aware of the latest legislation, policies and guidelines prior to each trip.

For further information see:

• Marine transportation
• Fish safe BC
• Work safe BC

Important priorities for vessel safety

There are three areas of fishing vessel safety that should be considered a priority. These are: vessel stability, emergency drills, and cold water immersion.

Fishing vessel stability

Vessel stability is paramount for safety. Care must be given to the stowage and securing of all cargo, skiffs, equipment, fuel containers and supplies, and also to correct ballasting. Fish harvesters must be familiar with their vessel’s centre of gravity, the effect of liquid free surfaces on stability (i.e. loose water or fish on deck), loading and unloading operations, watertight integrity and the vessel’s freeboard. Know the limitations of your vessel; if you are unsure contact a reputable naval architect, marine surveyor or the local Transport Canada Marine Safety Office.

Fishing vessel owners are required to develop detailed instructions addressing the limits of stability for each of their vessels. These instructions must include detailed safe operation documentation kept on board the vessel. Examples of detailed documentation include: engine room procedures; maintenance schedules to ensure watertight integrity; and, instructions for regular practice of emergency drills.

The Fishing Vessel Safety Regulations currently require, with certain exceptions, a full stability assessment for vessels between 15 and 150 gross tons that do not exceed 24.4 metres in length and include fishing vessels involved in the catch of herring or capelin. In 2017, Transport Canada Marine Safety (TC) issued Ship Safety Bulletin (SSB) No. 03/2017 announcing the coming into force of the New Fishing Vessel Safety Regulations. The initial regulations were published in the Canada Gazette Part II on July 13, 2016 and came into force on July 13, 2017. The bulletin includes important information on changes to requirements for Written Safety Procedures, Safety Equipment and Vessel Stability.

A fishing vessel that is not required to undergo a stability assessment shall have adequate stability to safely carry out the vessel’s intended operations. Guidelines are still being developed to help small fishing vessel owners and operators meet their regulatory requirements. Additionally, Transport Canada published a Stability Questionnaire (SSB No. 04/2006) and Fishing Vessel Modifications Form (SSB No. 01/2008) which enable operators to identify the criteria which will trigger a stability assessment. Please contact the nearest Transport Canada office if you need to determine whether your vessel requires one, or to receive guidance on obtaining competent assessor.

Vessel masters are advised to carefully consider stability when transporting gear. Care must be given to the stowage and securing of all traps, cargo, skiffs, equipment, fuel containers and supplies and also to correct ballasting. Know the limitations of your vessel; if you are unsure contact a reputable marine surveyor, naval architect or the local Transport Canada Marine Safety office.

Please contact Ryan Ford at Fish Safe for a copy of the program materials they developed to address safety and vessel stability in these fisheries. Ryan Ford – Cell phone: (604) 739-0540 - Email: ryan@fishsafebc.com.

Emergency drill requirements

The Canada Shipping Act, 2001 requires that the Authorized Representative of a Canadian Vessel shall develop procedures for the safe operation of the vessel and for dealing with emergencies. The Act also requires that crew and passengers receive safety training. The Marine Personnel Regulations require that all personnel on board required to meet the minimum safe manning levels have received MED (Marine Emergency Duties) training to an A1 or A3 level, depending on the vessel’s voyage limits, within 6 months of serving aboard. MED A3 training is 8 hours in duration and is applicable to seafarers on fishing vessels less than 150 GRT that are within 25 miles from shore (NC2). MED A1 training is 19.5 hours duration and is applicable to all other fishing vessels.

MED provides a basic understanding of the hazards associated with the marine environment; the prevention of shipboard incidents; raising and reacting to alarms; fire and abandonment situations; and the skills necessary for survival and rescue.

Cold water immersion

Drowning is the number one cause of death in BC’s fishing industry. Cold water is defined as water below 25 degrees Celsius, but the greatest effects occur below 15 degrees C. BC waters are usually below 15 degrees C. Normal body temperature is around 37 degrees Celsius; cold water rapidly draws heat away from the body. The effects of cold water on the body occur in four stages: cold shock, swimming failure, hypothermia and post-rescue collapse. Know what to do to prevent you or your crew from falling into the water and what to do if that occurs. More information is available in the WorkSafe Bulletin Cold Water Immersion (available from the WorkSafeBC website) where the need to don PFD’s while working in or near the water during fishing operations is clearly emphasized.

Other issues - Weather

Vessel owners and masters are reminded of the importance of paying close attention to current weather treads and forecasts during the voyage. Marine weather information and forecasts can be obtained on VHF channels 21B, Wx1, Wx2, Wx3, or Wx4. Weather information is also available from the Environment Canada website

Emergency radio procedures

Vessel owners and masters should ensure that all crew are able to activate the Search and Rescue (SAR) system early rather than later by contacting the Canadian Coast Guard (CCG). It is strongly recommended that all fish harvesters carry a registered 406 MHz Emergency Position Indicating Radio Beacon (EPIRB). These beacons should be registered with the National Search and Rescue secretariat. When activated, an EPIRB transmits a distress call that is picked up or relayed by satellites and transmitted via land earth stations to the Joint Rescue Co-ordination Centre (JRCC), which will task and coordinate rescue resources.

WorkSafeBC

WorkSafeBC exercises jurisdiction over workplace health and safety, including the activities of crews of fishing vessels. Commercial fishing and diving are subject to the provisions of the Workers Compensation Act (WCA) and requirements in Part 24 of the Occupational Health and Safety Regulation (OHSR). Examples of Part 24 regulatory requirements related to fishing include, but are not limited to, the requirement to establish emergency procedures, to conduct emergency drills, to provide immersion suits for the crew, to provide stability documentation for the vessel, safe work procedures, injury reporting, correction of unsafe working conditions, etc. Other sections of the OHSR also apply to commercial fishing operations. For example, Part 3 addresses training of young and new workers, first aid, and employer incident/accident investigations. Part 4 addresses general conditions such as maintenance of equipment, workplace conduct and impairment. Part 8 addresses issues related to safety headgear, safety footwear, and personal flotation devices (PFDs). Part 12 addresses issues related to tools, machinery and equipment, including safeguarding. Part 15 addresses issues related to rigging.

Additionally, Part 3 of the WCA also defines the roles and responsibilities of owners, employers, supervisors, and workers (Fishing vessel masters are considered to be employers under the WCA). The OHSR and the WCA are available from the Provincial Crown Printers or by visiting the WorkSafeBC website.

Fish Safe

Fish Safe encourages Vessel masters and crew to take ownership of fishing vessel safety. Through this industry driven and funded program Fish Safe provides fishing relevant tools and programs to assist fishers in this goal. The Fish Safe Stability Education Program and 1 Day Stability Workshop are available to all fishers who want to improve their understanding of stability and find practical application to their vessel’s operation. The SVOP/Safe on the Wheel Course is designed to equip crew with the skills they need to safely navigate during their wheel watch. The Safest Catch Program, along with fisher-trained Safety Advisors, is designed to give fishers the tools they need to create a vessel specific safety management system.

For further information contact Ryan Ford, Program Manager via:
Cell: (604) 739-0540
Office: (604) 261-9700
Email: ryan@fishsafebc.com
FishSafeBC

Transportation Safety Board

The Transportation Safety Board (TSB) is not a regulatory board. The TSB is an independent agency that investigates marine, pipeline, railway and aviation transportation occurrences to determine the underlying risks and contributing factors. Its sole aim is the advancement of transportation safety by reporting publicly through Accident Investigation Reports or Marine Safety Information Letters or Advisors. It is not the function of the Board to assign fault or determine civil or criminal liability. Under the TSB Act, all information collected during an investigation is completely confidential.

For more information about the TSB, visit the TSB website.

Reporting an Occurrence

A full description of the fishing vessel safety requirements can be found in the Integrated Fisheries Management Plan for each species.

Pacific Region Licence Appeal Board (PRLAB)

The Minister established the Pacific Region Licence Appeal Board (PRLAB) in 1979 as the last administrative level of appeal for fish harvesters who are dissatisfied with licensing decisions made by DFO.

Mandate

The PRLAB is at arm’s length from DFO. Their mandate is to consider all information provided to:

• determine if the appellant was treated fairly in accordance with DFO licensing policies, practices, and procedures;
• determine if extenuating circumstances exist for deviation from established policies, practices, and procedures; and
• provide a full rationale with any recommendation when exceptions to licensing policies, practices, and procedures have been recommended in individual cases.

The PRLAB then makes a written recommendation to the Minister of Fisheries and Oceans who makes the final decision. Questions on whether policies are reasonable or appropriate, or suggestions for policy changes, should be raised through the fisheries management advisory process. The PRLAB does not make decisions on licence policy, although, if requested, they may provide advice to the Minister on changes to licensing practices and procedures.

Reasons for requesting an appeal

The PRLAB only hears appeals relating to elements of fact and process, or involving extenuating circumstances.

The PRLAB has the discretion to refuse to grant an appeal, if the appeal is determined to be made on unwarranted grounds or there is no acceptable reason for non-attendance at a previously scheduled appeal hearing.

Deadlines

PRLAB will only hear appeals resulting from licensing decisions which occurred within two years; that is, from the time a grievance is alleged to the date a notice of intent to appeal is filed. Licence limitation appeals must be filed within two years from January 1st of the year following the announcement of the limitation program.

Requesting an appeal hearing

Appellants are referred to the PRLAB by receipt of a letter that denies issuance of a licence or an exemption from licensing rules and policies.

If you wish to request an appeal, a written request must be submitted which includes detailed reasons for the appeal and any additional relevant information. The decision to grant an appeal to be reheard rests entirely with the PRLAB. However, this may only be requested should new information be presented. Once the written request is received, the PRLAB Liaison Officer will schedule an appointment for the appellant’s appeal to be heard at the next scheduled meeting or the next meeting this person is able to attend. The appellant will be notified of the date, time and location of their appointment with the PRLAB. Each appointment is scheduled for 45 minutes.

Preparing for a hearing

If the appellant has other documents or relevant information they wish the PRLAB to consider, it should be provided to the PRLAB Liaison Officer a minimum of 10 days before the hearing date.

Attending a hearing

Appellants may appear either in person or via conference call. An appellant may request that PRLAB make a recommendation to the Minister based on a written submission only.

The appellant will be given an opportunity to summarize their appeal and supporting documentation. PRLAB members may then ask questions on any points which they would like clarification. Material presented both in writing and orally at the hearing is considered part of the appeal record.

Appellants may be required to submit a statutory declaration under Fishery (General) Regulations Section 8. (1)(b) verifying that the information and documentation provided is complete, accurate and true. If an appellant provides falsified documents, evidence of previously under-reported fish or other illegal activities, the PRLAB will be required to provide this information to DFO or any other investigative body responsible for enforcing the laws of Canada or a province.

Hearings are generally held once or twice a year and are held at DFO’s Pacific Regional Headquarters at 200 – 401 Burrard Street in Vancouver.

Withdrawing an appeal

An appeal may be withdrawn at any time by notifying DFO in writing.

Appeal decisions

All appellants will be advised in writing of the Minister's decision. As under Section 7 of the Fisheries Act, the Minister of Fisheries and Oceans has absolute discretion in the issuance of licences so the decision of the Minister is final.

For more information

To obtain more information about the Pacific Region Licence Appeal Board, contact the PRLAB Liaison Officer. Submissions may be mailed or sent by fax to:

Fisheries and Oceans
Pacific Region Licence Appeal Board 200 – 401
Burrard Street Vancouver, BC V6C 3S4
Tel: 604-666-1640
Fax: 604-666-5855

Appendix 3 - Pacific Region commercial fisheries profiles for select fisheries

Pacific commercial fisheries

Prawn

Vessel length: The average vessel length is approximately 11 m. Average length of active vessels is larger

Gear: When fishing two licences, vessel stacking allows 200 traps in addition to the standard 300 trap limit. Thereare a range of commercial trap requirements.

The prawn profile provides a high-level overview of the commercial fishery in 2015 using the most recent available data. More information on the fishery including how it is managed can be found at this website.
The B.C. prawn fishery is a coast-wide trap fishery, and there is a range of vessel types that participate. In 2014, 247 of the 250 prawn licenses were fished on 216 vessels. A vessel may only hold one prawn licence however it can fish additional traps from another licence.The prawn fishery is managed using: measures that ensure a minimum number of spawning females remain on the grounds, time and area closures, and trap limits, among others. Key features of fishery reporting and catch monitoring in the fishery include logbooks and electronic monitoring using the DFO National Vessel Monitoring System.

In 2012, the landed value for the 218 active vessels in the fishery was approximately $28.4 million and the average landed value per vessel was approximately $130,000.

Crab

Vessel length: The average vessel length is approximately 10 m. Average length of active vessels is larger.

Gear:

The crab profile provides a high-level overview of the commercial fishery in 2015 using the most recent available data. More information on the fishery including how it is managed can be found at this website.

The B.C. crab fishery occurs coast-wide. It is a trap fishery and includes the harvest of Dungeness, red rock, red king and golden king crabs. The fishery is comprised of vessels that are able to support a crab trap hauler. In 2014, there were 221 licences and licenced vessels in the B.C. crab fishery. A vessel may only hold one crab licence at a time. It is managed under an area licensing regime, divided into seven areas, and each licence can operate in a single area. Each vessel is limited by the number of traps it can fish, and there are also crab size limits, and nonretention of female crabs. Key features of fishery reporting and catch monitoring in the fishery include logbooks and electronic monitoring.

In 2012, the landed value for the 208 active vessels in the fishery was approximately $30.7 million, and the average landed value per vessel was approximately $148,000.

Salmon (gillnet)

Vessel length: The average vessel length is approximately 11 m. Average length of active vessels is larger.

Gear: Salmon gillnets are rectangular nets that hang in the water and are set from either the stern or bow of the vessel. Fish swim into the net, entangling their gills in the mesh. Altering mesh size and the way in which nets are suspended in the water allows nets to target selectively on certain species and sizes offish.

The salmon gillnet profile provides a high-level overview of the commercial fishery in 2015 using the most recent available data. More information on the fishery including how it is managed can be found at this website

The Pacific salmon fishery occurs coast-wide. The Pacific Salmon Treaty is an agreement between the United States and Canada for the joint management of the Pacific salmon resource in American and Canadian waters. The Pacific commercial salmon fishery is composed of three gear types: seine, gillnet and troll. Commercial salmon fisheries are managed based on priorities outlined in An Allocation Policy for Pacific Salmon and harvest sharing arrangements among commercial fishery participants are laid out in a commercial allocation plan that is included in the Integrated Fisheries Management Plan. Harvests of commercial shares are primarily done by troll, gill net and seine vessels in limited access, competitive fisheries. However, a range of alternative management approaches have been explored in recent years in demonstration fisheries that include individual transferrable quota (ITQ), pooling arrangements with defined shares, and effort limited fisheries. Demonstration fisheries have allowed for testing of alternative gear configurations such as beach seine, tangle nets, and fish wheels to improve selective harvesting of commercial locations.

In 2014, there were approximately 1402 salmon gillnet licences and 820 licensed gillnet vessels, however, the number of active vessels can be lower because a vessel can hold more than one licence and, in certain years, some vessels are not active. The fishery is managed through a combination of gear and area-based licensing and each licence is authorized to fish in one of three geographic areas: one in northernBritish Columbia (Area C), and two in southern British Columbia (Areas D and E). Gillnet vessels account for approximately 25% of the total commercial salmon catch. Key features of fishery reporting and catch monitoring in the fishery include maintaining a log of all harvest operations through a hard copy(paper) version or electronic (e-log) versions.In 2012, the landed value for the 779 active gillnet vessels in the fishery was approximately $8.77 million, and the average landed value per active vessel was approximately $11,251.

Salmon (seine)

Vessel length: The average vessel length is approximately 20 m. Average length of active vessels is larger.

Gear: Seine nets are set from fishing boats with the assistance of a small skiff. Nets are set in a circle around aggregations offish. The bottom of the net is then drawn together into a “purse” to prevent escape of the fish.

The salmon seine profile provides a high-level overview of the commercial fishery in 2015 using the most recent available data. More information on the fishery including how it is managed can be found at this website.

The Pacific salmon fishery occurs coast-wide. The Pacific Salmon Treaty is an agreement between the United States and Canada forthe joint management of the Pacific salmon resource in American and Canadian waters. The Pacific commercial salmon fishery is composed of three gear types: seine, gillnet and troll. Commercial salmon fisheries are managed based on priorities outlined in An Allocation Policy for Pacific Salmon and harvest sharing arrangements among commercial fishery participants are laid out in a commercial allocation plan that is included in the Integrated Fisheries Management Plan. Harvests of commercial shares are primarily done by troll, gill net and seine vessels in limited access, competitive fisheries. However, a range of alternative management approaches have been explored in recent years in demonstration fisheries that include individual transferrable quota (ITQ), pooling arrangements with defined shares, and effort limited fisheries. Demonstration fisheries have allowed for testing of alternative gear configurations such as beach seine, tangle nets, and fish wheels to improve selective harvesting of commercial allocations.

In 2014, there were approximately 276 salmon licences in the Pacific salmon seine fishery and 152 licensed seine vessels, however, the number of active vessels can be lower because a vessel can hold more than one licence and, in certain years, some vessels are not active. The fishery is managed through a combination of gear and area-based licensing and each licence is authorized to fish in one of two geographic areas: one in northern British Columbia (Area A), and one in southern British Columbia (Area B). Seiners take approximately 50% of the commercial salmon catch. Key features of fishery reporting and catch monitoring in the fishery include maintaining a log of all harvest operations through a hardcopy (paper) versionor electronic (e-log) versions. In 2012, the landed value for the 128 active vessels in the fishery was $5.64 million, and the average landed value per vessel was approximately $44,085.

Salmon (troll)

Vessel length: The average vessel length is approximately 13 m. Average length of active vessels is larger.

Gear: Trollers employ hooks and lines which are suspended from large poles extending from the fishing vessel. Altering the type and arrangement of lures used on lines allows various species to be targeted.

The salmon troll profile provides a high-level overview of the commercial fishery in 2015 using the most recent available data. More information on the fishery including how it is managed can be found at this website.

The Pacific salmon fishery occurs coast-wide. The Pacific Salmon Treaty is an agreement between the United States and Canada for the joint management of the Pacific salmon resource in American and Canadian waters. The Pacific commercial salmon fishery is composed of three gear types: seine, gillnet and troll.

Commercial salmon fisheries are managed based on priorities outlined in An Allocation Policy for Pacific Salmon and harvest sharing arrangements among commercial fishery participants are laid out in a commercial allocation plan that is included in the Integrated Fisheries Management Plan. Harvests of commercial shares are primarily done by troll, gill net and seine vessels in limited access, competitive fisheries. However, a range of alternative management approaches have been explored in recent years in demonstration fisheries that include individual transferrable quota (ITQ), pooling arrangements with defined shares, and effort limited fisheries. Demonstration fisheries have allowed for testing of alternative gear configurations such as beach seine, tangle nets, and fish wheels to improve selective harvesting of commercial allocations.

In 2014, there were approximately 436 salmon troll licences and 315 licensed troll vessels, however, the number of active vessels can be lower because a vessel can hold more than one licence and, in certain years, some vessels are not active. The fishery is managed through a combination of gear and area-based licensing and each licence is authorized to fish in one of three geographic areas: one in northern British Columbia (Area F), and two in southern British Columbia (Areas G and H). Trollers take approximately 25% of the commercial salmon catch. Key features of fishery reporting and catch monitoring in the fishery include maintaining a log of all harvest operations through a hardcopy (paper) versionor electronic (e-log) versions. In 2012, the landed value for the 283 active vessels in the fishery was approximately $9 million, and the average landed value per active vessel was $31,837.

Halibut

Vessel length: The average vessel length is approximately 13 m. Average length of active vessels is larger.

Gear: Halibut is caught primarily using longline gear. The longline consists of a long rope, spooled on a hydraulic drum, which fish harvesters set from the stern of their vessels. Baited hooks are fastened to this longline and it is marked on the ocean surface using a float and flagpole at each end. Harvesters usually set several long lines at a time and haul them regularly to land their catch. A longline can be from one to three miles (1.6 to 5 km) long and have up to 2,000 hooks.

The halibut profile provides a high-level overview of the commercial fishery in 2015 using the most recent available data.

The Canadian portion of the Pacific halibut fishery occurs along the entire coast of British Columbia. The resource is jointly managed by the governments of the United States and Canada through the International Pacific Halibut Commission. In 2014, there were 435 licences and licensed vessels in the Pacific halibut fishery, and a vessel may only hold one halibut licence at any given time. The fishery is managed underthe Groundfish Integration program, a globally recognised management system which makes fishers accountable for all catch (released and retained), with 100% electronic monitoring at sea and 100% dockside monitoring to verify the accuracy of fishers’ catch reporting. Individual Vessel Quotas (IVQs), expressed as a percentage of the overall total allowable catch, are issued annually to eligible halibut licence holders and are transferable among licence holders. The transferability of IVQs within the halibut fishery and among other groundfish fisheries enables individual fishers to acquire the quota they need to covertheirlanded catch and released mortalities for their directed species (i.e., halibut) and otherincidentally caught groundfish species.

In 2012, the landed value for the 155 active vessels in the fishery was approximately $40 million, and the average landed value per vessel was approximately $258,000.

Sablefish

Vessel length: The average vessel length is approximately 18 m. Average length of active vessels is larger.

Gear: Sablefish are fished with traps or hooks attached to a longline on the bottom of the ocean. The longline is anchored to the ocean floor, with many short fishing lines branching of fit at regular intervals. For trap fishing, each short fishing line is set with a baited trap. For hook fishing, each short fishing line is set with a baited hook. The gear is set in the water for a period of time and the retrieved by hauling it over the side of the boat.

The sablefish profile provides a high-level overview of the commercial fishery in 2015 using the most recent available data.

The Pacific sablefish fishery occurs primarily in deeper, offshore waters along the B.C. coast. There are a range of vessels participating, including vessels fishing with trap gear and vessels fishing with longline gear. In 2014, there were 48 sablefish licences and vessels, and a vessel may only hold one sablefish licence at any given time. The fishery is managed under the Groundfish Integration program, a globally recognised management system which makes fishers accountable for all catch (released and retained), with 100% electronic monitoring at sea and 100% dockside monitoring to verify the accuracy of fishers’ catch reporting.

Individual Vessel Quotas (IVQs), expressed as a percentage of the overall total allowable catch, are issued annually to eligible sablefish licence holders and are transferable among licence holders. The transferability of IVQs within the sablefish fishery and among other groundfish fisheries enables individual fishers to acquire the quota they need to cover their landed catch and released mortalities for their directed species (i.e., sablefish) and otherincidentally caught groundfish species.

In 2012, the landed value was approximately $22.2 million, and the average landed value per vessel for 37 active vessels was approximately $600,000.

Groundfish trawl

Vessel length: The average vessel length is approximately 20 m. Average length of active vessels is larger.

Gear: Mid-water trawling is similar to bottom trawling, but involves the towing of a large net through the water column. Trawls are designed to capture and trap the target species inside the rear portion of the net called a “codend” as the net is hauled through the water.

Bottom trawling is a fishing practice that herds and captures the target species, like groundfish, by towing a net along or near to the ocean floor.

The groundfish trawl profile provides a high-level overview of the commercial fishery in 2015 using the most recent available data.

The groundfish trawl fishery occurs coastwide, with the exception of large area closures, primarily implemented for conservation purposes. It is a multi-species fishery that is conducted using two gear types: bottom trawl gear, which catch a range of species such as rockfish, soles, skates and cods; and mid-water trawl gear which target pelagic schooling species such as Pacific Hake, several rockfish, and Walleye Pollock. Pacific Hake is managed with the United States through the Pacific Hake Treaty. In 2014, there were 139 trawllicences and vessels. The groundfish trawl fishery is managed under the Groundfish Integration program, a globally recognised management system which makes fishers accountable for all catch (released and retained), with 100% at sea monitoring (including observers and limited electronic monitoring) and 100% dockside monitoring to verify the accuracy of fishers’ catch reporting. Individual Vessel Quotas (IVQs), expressed as a percentage of the overall total allowable catch, are issued annually to eligible trawl licence holders for 33 different species in 63 different species-area groups. These IVQs are transferable among licence holders. The transferability of IVQs within the trawl fishery and among other groundfish fisheries enables individual fishers to acquire the quota they need to cover their landed catch and released mortalities for their directed species and other incidentally caught groundfish species.

In 2012, the active trawl fleet landed 121 different species weighing 81,104 metric tonnes worth an estimated landed value of approximately $52.9 million. The average landed value per vessel was approximately $927,000.

Herring

The herring profile provides a high-level overview of the commercial fisheries in 2015 using the most recent available data. More information on the fisheries including how they are managed can be found at this website.

Roe herring

The commercial roe herring fishery occurs in the near shore along the coast of British Columbia, and is composed of two gear types: seine and gillnet. In 2014, there were 252 roe herring seine licences and approximately 155 licensed seine vessels in the fishery. In 2014, there were 1,267 roe gillnet licences which are fished by small skiffs, and the number of active vessels is much less than the number of licences. The fishery is managed through closely monitored opening times during the spawning period, and a combination of gear and area-based licensing, including an annual area selection. Key features of fishery reporting and catch monitoring in the fishery include dockside validation, at-sea monitoring and hail programs. In 2012, the landed value for the seine fishery was approximately $1.3 million, and the gillnet portion of the fishery had a total landed value of approximately $3.7 million. The revenue was approximately $5,000 per active licence in the seine fishery, and $3,000 per active licence in the gillnet fishery.

Roe herring vessel length: The average seine vessel length is approximately 20m.

Gear: Roe herring fisheries permit the use of seine nets or gillnets depending on the type of licence. Seine nets are set from fishing boats with the assistance of a small skiff and the nets are set in a circle around aggregations of fish. The bottom edges of the net are then drawn together into a “purse” to prevent escape of the fish. Gill nets are much smaller than seine nets and are set and retrieved by smaller skiffs and punts. The gill nets are suspended in the water and have meshes that are too small for the fish to swim completely through so they become stuck or “gilled” in the meshes.

Spawn-on-kelp

Spawn-on-kelp (SOK) refers to the product resulting from herring eggs that have been deposited on kelp after herring have spawned.The fishery occursin the nearshore along the coast of British Columbia. In 2014, there were 46 licences and 11 licensed vesselsin the fishery. The Heiltsuk First Nation hold 9 SOK licences, and 56.5% of the licences are held by FirstNation communities. Each licence is assigned to one of seven geographic areas, and a vessel can be designated to harvest multiple licences. SOK harvesting operations can be “closed pond” where seine vessels are used to capture live herring and place them in enclosures. The kelp is then suspended in the enclosures for the herring to spawn on, after which the fish are released. “Open pond” operations are situated in areas where herring are actively spawning and rely on the fish to swim into the open ponds and deposit eggs on the suspended kelp. The kelp and attached eggs are removed from the water and transported to shore based facilities for processing. The key management features in the fishery include a logbook and hail program and dockside validation of all landings. In 2012, the landed value for the SOK fishery was approximately $1.4 million, and the average landed value per active licence was approximately $109,000.

Spawn-on-kelp vessel length: The average seine vessel length is approximately 20m.

Food and bait

The herring food and bait fishery occurs along the coast of British Columbia: Prince Rupert District and the Strait of Georgia, and the fishery expanded substantially between 2012 and 2015. Seine nets are permitted in the food and bait fishery and vessels are required to have a chilled seawater or refrigerated seawater system and a valid stability certificate and/ or booklet. In 2014, there were 252 food and bait licences and 14 licensed vessels, and each licence must be designated to a registered commercial fishing vessel with no limit on the numbers of licences the designated vessel can hold. Fishing occurs in the fall and winter prior to the spawning season when the fish have a lower sexual maturity and higher fat content. The fishery is managed through a logbook and hail program and 100% at-sea-observer coverage and dockside validation of all landings. In 2012, the landed value was approximately $0.8 million, and the average landed value per active licence was approximately $12,000.

Food and bait vessel length: The average seine vessel length is approximately 20m.