Commercial fisheries licensing rules and policies reference document Pacific region
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).
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