Commercial fisheries licensing rules and policies reference document Pacific region
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 Vessel based Licence 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.
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.
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 Licence Unit.
Logbooks
Logbooks may be obtained through Pacific Coast Shrimpers Cooperative Association (PCSCA)
Telephone: 250-658-0179
Email: clayton@ieccorporate.com .
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