British Columbia Sport Fishing Regulations, 1996 (Omnibus amendments)

Enabling act(s): Fisheries Act

Description of the objective

The proposed regulatory amendments seek to amend several areas of the British Columbia Sport Fishing Regulations, 1996. The regulations would cover the following:

• Prohibit retention of female Dungeness and Red Rock Crab and add to Schedule VIII, which would ensure that females remain in the ecosystem to sustain populations.
• Require sinking/weighted trap lines and add this requirement to Schedule VIII, which would reduce potential for fouled vessel props, damage to vessels and possible harm to boaters.
• Require telephone numbers on trap floats, which would make it easier to contact the operator if gear is seized or recovered.
• Require the use of barbless hooks in the tidal waters of the Fraser River, which would reduce post-release mortality in catch-and-release fisheries, directed especially toward White Sturgeon conservation.
• Remove aggregate daily quotas for listed species in non-tidal waters, which would enable the province to allow intensive fishing in limited areas to combat aquatic invasive species.

Indication of business impacts

There may be business impacts. The “One-for-One” Rule and/or Small Business Lens may apply.

Regulatory cooperation efforts (domestic and international)

There is no regulatory cooperation for this initiative

Public consultation opportunities

The Sport Fishing Advisory Board (SFAB) is a recognized process for consultation with recreational fisheries in the British Columbia.

The SFAB has 2 main meetings a year, one in the spring and one in the fall. The proposed changes were initially consulted on at the November 5 and 6, 2006 meeting, then again at the April 24 and 25, 2010 meeting. The last meeting was held on January 25 and 26, 2014. At this meeting the recreational community reconfirmed their support for the amendments. The only element of the amendment that the recreational community did not support was the requirement to use sinking trap lines as this requirement increases costs.

Information on future consultation opportunities for this regulatory proposal will be provided as it becomes available.

Further information

N/A

Departmental contact

Genevieve Cauffope
Chief of Regulations, Pacific Region
Telephone: 604-666-0588
Email: genevieve.cauffope@dfo-mpo.gc.ca

Date the regulatory initiative was first included in the Forward Regulatory Plan: 2018