Prince Edward Island Fishermen's Assoc.

FISHERIES & OCEANS - NOTICE TO FISH HARVESTERS

October 18, 2012
EKME 2612895

THE 2012 MANAGEMENT PLAN - SCALLOP FISHING AREA 24

The Department of Fisheries and Oceans (DFO), Gulf Region, wishes to advise stakeholders of the Scallop Fishing Area 24 management measures for the 2012 fishing season. As advised in the spring, the management measures are a rollover of the 2011 management plan.

Fishing Season: November 1 to December 15, 2012. The fishery will take place between
6:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. daily, and will be closed on Sundays.

Meat Count: 52 per 500g of meat.

Logbook Requirements: Fish harvesters are required to maintain a record of their estimated catches in a logbook prior to entering port. Fish harvesters are required to forward their logbooks to DFO no later than two weeks following the closure of the fishing season

Ring Size: The authorized ring size in the bucket construction is set at 82.6 mm (3 ¼ inches) with the exception of the first row of buckets where 76.2 mm (3 inches) rings may be used.
Drag Size: maximum width of 5.08 m (16 feet 8 inches) outside measurements.

Washers: A maximum of two steel washers may be used to join two bucket rings together, giving a maximum of eight steel washers per ring. One rubber washer may be added vertically along with the steel washers to join two bucket rings. The maximum outside diameter of rubber washers must not exceed 50.8 mm (two inches). Chaffing gear on the underside of the drag will be allowed when the rings are joined only with steel washers.

Offloading Requirements: Licence holders are not authorized to land (off-load) any other part of the scallop except for the adductor muscle (no roe or other internal organs of the scallop may be retained).

Buffer zones:
All existing buffer zones remain in place and include the following:
• A one (1) nautical mile buffer zone will be closed until further notice from the nearest point of land in the counties of Cumberland, Colchester, Pictou and Antigonish and one (1) nautical mile from the nearest point of land around Pictou Island, situated in the Northumberland Strait.
• A buffer zone will be closed from Red Point Park to Prim Point, Prince Edward Island including Fisherman’s Bank and areas known as the Ridge North and East of Fisherman’s Bank, Eastern Ground, the Reef. This buffer zone will be closed in those waters adjacent to the eastern coast of Prince Edward Island.

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• A one (1) nautical mile buffer zone from the nearest point of land from the Canso Causeway northward, including Henry Island and Port Hood Island, to the Mabou Harbour entrance range lights.
• A buffer zone in waters less than fifteen (15) fathoms in depth will be closed from the Mabou Harbour entrance range lights northward to the divisional line between Scallop Fishing Area 24 and Scallop Fishing Area 25 at High Capes.
• A buffer zone will be closed in those waters adjacent to the western coast of Cape Breton.

The coordinates for the various buffer zones are included in pertinent Variation Orders and/or licence conditions.

Beginning in 2013, it is anticipated that this fishery will be managed on a multi-year approach, and in this regard consultations with stakeholders will be held in the coming months.

For further information please contact:

Monique Baker
Fisheries and Oceans Canada
Moncton, NB
(506) 851-6234

Leroy MacEachern
Fisheries and Oceans Canada
Antigonish, NS
(902) 863-5670 Ext. 2231

Colin MacIsaac
Fisheries and Oceans Canada
Charlottetown, PEI
(902) 566-7815