Notice to Fish Harvesters
October 19, 2018
EKME: 3975817
2018 SCALLOP CONSERVATION HARVESTING PLAN FOR SCALLOP FISHING AREA 24
The Department of Fisheries and Oceans (DFO), Gulf Region, wishes to advise stakeholders of the Scallop Fishing Area (SFA) 24 management measures for the 2018 fishing season.
New management measure: In response to the Commissioner of the Environment and Sustainable Development’s (CESD) 2016 Audit on Sustaining Canada’s Major Fish Stock, DFO received funding to implement projects on Catch Monitoring for key species, one of which is on scallop. As discussed at the SFA 24 Advisory Committee conference-call, cameras may be placed on vessels at the discretion of Conservation & Protection (C&P). There is no cost to the harvesters. C&P will be in contact with those harvesters who will be required to take a camera during the 2018 season. These cameras are already used in other fisheries to increase compliance, to collect scientific data and to monitor fishing harvesting practices. If you have any questions on this pilot project, please contact Pierre Mallet (Pierre.Mallet@dfo-mpo.gc.ca or 506-851-7792).
Fishing season: November 1, 2018 to December 15, 2018. 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 cumulative width of 5.08 m (16 feet 8 inches) (outside measurements).
Washers: Two (2) steel washers may be used to join each side of the rings together giving a maximum of eight (8) steel washers per ring. In addition, one rubber washer may be used vertically to join two (2) bucket rings together. The maximum outside diameter of rubber washers must not exceed 50.8 mm. Furthermore, chaffing gear on the underside of the drag will be allowed when the rings are joined only with steel washers.
Offloading requirements: No person shall 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 for the protection of lobster habitat and the ecosystem. Note: the Western Cape Breton scallop buffer zone (North of Mabou), will now be defined by specific coordinates (see map and coordinates on page 2 and attached). In addition, instead of being applied by variation order, all buffers will now be included in the licence conditions for ease of reference for the fish harvesters. Please refer to Annex B attached and to your licence conditions for details.
2
Map of Western Cape Breton scallop buffer zone (North of Mabou) with coordinates*
*Point references are based on the Geodesic System North American Datum 1983 (NAD83).
Positions are expressed in degrees, minutes, seconds.
3
For further information please contact:
Josiane Massiéra
Fisheries and Oceans Canada
Moncton, NB
(506) 851-7290
Kim Hill
Fisheries and Oceans Canada
Charlottetown, PEI
(902) 566-7933
Alan Dwyer
Fisheries and Oceans Canada
Antigonish, NS
(902) 735-7114
