Crab and Prawn Buoys/Floats revised by DFO

[searun]

Just bought my 2023 saltwater license and on it is states:

"Crab, Prawn and Shrimp Floats: The primary float attached to crab traps must be cylindrical in shape (includes bullet shaped) and a minimum of 27 cm in length and 12 cm in diameter; an optional secondary float may be used of any shape or size other than spherical. The primary float attached to prawn and shrimp traps must be spherical in shape and a minimum of 27 cm in diameter; an optional secondary float may be used of any shape or size other than cylindrical. Floats must be made of a durable material and suitable for operation in marine waters; floats/materials not suitable for use in marine waters are prohibited."

From this I take it that the primary float is the first one attached to the main trap line and has to be the correct size and shape. The secondary float can be any size or color as long as it is "durable" (i.e. designed to be a fishing float - no bleach bottles, etc.). There are no color restrictions for any of these floats.

So.... anybody know where you can buy some nice 'durable' square, rectangular or triangular floats? Is a football shaped float neither cylindrical or spherical???

Thank you...seems really straight forward to me, and is posted on everyone's fishing license as a Condition of License - if you don't agree or follow the CoL, expect a ticket at some point. Some of the fines these days are very significant - not carrying and using a descending device as an example is something north of $839 fine (after tax and service fees). As stated on this thread a number of times, there is no requirement for specific colour of buoy. That is a regulation in Washington State - not one adopted here in Canada.

 

[Tips Up]

Crap. Just when I thought what I was using was fine. Can’t have 2 bullets ?!

 

[Aquaholic]

View attachment 91188
Crap. Just when I thought what I was using was fine. Can’t have 2 bullets ?!

Put a dowel down the middle and bond the two together so it makes one long float. You might not have the minimum length requirement with a solo float.

 

[Bill 310]

So as promised I wrote Canada's Privacy Officer on the Name and Phone number on the floats question.

I was called back last week and the person was very nice and a little WTF are they doing. and why aren't they issuing numbers.

So... my next step is to write to the DFO's Privacy Officer the same Letter I just wrote to Canada;s Privacy Officer and if I dion't get an acknowledgement within 30 days I am to contact Canada's Privacy Officer again (I now have a phone number )

Interstingly the DFO's Privacy Officer's email address is one of the longest most complicated email addresses I have ever seen.

I would have thought it would have been simple like privacy@DFO.ca I will post up the addy later

 

[wildmanyeah]

In the act it only says the float must be identified with fishers name. I looked this up when this thread was first brought up


"No person shall fish for shrimp with a shrimp trap unless a tag, float or buoy that bears the operator’s name is attached to the trap."


If they issue numbers you will never get your lost taps back ever again. Perhaps that was the intent when they put the phone number as a COL.

 

[Bill 310]

In the act it only says the float must be identified with fishers name. I looked this up when this thread was first brought up


"No person shall fish for shrimp with a shrimp trap unless a tag, float or buoy that bears the operator’s name is attached to the trap."


If they issue numbers you will never get your lost taps back ever again. Perhaps that was the intent when they put the phone number as a COL.

Thanks It would be great if you could post that up.

 

[wildmanyeah]

British Columbia Sport Fishing Regulations, 1996

Federal laws of Canada

laws-lois.justice.gc.ca

My bad looks like it was amended to

Canada Gazette, Part 1, Volume 1, Number 1: Regulations Amending the British Columbia Sport Fishing Regulations, 1996

January 1, 1841, Part 1, Volume 1, Number 1, Canada Gazette

canadagazette.gc.ca

1. Require operators’ telephone numbers on recreational trap buoys.
   • Failure to have an operator’s telephone number on a buoy or tag will be a ticketable offence in Schedule II.1 of the CR and accompanied by a fine of $250.00. This fine is consistent with other fines in the CR related to gear violations that do not directly affect the resource.

 

[wildmanyeah]

British Columbia Sport Fishing Regulations, 1996

Federal laws of Canada

laws-lois.justice.gc.ca

My bad looks like it was amended to

Canada Gazette, Part 1, Volume 1, Number 1: Regulations Amending the British Columbia Sport Fishing Regulations, 1996

January 1, 1841, Part 1, Volume 1, Number 1, Canada Gazette

canadagazette.gc.ca

1. Require operators’ telephone numbers on recreational trap buoys.
   • Failure to have an operator’s telephone number on a buoy or tag will be a ticketable offence in Schedule II.1 of the CR and accompanied by a fine of $250.00. This fine is consistent with other fines in the CR related to gear violations that do not directly affect the resource.

I think this is new but Dont quote me on it

30 days consultation (until April 17, 2023)
March 18, 2023

New as moving from a COL into the actually act

 

[Bryan Allen]

This one is weird ----- the likelihood of traps being lost, requiring rot cord in all traps that have netting is a simple and effective way to minimize the incidence and impact of ghost fishing. Ummmm- how about Bauer type traps with solid mesh ???? They dont need rot cord ???? Strange.

 

[searun]

This one is weird ----- the likelihood of traps being lost, requiring rot cord in all traps that have netting is a simple and effective way to minimize the incidence and impact of ghost fishing. Ummmm- how about Bauer type traps with solid mesh ???? They dont need rot cord ???? Strange.

They need to be retro-fitted with rot cord also. This change has been in the works for a number of years now, so the industry had plenty of opportunity to anticipate the outcome of all these consultations and adjust their traps. I didn't see a lot of "adjusting" to what in those times appeared to most to be the inevitable outcome.

 

[Whole in the Water]

They need to be retro-fitted with rot cord also. This change has been in the works for a number of years now, so the industry had plenty of opportunity to anticipate the outcome of all these consultations and adjust their traps. I didn't see a lot of "adjusting" to what in those times appeared to most to be the inevitable outcome.

Is this official now? If not, when does it come into effect?

 

[Corey_lax]

This one is weird ----- the likelihood of traps being lost, requiring rot cord in all traps that have netting is a simple and effective way to minimize the incidence and impact of ghost fishing. Ummmm- how about Bauer type traps with solid mesh ???? They dont need rot cord ???? Strange.

Prawns can still get out of Bauer traps unlike crab traps with the trap door. So probably no rot cord needed

 

[CRGreg]

Prawns can still get out of Bauer traps unlike crab traps with the trap door. So probably no rot cord needed

yes Rot Cord needed..

 

[Corey_lax]

yes Rot Cord needed..

Not for recreation. Only for commercial. It says "Commercial crab traps, commercial shrimp traps, and recreational crab traps must contain biodegradable rot cord. However, the presence of rot cord is not currently required in recreational shrimp and octopus traps that have netting."

 

[Bryan Allen]

Thanks for the clarification C-L