Thats how foreigners spend the month in BC and retain their 30 spring salmon. Gives dollars to tourism. We have tonnes of fish to keep them happy.
Thats how foreigners spend the month in BC and retain their 30 spring salmon. Gives dollars to tourism. We have tonnes of fish to keep them happy.
salmonkiller01
Well-Known Member
Who keeps 30 springs??? If I had my 4 fish at a smoker/processor, and wanted a freshy for a bbq in my opinion that would be fine, the legal technicalities could go either way. I am not saying to head out in the a.m get your limit, drop them off for processing then head out that night, drop off for processing .....day in day out for weeks.
casper5280
Crew Member
I think most here way over think these things. If you go out and limit out and go home or to Processoror whatever I don't think DFO is going to come raid your house. I don't care if you have 5 or 500 fish in your freezer. I think the rule was put in place as a daily limit to check people on a daily basis or at a road check. DFO barely has time to do any checks as it is and to think they are going to start going door to door checking freezers is crazy thinking. Just fish by the rules and take your daily limit and you will be fine.
salmonkiller01
Well-Known Member
I agree 100%
Saxe Point
Well-Known Member
But I think you missed the point. If the fish are in your freezer at home (5 or 500), they simply are not counted as far as your possession limit goes (maximum number of springs may involve a different issue). But if they are at the processor, they are part of your possession limit. Easy enough to check too. If you are checked on the road and found to have a possession limit, a simple check with the processor to see if you have any fish in the system will let the authorities determine if you are over. I think that's why the processors document so carefully what they take in - to allow for easy and quick verification. Now whether it is an regulatory or enforcement priority to undertake these types of checks may be another matter.
casper5280
Crew Member
You can beat this thing to death Saxe, still think it is a total waste of time. Unless DFO has cause to suspect that you are way over your "daily" limit they are not going to be going to the processors and checking to see who caught what and how much. Like you say the processor document your fish, it will say when the fish was brought in and how many. You could go and pick up from the processor 10 daily or whatever limits and get stopped by DFO and it is all documented. You just waited till the end of the season to pick it up. I don't think DFO is going to bust you for it if they stop you. Again unless you are fishing way over your daily limit you have nothing to worry about.
Saxe Point
Well-Known Member
I'll have to disagree with you casper.
Last edited by a moderator:
I only brought up the processor wait time because it is common for a 6 week wait to get your fish back, especially if there is a bumper run that summer. Seems like a punishment to support a commercial processor if (technically) you have to stop fishing until you get those fish home. In a normal year I send 4 springs to St jeans to get my yearly supply of candy, canned and smoked canned. Any others I might kill I give to neighbours and friends.
Saxe Point
Well-Known Member
You don't have to stop fishing, only keeping. Catch and release, for some anglers, is a way of life. Talk to steelheaders. They will cast a fly a thousand times over days, or weeks, for a hookup, only to release the steelhead. There is obviously more to the angling experience for them than filling the freezer. For steelheaders, the quest and the fight are like religious experiences.
Charlie
Well-Known Member
There appears to be a technicality with some statements referred that no longer exist.
There is now a difference between fish being SENT to a processor and fish AT the processor. Personally, if “I” were on a week fishing trip, “I” would not be exceeding any two day catch limits as “I” believe that would be a clear violation with the “intent of law”.
I have NEVER, over all the years ever come close to retaining the annual possession limit Chinook; however, sending fish to a licensed processor is exactly how many “foreigners” spend their month in BC and fish every day of that month. You may want to start warning them of “NEW” DFO regulations, or you will find those “dollars to tourism” will start to dry. It appears “they” are walking a very fine line regarding the “law” and “intent of law”? You just might find some of them may start receiving violations if they are using a processor to subvert Canadian law. That my friend very well could equal losing not only the fish, but also any associated gear, including tow vehicle and boat. My advice – read the regs closely and be careful on that one, as they did remov "at legal processor" from the regs.
The example of “…the legal technicalities could go either way. I am not saying to head out in the a.m get your limit, drop them off for processing then head out that night, drop off for processing .....day in day out for weeks. That IMHO is direct violation of the “intent of law” and should and will be found illegal!
Not really wanting to give any legal advice here; however, one might really want to check on the legalities of some statements and understand DFO really does write regulations and will enforce them under the “intent of law”!
Canadian law USED to state “at a licensed fish process, or ordinary residence. That was a very large “loop whole” and it was being abused and not just by us yanks. I believe one will now find Canada clearly states, “if you send your fish to a licensed fish processor, it is and will be considered part of the possession limit.” It appears to me, DFO is trying to close a “loop whole” in the regulations by now clearly stating fish you “send” a processor fish it is part of possession, while leaving the time spent “AT” the processor an issue open to “intent of law”? IMHO Rollie would be fine as he is trying to stay within “the intent”, while if Charlie comes up to Canada for a week and tries to use “AT” a processor with a week’s worth of daily catch at the processor is now going to find himself in violation of the “intent of law”.
It is illegal to:
• possess more than your daily and/or possession limit (see glossary page 91/92).
http://www.pac.dfo-mpo.gc.ca/fm-gp/rec/SFG-GPS/SFGtidal-GPSmaree-2012-eng.pdf
Packaging and Transporting Your Catch under
Canning outside a person’s ordinary residence of all sportcaught fish is NOT allowed in B.C. (See page 92 for glossary definition of ordinary residence) which now states:
“Fish caught by an angler that is being prepared, cooked, or is partially consumed away from the angler’s ordinary residence is considered as part of the fisher’s possession limit. “If you send your fish to a licensed fish processor it is still considered to count towards your possession limit.”
The last sentence NOW clearly states if you "SEND" so if you drop-off your catch at a pick-up point to be delivered to a legal processor - those fish are considered in possession until they arrive at the processor.
http://www.pac.dfo-mpo.gc.ca/fm-gp/rec/SFG-GPS/SFGtidal-GPSmaree-2012-eng.pdf
Limits
• The aggregate daily limit (total daily limit) for all species of Pacific salmon from tidal and non-tidal waters combined is four.
• The possession limit for all salmon from all waters is twice the daily limit for that individual species. No person may have in their possession more than eight salmon in aggregate, except at a place of ordinary residence.
• The coast-wide daily limit for chinook is two. The total chinook annual limit is 30 from any tidal waters, of which at most:
– 10 may be caught in the tidal waters of the Fraser River;
– 15 may be caught in the waters of Areas 12 to 18, 28 and 29 and that portion of Area 19 north of Cadboro Point;
– 20 may be caught in portions of Area 20 (20-5 to 20-7) and that portion of Area 19 (19-1 to 19-4) south of Cadboro Point.
Glossary
ORDINARY RESIDENCE – a residential dwelling where a person normally lives, with all associated connotations including a permanent mailing address, telephone number, furnishings and storage of automobile; the address on one’s driver’s licence and automobile registration, where one is registered to vote. A motor home or vessel at a campsite or marina is not considered to be an ordinary residence.
POSSESSION LIMIT – the number of fish of any species that an angler may have in his/her possession at any given time, except at place of ordinary residence. In most instances, the (2 day) possession limit is two times the daily limit for that species, however there are exceptions. The possession limit for chinook salmon from all waters (tidal and non-tidal) is four. The possession limit for other salmon from all waters is twice the daily limit for that individual species. No person may have in their possession more than eight salmon in aggregate, except at a place of ordinary residence. Check the limits and management measures tables for specific limits by species.
http://www.pac.dfo-mpo.gc.ca/fm-gp/rec/SFG-GPS/SFGtidal-GPSmaree-2012-eng.pdf
There is now a difference between fish being SENT to a processor and fish AT the processor. Personally, if “I” were on a week fishing trip, “I” would not be exceeding any two day catch limits as “I” believe that would be a clear violation with the “intent of law”.
I have NEVER, over all the years ever come close to retaining the annual possession limit Chinook; however, sending fish to a licensed processor is exactly how many “foreigners” spend their month in BC and fish every day of that month. You may want to start warning them of “NEW” DFO regulations, or you will find those “dollars to tourism” will start to dry. It appears “they” are walking a very fine line regarding the “law” and “intent of law”? You just might find some of them may start receiving violations if they are using a processor to subvert Canadian law. That my friend very well could equal losing not only the fish, but also any associated gear, including tow vehicle and boat. My advice – read the regs closely and be careful on that one, as they did remov "at legal processor" from the regs.
The example of “…the legal technicalities could go either way. I am not saying to head out in the a.m get your limit, drop them off for processing then head out that night, drop off for processing .....day in day out for weeks. That IMHO is direct violation of the “intent of law” and should and will be found illegal!
Not really wanting to give any legal advice here; however, one might really want to check on the legalities of some statements and understand DFO really does write regulations and will enforce them under the “intent of law”!
Canadian law USED to state “at a licensed fish process, or ordinary residence. That was a very large “loop whole” and it was being abused and not just by us yanks. I believe one will now find Canada clearly states, “if you send your fish to a licensed fish processor, it is and will be considered part of the possession limit.” It appears to me, DFO is trying to close a “loop whole” in the regulations by now clearly stating fish you “send” a processor fish it is part of possession, while leaving the time spent “AT” the processor an issue open to “intent of law”? IMHO Rollie would be fine as he is trying to stay within “the intent”, while if Charlie comes up to Canada for a week and tries to use “AT” a processor with a week’s worth of daily catch at the processor is now going to find himself in violation of the “intent of law”.
It is illegal to:
• possess more than your daily and/or possession limit (see glossary page 91/92).
http://www.pac.dfo-mpo.gc.ca/fm-gp/rec/SFG-GPS/SFGtidal-GPSmaree-2012-eng.pdf
Packaging and Transporting Your Catch under
Canning outside a person’s ordinary residence of all sportcaught fish is NOT allowed in B.C. (See page 92 for glossary definition of ordinary residence) which now states:
“Fish caught by an angler that is being prepared, cooked, or is partially consumed away from the angler’s ordinary residence is considered as part of the fisher’s possession limit. “If you send your fish to a licensed fish processor it is still considered to count towards your possession limit.”
The last sentence NOW clearly states if you "SEND" so if you drop-off your catch at a pick-up point to be delivered to a legal processor - those fish are considered in possession until they arrive at the processor.
http://www.pac.dfo-mpo.gc.ca/fm-gp/rec/SFG-GPS/SFGtidal-GPSmaree-2012-eng.pdf
Limits
• The aggregate daily limit (total daily limit) for all species of Pacific salmon from tidal and non-tidal waters combined is four.
• The possession limit for all salmon from all waters is twice the daily limit for that individual species. No person may have in their possession more than eight salmon in aggregate, except at a place of ordinary residence.
• The coast-wide daily limit for chinook is two. The total chinook annual limit is 30 from any tidal waters, of which at most:
– 10 may be caught in the tidal waters of the Fraser River;
– 15 may be caught in the waters of Areas 12 to 18, 28 and 29 and that portion of Area 19 north of Cadboro Point;
– 20 may be caught in portions of Area 20 (20-5 to 20-7) and that portion of Area 19 (19-1 to 19-4) south of Cadboro Point.
Glossary
ORDINARY RESIDENCE – a residential dwelling where a person normally lives, with all associated connotations including a permanent mailing address, telephone number, furnishings and storage of automobile; the address on one’s driver’s licence and automobile registration, where one is registered to vote. A motor home or vessel at a campsite or marina is not considered to be an ordinary residence.
POSSESSION LIMIT – the number of fish of any species that an angler may have in his/her possession at any given time, except at place of ordinary residence. In most instances, the (2 day) possession limit is two times the daily limit for that species, however there are exceptions. The possession limit for chinook salmon from all waters (tidal and non-tidal) is four. The possession limit for other salmon from all waters is twice the daily limit for that individual species. No person may have in their possession more than eight salmon in aggregate, except at a place of ordinary residence. Check the limits and management measures tables for specific limits by species.
http://www.pac.dfo-mpo.gc.ca/fm-gp/rec/SFG-GPS/SFGtidal-GPSmaree-2012-eng.pdf
Saxe Point
Well-Known Member
Good to hear you release lots of fish. I just hope you don't let your "exception" get in the way of you releasing fish. Of course everyone who voluntarily releases a fish that they could otherwise keep wants it to spawn and replenish the stocks. But if you feel that because someone else may catch the fish you released, then you may as well not release a fish, then you probably won't release many fish, and possibly none at all. There will always be the possibility that any given salmon will be caught by some other angler or commercial or first nation fisherman, or even be eaten by a bear or another predator, before spawning.
If all anglers take this view, then it becomes the proverbial "race to the bottom" where nobody releases fish because they don't want someone else to catch and keep it. The species can then only be saved by ever stricter catch limits, until no one can keep any. We need a cultural shift where conservation becomes the operative principle and everyone should try to take less, so the species is available for future generations. This form of stewardship, along with protection of ocean and river habitat, will give the fish some hope.
You don't have to worry I still let them go and sleep very well at night knowing I do my part in many ways to give these fish a chance to rebound. Just wish others would do the same. Sadly this is not the case. I would say that 90% of the gear that I get around my downriggers and get to peek at before I get it free is barbed up!!! Obviously these people aren't about to let any fish go. Probably why I'm spending more of my free time fighting for the fish and less for anglers.
Similar threads
