This request for a amendment to the current regulations came up some time ago when the SFAB & DFO initiated an effort to document potential amendments that could be included in an Omnibus Bill that was proceeding through the parliamentary process - some 2 elections past. There were a number of proposed amendments which were advanced to be included within a new Regulations Schedule defining for Fisheries Managers a variety of in-season regulatory tools they could select from and then utilize with a simple Variation Order (currently the only regulatory change option without wholesale legislation change).
The short answer is this Omnibus Bill never passed through prior to the election and was essentially killed when Parliament dissolved. There has been no progress made to advance this forward again, and with successive short term minority governments, I seriously doubt this antiquated process of amending Regulations will ever see the light of day.
Also point out that many people within the SFAB support amendments like this one as they simply make sense....but alas, we (DFO and SFAB) all lack the regulatory tools to make quick change. Only hope is to hopefully get a West Coast Fisheries Minister that is committed to pushing through a new way to create a Regulatory Schedule or other simple tool that permits DFO Managers to make quick in-season changes.
The sad reality is that it is faster for sitting governments to make actual changes to Legislation, than it is for their supporting Regulations which define the nitty gritty around how the Legislation will be applied to be changed.
Meanwhile.....one option is to use your downrigger - release clips attached to a greater than 1 kg ball are legal and do work - even on anchor.
