Conservation-Based Harvesting Plan - Sea Urchin, fishing areas 9, 10 and 11 - 2011 Season
Species and region
Sea Urchin– fishing areas 9, 10 and 11 - Quebec Region
- Fishing area 9: From Pointe-au-Pic to Pointe-des-Monts inclusive.
- This area includes sub-area 9-1 and is accessible to licence holders in its entirety, except for the restrictions stated in this management plan.
- Sub-area 9-1 (area at the mouth of the Saguenay): In this document, the term “sub-area 9-1” refers to the sub-area, encompassing Batture aux Alouettes, Baie Sainte-Catherine and Batture de Pointe-aux-vaches. Consult the latitude and longitude coordinates set out in the licence conditions.
- Fishing area 10: From east of Pointe-des Monts to west of the Sheldrake River bridge.
- Fishing area 11: From east of Sheldrake River bridge to Pointe-de-Natashquan inclusive.
Dates of Season (subject to change)
Area 9 and sub-area 9-1: March 28th to December 31st
Area 10: April 1st to December 31st
Area 11: April 1st to December 31st
Management Measures
Number of Licences:
Area 9: 2 exploratory licences (non-transferable) and 5 permanent licences with exclusive access to sub-area 9-1.
Area 10: 10 exploratory licences (non-transferable)
Area 11: 10 exploratory licences (non-transferable)
Minimum catch size:
50 mm wide (excluding the spines)
Management Measures for sub-area 9-1:
The number of fishing days in sub-area 9-1 is 80 days.
Two groups of licence holders: group A and group B.
Group A includes the following fishermen:
Alain Boucher
Jacques Morneau
Daniel Yockell
Group A includes the following fishermen:
Pessamit Band Council
Essipit Band Council
Division of fishing days between the two groups:
67% of the fishing days will be allocated to Group A, i.e. 22.33% or 18 fishing days per licence holder, including two half-days of fishing.
33% of the fishing days will be allocated to Group B, i.e. 16.5% or 13 fishing days per licence holder, including two half-days of fishing.
Fishing day and fishing half-day:
Fishing day: a fishing day (at sea) is the period of a tide between 5:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m. as specified on licence conditions. Only one landing per fishing day will be authorized. Any additional landing will be considered as a fishing day, except for the two authorized fishing half-days.
Fishing half-day: A fishing half-day (at sea) is a maximum of 4 hours of fishing and a maximum of 1360 kg of catch. When these two conditions are met, the fisherman should inform the Sept-Îles DFO office in order to register a half-day of Urchin fishing.
The fishing half-day concept was introduced to take into account difficult weather conditions, mechanical breakdowns, or divers’ health problems that may affect Urchin fishing. A fisherman can use a fishing half-day only for these reasons.
Temporary transfers
For 2011 to 2015, holders of group B licence will be allowed to transfer 100% of their fishing days to group A licence holders. A holder of group A licence cannot receive more than 50% of fishing days of group B.
Vessel monitoring system (VMS):
The VMS (black box) is mandatory.
Hailing:
Hailing will be mandatory, as set out in the licence conditions.
Fishing method:
Diving fishery: A maximum of four divers per vessel at any time, i.e. three diving and one waiting aboard.
Fishing traps: 100 legal whelk traps, fitted with 4 circular vents measuring 44.45 mm in diameter and located not more than 25.24 mm from the bottom frame, with a maximum external volume not exceeding 0.3 cubic metres (10.6 cubic feet) or whose trap net is of a mesh size of at least 102 mm fitted on a square frame. The use of traps is prohibited within the Saguenay–St. Lawrence Marine Park.
Restriction:
The use of traps is prohibited:
Area 9: The use of traps is prohibited from April 1st to September 25th.
Area 10: The use of traps is prohibited from April 13th to November 13th.
Area 11: The use of traps is prohibited from April 13th to October 12th.
Tagging:
Every trap must bear a valid tag, which the fisherman must obtain from the Department of Fisheries and Oceans (DFO).
Log book:
The log book is mandatory.
Participation Requirement:
Area 9: an annual participation requirement of 13,608 kg could be applied for exploratory licence renewal. The catches must be registered with DFO before December 31st of the current year by a DFO-registered buyer.
Areas 10 and 11: an annual participation requirement of 227 kg could be applied for exploratory licence renewal. The catches must be registered with DFO before December 31st of the current year by a DFO-registered buyer.
Vessel rental:
Renting vessels from outside the North Shore is prohibited.
Bycatches:
No bycatch may be kept.
Species at Risk Act:
According to the Species at Risk Act (SARA) it is prohibited to kill, harm, harass, capture, take, possess, collect, buy, sell or trade an individual or a part thereof of a wildlife species that is listed as an extirpated species, an endangered or threatened species.
At the time of publication of this management plan, species occurring in the Atlantic and targeted by these measures are the following: Spotted wolfish; Northern wolfish; Leatherback turtle and Atlantic walrus (Northwest Atlantic population). Other species can be added over the course of the year.
All bycatches of the above-mentioned species must be returned to the waters where they were caught and, if the specimen is still alive, in a manner causing it the least harm possible. In addition, fishermen must fill in the (SARA) log book.
Licence Conditions
For obtaining licence conditions, please contact our sector offices. Two working days are required to issue a licence condition.
For additional information
Jean Morisset
Acting Head, Resource Management, Aboriginal Fisheries and Species at Risk
Fisheries and Oceans Canada
North Shore Area
418 962-6314
Clément Beaudoin
Acting Area Head, Conservation and Protection
Fisheries and Oceans Canada
North Shore Area
418 962-6314
Hyperlinks leading to more information
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