To: Maritimes Region Fixed gear fishery and association representatives
This notice is to inform you of an update to the gear marking requirements for fixed gear fisheries in the Maritimes Region. In response to feedback from fish harvesters, DFO will be revising the marking requirements to allow for portions of vertical lines to be replaced with rope with integrated coloured yarns.
The initial gear marking conditions stated that if rope marked with integrated coloured yarns (i.e. pre-marked rope with the fishery/area colours running through its length) was used, it needed to be through the entire length of the vertical line. This amendment will allow for fishers to use sections of this marked rope (e.g. when replacing a worn-out portion of a line) without needing to then add additional redundant twine markings on the same sections of the line.
If using sections of this pre-marked rope, segments must be at least 2 metres in length. If they are placed in the same location as either the top, middle, or bottom sections of the line (as defined in licence conditions), this will satisfy the marking for that location and you will not be required to add interlaced twine on that section.
For example: A fisher in LFA 34 wishes to replace the lower half of a 36.5 m (20 fathom) long vertical line with new rope, and chooses to use rope from a supplier that is pre-marked with LFA 34 colours. When this rope is added, it covers the bottom (within 2 m of the fishing gear) and the middle (further than 12 m from either end) sections of the rope, and satisfies those marking requirements. As such, the fisher will only need to add a top (within 2 m of the buoy) marking with interlaced twine.
Should this fisher wish to use shorter segments of the pre-marked rope, they must ensure that these segments are each at least 2 m in length.
This amendment will apply to all fixed gear fisheries subject to gear marking requirements as they receive licence conditions moving forward (i.e. applies to those preparing for summer and fall-opening fisheries). For fisheries that are currently operating and subject to gear marking requirements in conditions that have been issued, this adjustment will apply in your next fishing season.
As a reminder, you can access the current marking requirements and colour schemes for specific fisheries online at https://www.dfo-mpo.gc.ca/fisheries-peches/sdc-cps/index-eng.html This page will be updated with a new version reflecting this change in the coming days.
Should you have questions or require further information, please email DFO.MARFisheriesManagement-GestiondespechesMAR.MPO@dfo-mpo.gc.ca. Thank you again for your patience and cooperation with the introduction of these new measures.
Resource Management – Maritimes Region Fisheries & Oceans Canada | Government of Canada
DFO.MARFisheriesManagement-GestiondespechesMAR.MPO@dfo-mpo.gc.ca | Tel: 902-407-8153 |