Sustainable fisheries are an essential part of the Canadian economy, providing food and jobs to thousands of people across the province. The sector balances both sustainable and profitable fisheries through various conservation techniques such as limited entry licence restrictions, total allowable catch limits, and third-party monitoring. The wild seafood industry in British Columbia is renowned around the world for its effective management practices. From sustainable fishing practices to careful regulation of fishing quotas, BC’s wild seafood industry has been able to maintain healthy and profitable commercial fisheries for generations. By taking a precautionary approach to managing our resources, BC has become an example of how the wild seafood industry can be managed responsibly and sustainably.
*Management measure for all commercial fisheries in BC.
Commercial fishing in BC is limited entry with a restricted number of licences available depending on each fishery. Individuals cannot participate in a fishery unless they are an eligible licence holder. Each fishery has specific number of licences, for example the Geoduck fishery has 55 licences, the Spot Prawn fishery has 245 licences, and the Halibut fishery has 435 licences. The number of licences is based on various factors such as the stock assessment of each species, the type of harvest method and historical participation.
The Department of Fisheries will not increase the number of licences available or issue new licences. This means that those wishing to participate in a commercial fishery must purchase a fishing licence from someone who already has one. Approximately, at least one-third of all commercial fishing licences in BC are First Nations owned. Many fishing licences are passed down from generation to generation. Licence holders pay for the management, monitoring, and research programs through annual licence fees.
*Management measure for: Halibut, Sablefish, Geoduck, Sea Urchin, Sea Cucumber, Hake, Lingcod, Groundfish Trawl, and some Salmon fisheries.
Most commercial fisheries in BC have a Total Allowable Catch (TAC) for each licence holder. The fisheries that use this system, have a specific amount of quota that can be harvested each year to remain sustainable. The quota is divided up equally between each licence holder. So instead of trying to harvest the most product as quickly as possible, harvesters can fish based on market demand.
The catch quota for each fishery is determined by Fisheries and Oceans Canada, often in collaboration with fish harvesting associations. Quotas can change any given year based on various factors such as stock assessment from survey data.
To ensure that harvesters do not exceed their Total Allowable for the season, the quotas are strictly regulated through third-party validators. When harvesters return to the docks, their catch must be counted and weighed by a validator. This system of quotas and catch limits contributes to the long-term sustainability of our fisheries in BC. The fisheries that do not have a total allowable catch are monitored by other strict management season closures.
*Management measure for: Halibut, Sablefish, Geoduck, Sea Urchin, Sea Cucumber, Hake, Lingcod, Groundfish Trawl, and some Salmon participants.
The Dockside Monitoring Program provides accurate, timely, third-party verification of fishing landings. Independent validation of landed catch is key to the sustainability of commercial fisheries. A few of the most common service providers for catch monitoring are Archipelago Marine Research, Eco Trust, and JO Thomas. As commercial fishing boats return to the dock after harvesting, their catch will be counted and weighed by the dockside observers. This will ensure that licence holders do not exceed their Total Allowable Catch for the season.
Dockside validators log and track the quotas for in-season management working closely with the Department of Fisheries and fishing Associations. This process is very important because it ensures compliance from harvesters, the dockside validators monitor fishing activities to guarantee that all catch is legal and recorded. Dockside monitors also tag the product for traceability, compliance and research in some fisheries such as Halibut.
*Management measure for: Halibut, Sablefish, Geoduck, Spot Prawns, Crab, Hake, Lingcod, and Groundfish Trawl.
At-Sea Monitoring ensures commercial fisheries comply with regulations and supports in season management, stock assessment, and scientific research initiatives. At-Sea Monitoring can be done by a government designated third-party observer or a video-based electronic monitoring system. The video system records vessel location and catch; this footage is closely monitored by third-party service providers. At-sea monitoring ensures that harvesters do not exceed their Total Allowable Catch, do not retain any undersized target species or bycatch, or fish in closed areas.
Timely and accurate information on harvesting practices and the catch location is essential to assess the status of fish stocks. The data from at-sea monitoring can also assess the impact of fisheries on other species and mammals. Monitoring of catch at sea is critical; it encourages responsible fishing and provides information fishing practises, safety, and compliance.
*Management measure for all commercial fisheries in BC.
Logbooks are a condition of each commercial fishing licence. All vessel masters are responsible for recording accurate catch information in physical logbooks. This documentation is vital to ensure that the Department of Fisheries has records of all landings. Vessel masters must record every fish that is caught, the date, time, interactions with sea birds, and any lost or found fishing gear.
Logbooks ensure accountability and responsibility, vessel masters must submit all logbook pages, validation records, and electronic monitoring data to the service providers to guarantee that all catch has been accounted for. This information is also submitted to the Department of Fisheries to establish quotas and harvest rates for future fishing seasons.
On top of validation, logbook documentation, and catch limit quotas there are various other management measures in place to ensure sustainability of BC seafood. There are strict rules around the type of harvest gear, fishing seasons are limited to protect spawning species, and the harvest of undersized or female species is prohibited in many fisheries. These additional measures ensure that BC fish and shellfish stocks will be protected and healthy for future generations of fishing families and coastal communities.
*Management measure for: Halibut, Sea Cucumber, Dungeness Crab, Tuna, Spot Prawns, and Salmon.
Many fisheries base their season around the lifecycle of the target species. The harvest season of the Halibut fishery is based on the lifecycle of the Halibut, which includes spawning, migration, growth, and maturity. The fishery does not take place during the winter months to protect the spawning process. For fisheries, such as Spot Prawns, with no limit on the Total Allowable Catch, the harvest rate is strictly managed by the short 6-week season and harvest gear. In this fishery, there is no guarantee for harvesters on the amount of product they will harvest in any given year.
Fishing seasons are also dependent on the conditions of target species – opening when the quality of the fish is the highest to optimize the profitability of the product. The Herring Food and Bait fishery opens in the late fall or early winter when the fat concentration is the highest in the Herring. Season openings and closures requires careful planning and management to ensure that the fish can be harvested sustainably. Some fisheries are year-round with strict quota so harvesters can work throughout the year to meet market demands and fluctuations.
*Management measure for all commercial fisheries in BC.
There are various area closures along the coast of BC to protect the habitats of specific species and marine ecosystems. Bottom contact fishing such as trap, groundfish hook and line, and trawl are closed in many areas to protect Coral and Glass Sponge Reefs. Area closures are heavily regulated by At-Sea Monitoring Programs. There are also various Marine Protected Areas within BC in the waters within traditional Indigenous territories and out to the 200 mile limit.
On top of that, many fisheries such as Geoduck or Salmon have a strict amount of quota in each fishing area. Fishing areas will close as the quota in each area is reached, and the fleet must move to the next fishing area to harvest.
Fishing areas also close during certain times of the year because they are important for other species such as the Herring spawn. Area closures are an important management measure within the BC Seafood industry because they are proof that the industry can balance the protection of sensitive ecosystems while also remaining economically viable.
*Management measure for all commercial fisheries in BC.
By-catch is the incidental capture of non-target species while fishing. The BC fishing industry is a leader in accounting for all catch, whether retained or discarded back into the ocean.
There are various specialized harvest methods within the seafood industry in BC. The different types of harvest gear are specifically designed to catch only target species. If non-target species are incidentally caught as well, they must be returned to the water live. For fisheries such as Groundfish, which have Integrated Fisheries Management Plans (hundreds of groundfish species in one management plan), harvesters are allowed to keep a certain amount of bycatch because they have a quota for it. In the Hake and Halibut fishery, Rockfish are the most common by-catch, harvesters are permitted to retain a specific quota for Rockfish each season. Each Groundfish species is worked into the overall Integrated Fisheries Management Plan and the quota is allotted between fisheries.
The commercial dive fisheries, Sea Cucumber, Sea Urchin, and Geoduck have zero by-catch because the species are individually harvested by divers.
*Management measure for: Halibut, Sablefish, Dungeness Crab, Spot Prawns, Sea Urchin and Salmon.
The specialized harvest gear of BC seafood is specifically designed to reduce the harvest of undersized target species to allow for additional growth and protection of juvenile product. The mesh size in nets and traps are wide enough for undersized species to easily pass through. There are also size requirements for fish that are harvested, Halibut must be a minimum of 32 inches (head-on), Spot Prawns must be over 1.3 inches in length, and Sablefish must be 24 inches to be commercially harvested. Harvesters must measure species and any undersized target species must be returned to the ocean live if at all possible. If dead, it must be accounted for.
This process is heavily regulated and monitored by the At-Sea Monitoring Program. If harvesters are retaining any undersized target species, they will be penalized. Minimum size requirements ensure that the seafood industry protects stocks to allow for juvenile fish to spawn and reproduce before being harvested at a later stage of their life.
*Management measure for: Dungeness Crab and Spot Prawns.
On top of minimum size requirements, the harvest of female Dungeness Crabs is prohibited in BC. Harvesters can return the female crabs back into the water live by looking at the crab’s underside. There is a flap with a distinct shape called the apron. Female Dungeness crab have a rounded apron while males have a long, pointed apron. An adult Dungeness Crab can carry upwards of 2.5 million eggs!
Spot Prawn harvesters must return all spawning female prawns into the water live as well. Spot prawns are called protandrous hermaphrodites because they start their lives as males, then transition into females. They are male until they reach maturity at around two years. The males will reproduce once and then gradually (over about 8 months) transform into females during their third year. In their third year, females will reproduce and carry eggs before the end of their life cycle.
