Coastwide:

Consistent with Minister Shea's statement on Pacific Halibut on February 15,
2011, effective at 00:01 hours March 1, 2011 fishing for halibut will be opened
coastwide. The daily limit is one (1) per day with a possession limit of two
(2).

The exceptions to this opening are:

Areas 121, 23 and 123:
Effective 00:01 hours March 1, 2011 to 23:59 hours December 31, 2011:
- No person shall fish for or retain halibut, rockfish and lingcod in Area 121
outside the 12 nautical mile limit seaward of a line that begins at 48 degrees
34.000 minutes North latitude and 125 degrees 17.386 minutes West longitude and
continues south easterly at a bearing of 116 degrees True to a point at 48
degrees 28.327 minutes North latitude and 125 degrees 01.687 minutes West
longitude.
- Electronic licence conditions will be continued as follows: "Only a Canadian
resident may fish for or retain halibut under an electronic licence in
management Areas 121, 23 and 123."

Area 121:
A reminder to recreational harvesters, that the waters of Swiftsure Bank,
inside a line from 48°34.00'N and 125°06.00'W, thence to 48°34.00'N and 124°
54.20'W, thence to 48°29.62'N and 124°43.40'W, thence following the
International Boundary between Canada and the U.S. to 48°29.55'N and 124°
56.20'W, thence in a straight line to the point of commencement, are closed to
all finfish, all year.

Note: Rockfish Conservations Areas (RCA's) remain in effect - refer to the
following website for descriptions:
http://www.pac.dfo-mpo.gc.ca/fm-gp/rec/ ... cs-eng.htm

For more details regarding the experimental recreational fishery and to read
the Minister's announcement please visit: http://www.dfo-
mpo.gc.ca/media/statement-declarations/2011/20110215-eng.htm

Variation Order 2011-074 is revoked and replaced with 2011-087.

FOR MORE INFORMATION:
Contact: Tamee Mawani 604-666-9033 or Adam Keizer 604-666-0912




Fisheries & Oceans Operations Center - FN0109
Sent February 21, 2011 at 1542

well word is a lot of south island guys were chomping at the bit to get out fishing today - any reports of fish yet?

Fingers crossed I might get out later this week, damn cold out there though!

heading out tomorrow for a fish, hopefully I'll have a few fish to report!

not a sniff for us out of sooke on sunday but wow a lot of boats in front of the bluffs. I know of two boats out in sidney that did well with one boat getting a fish over 100lbs.