The commercial prawners are being closed down May 21 in the following sub areas in area 17; might be an idea not to expect winter fishing in these areas as this is awfully early for 17 to have areas shut down. Might be an idea to fish early and stock up unless they are in some strange molt at this time of year.

Commercial prawn season closes 19:00 hours May 21 in Subareas 17-10, 17-12, 17-13 and that portion of
Subarea 17-11 east of a line from the easternmost point of Entrance Island 0o
true North to the boundary line between Subarea 17-11 and Subarea 29-2. The
portion of Subarea 17-11 within 2 nautical miles of Thrasher Rock remains open
until further notice.

This is basically the area from Thrasher up to Ballenas and over to Lasqueti

I'm not surprised by that. The commercials seem to have abandoned the area around Schooner Cove already. For the most part, prawning was not very good in that area even after the winter closure.
It's nice to see that DFO is taking action.

Recreational Prawn and Shrimp by Trap Fishers are advised that the harvest of
prawns and shrimp by trap, ring net, or spear while diving, will close in the
following Subareas as described in the Pacific Fishery Management Area
Regulations:

1. Subareas 17-5, 17-6, and 17-9 (Stuart Channel);
2. Subareas 19-7 to 19-12 inclusive (Saanich Inlet);
3. Subareas 23-1 to 23-3 inclusive (Alberni Canal).

These areas will be closed for the following periods:

- from 00:01 hours Sept. 7 until 23:59 hours Sept. 15, 2010;
- from 00:01 hours Oct. 1 until 23:59 hours Oct. 15, 2010;
- from 00:01 hours Nov. 1 until 23:59 hours Nov. 15, 2010;
- from 00:01 Dec. 1, 2009 until 23:59 hours Dec. 15, 2010;
- from 00:01 hours Jan. 1 until further notice based on spawner index testing.

The strategy of alternating closures and openings referred to as "pulse
fishing" has been reviewed and supported by the Sport Fishing Advisory Board
(SFAB) Groundfish/Shellfish Subcommittee and the SFAB main board, by the
elected industry representatives of the Prawn Commercial Caucus, and by First
Nations in the subject areas. As part of the overall management of these high
use areas, spawner index surveys are undertaken. Following October surveys,
decisions will be made and announced by early December on the possibility of
further openings or the need for winter closure from January 1 through to March
31, 2011 to allow the spawning cycle to complete.

Recreational prawn fishing in all other coastal areas remain open until further
notice subject to the results of spawner index testing which will be conducted
in October-November. Results will be announced by early December.