Regulations

• Check the daily limits for all species of finfish and shellfish in the area you are fishing
• You must have a licence to fish for finfish and shellfish
• To retain salmon, you must have a salmon conservation stamp
• You must record chinook retained on your licence
• The aggregate daily limit for salmon in tidal and non-tidal waters is 4
• Only barbless hooks may be used when fishing salmon
• Field canning is not allowed for any species of salmon
• Non-retention of sturgeon in tidal waters is in place throughout the coast
• Check the guidelines for packaging and transporting your fish

For a complete guide to tidal water rules & regulations, check out the BC Tidal Waters Sport Fishing Guide & Freshwater Salmon Supplement.

Packaging your Catch

The Fisheries Act and its regulations are in place to enable enforcement authorities to readily determine the species, the number and, if applicable, the size and weight of fish caught.

The brochure Package Your Fish Properly For Transport is available from Fisheries and Oceans Canada offices outlining more detailed guidelines on how to package your fish properly to preserve the quality while complying with regulations.

The main points to remember are:

• If you are not transporting your fish whole, it must be packed so that the species of fish can be easily identified, counted and measured.
• If a maximum size limit applies, the head and tail must remain attached.
• The head of a salmon can be removed only if the length with the head off is equal to or greater than the minimum legal size for that species. Leave the tail attached so the species can be determined. Fillets must be packaged outlining the species, number of fillets and pieces and the angler's name.
• When packaging other species, the skin must remain on each fillet for identification.
• When packaging crab, the carapace must remain attached to the body.

For more information, please visit the Fisheries & Oceans Canada Web site.