A pilot bottom-trawl closure has been expanded to include more areas in Queen Charlotte Sound.
Fisheries and Oceans Canada’s (DFO) expanded seasonal closure is an temporary management measure intended to limit the harvest of spawning arrowtooth flounder and halibut.
In a fisheries notice Oct. 23 DFO stated an agreement had been reached between the Groundfish Trawl Advisory Committee and the Halibut Advisory Board to expand the closure from Nov. 1 until March 31 next year. The fishing locations are known as the Circle Tow by the groundfish trawl fleet and the 800 Line by the Halibut fleet.
The year-round pilot bottom-trawl closure was first implemented in March last year.
See the DFO notice on their website for coordinates of the expanded closure.