Regulations Amending the British Columbia Sport Fishing Regulations, 1996 (Miscellaneous Program): SOR/2019-76
Canada Gazette, Part II, Volume 153, Number 7
Registration
SOR/2019-76 March 26, 2019
FISHERIES ACT
P.C. 2019-215 March 25, 2019
Her Excellency the Governor General in Council, on the recommendation of the Minister of Fisheries and Oceans, pursuant to section 43 footnote a of the Fisheries Act footnote b, makes the annexed Regulations Amending the British Columbia Sport Fishing Regulations, 1996 (Miscellaneous Program).
Regulations Amending the British Columbia Sport Fishing Regulations, 1996 (Miscellaneous Program)
Amendment
1 Section 22 of the British Columbia Sport Fishing Regulations, 1996 footnote 1 is replaced by the following:
22 A licence holder who catches and retains a lingcod or a chinook salmon shall immediately record the catch on the licence or, if a record can be made in a catch registry kept by the Department of Fisheries and Oceans, in that registry.
22.1 The licence holder shall not alter the record made under section 22.
Coming into Force
2 These Regulations come into force on the day on which they are registered.
REGULATORY IMPACT ANALYSIS STATEMENT
(This statement is not part of the Regulations.)
Issues
Section 22 of the British Columbia Sport Fishing Regulations, 1996 (BCSFR), requires recreational harvesters who catch and retain lingcod and/or chinook salmon, to record their catch in ink only on their paper licence. This limits the use of technology to improve the method of recording catch for these species.
Objectives
The Department of Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO) is amending section 22 of the BCSFR such that recreational harvesters have the option of recording their catch on their paper licence, or electronically in an electronic catch registry.
Description and rationale
Section 22 of the BCSFR is amended to allow for the use of an electronic registry to record recreationally caught and retained lingcod and chinook salmon. The new method of recording the catch will be allowed, under section 22 of the BCSFR, in addition to the traditional recording of retained catch by harvesters on their paper recreational fishing licences. Additionally, section 22.1 of the BCSFR is added to reflect the intent that both the paper and the electronic record be unalterable.
This minor regulatory amendment brings section 22 in line with current technology. The amendment gives recreational harvesters in British Columbia the flexibility to continue to record the number of caught and retained lingcod or chinook salmon on their paper licence; or to record their catch electronically in the catch registry. The catch registry is part of the “Fishing BC” electronic application, a collaborative development by DFO, the Sport Fishing Institute and the Pacific Salmon Foundation. This amendment is supported by the British Columbia Sport Fishing Advisory Board, representing some 320 000 recreational harvesters, and the Sport Fishing Institute, representing lodge owners, recreational charters and service providers.
“One-for-One” Rule and small business lens
The “One-for-One” Rule does not apply to these amendments, as there is no change in administrative costs or burden to business.
The small business lens does not apply to these amendments, as there are no costs to small business.
Implementation, enforcement and service standards
Recreational harvesters in British Columbia will be able to start using the Fishing BC application to record caught and retained lingcod and chinook salmon immediately.
Contact
Geneviève Cauffopé
Chief
Policy and Regulation
Conservation and Protection
Pacific Region
401 Burrard Street
Vancouver, British Columbia
V6C 3S4
Telephone: 604‑666‑0588