The Skeena River Watershed, Bulkley river and Babine River will have closures on recreational fishing for Chinook salmon, as per a recent Department of Fisheries (DFO) announcement.
As of May 24, DFO announced ban on recreational fishing for Chinook salmon on the Skeena River watershed and all rivers and lakes in Region 6, excluding the Kitimat River and Nass River watersheds.
The ban will be lifted on Mar. 31, 2023.
According to the DFO announcement, 鈥淭hese management measures are being implemented to address on-going concerns for North Coast and Skeena Chinook.鈥�
A similar closure went into effect on June 15, 2021 that was to last until Mar. 31, 2022, and it has now been extended until next year.
Salmon fishing will also be closed on the Bulkley River and Morice River waters within the four white triangular fishing boundary signs located at the confluence of the Bulkley River and Morice River also known as the Forks from June 16 to August 15. The closure starts 100 meters upstream of the confluence and ends approximately one kilometre downstream.
For the Babine Lake and its tributaries, recreational fishing for Chinook has been closed since April 1 and will be closed until Mar. 31, 2023. In 2021, recreational fishing for Chinook was closed on Babine Lake, after which they opened for two fish and later in the year for four. So, while right now the closure is until Mar. 31 of next year, that could change and fishing enthusiasts are encouraged to keep an eye on the complete list of closures on the DFO website 鈥� https://www.pac.dfo-mpo.gc.ca/fm-gp/rec/fresh-douce/region6-eng.html
In case you witness suspicious fishing activity or a violation, the DFO is encouraging the community members to call the Fisheries and Ocean Canada鈥檚 24-hour toll free Observe, Record, Report line at (800) 465-4336.
