Fishery (General) Regulations (SOR/93-53)
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Regulations are current to 2024-08-18 and last amended on 2023-06-23. Previous Versions
PART IIIIdentification of Fishing Vessels and Fishing Gear (continued)
Identification of Fishing Gear
27 (1) It is prohibited for any person to set, operate or leave unattended in the water any fishing gear other than mobile gear or handlines unless the gear is marked in accordance with subsections (2) to (6) with
(a) where a vessel registration number is set out in the licence authorizing the use of that gear, the vessel registration number; or
(b) in any other case, the name of the person who owns the gear.
(2) The vessel registration number or name referred to in subsection (1) shall be painted on or otherwise securely affixed to a tag, float or buoy attached to the gear and be legible and readily visible at all times without the necessity of raising the gear from the water or, where the water is ice covered, without the necessity of removing any snow or ice.
(3) The numerals in a vessel registration number referred to in paragraph (1)(a) shall be solid block Arabic numerals
(a) without ornamentation;
(b) not less than 75 mm in height; and
(c) in a colour that contrasts with their background.
(4) The letters forming a name referred to in paragraph (1)(b) shall be solid block capital letters in Roman characters
(a) without ornamentation;
(b) not less than 75 mm in height; and
(c) in a colour that contrasts with their background.
(5) The tag, float or buoy referred to in subsection (2) shall have displayed on it only one vessel registration number or one name, as the case may be.
(6) Except as otherwise provided as a condition of a licence, a tag, float or buoy referred to in subsection (2) shall
(a) where the waters are tidal waters and one end of the fishing gear is fastened to the shore, be affixed to the end of the gear farthest from the shore; and
(b) in any other case, be affixed to each end of the gear.
(c) [Repealed, SOR/95-242, s. 3]
(7) The Minister may specify a licence condition referred to in subsection (6) only if the purpose of the condition is to mitigate marine mammal entanglement.
- SOR/95-242, s. 3
- SOR/2013-37, s. 3
- SOR/2023-147, s. 4
28 [Repealed, SOR/2013-37, s. 4]
29 It is prohibited for any person to display any number or name on fishing gear or on a tag, float or buoy attached to fishing gear that is so similar to a number or name required by section 27 as to be capable of being mistaken for that number or name.
- SOR/2013-37, s. 4
PART IVGeneral
Obstruction of Mesh
30 Subject to section 31, where a person is fishing for a species of fish with fishing gear for which any of the Regulations listed in subsection 3(4) prescribe a minimum mesh size, that person shall not use any device by means of which openings that are smaller in size than the mesh size prescribed for that species are created in any part of the gear.
Chafing Gear
31 (1) For the purposes of this section, cod-end means a bag-like extension that is attached to the after end of the belly of a trawl net and is used to retain the catch.
(2) For the purpose of preventing wear and tear to a trawl net, a person may attach
(a) to the underside of the cod-end of the trawl net, any hides, canvas, netting or other similar material; and
(b) to the topside of the cod-end, a topside chafer described in Schedule I.
(3) No person shall use on an otter trawl any topside chafer other than one that meets the description of one of the topside chafers described in Schedule I.
Trans-shipment of Fish
32 No person shall trans-ship any fish from a Canadian fishing vessel to a foreign fishing vessel unless that foreign fishing vessel is licensed under the Coastal Fisheries Protection Regulations to take on board the fish.
Release of Incidental Catch
33 (1) Subsection (2) applies where a person catches a fish
(a) at a time or place at which the person is prohibited from fishing for that fish;
(b) by a method or with fishing gear that the person is prohibited from using to fish for that fish; or
(c) the possession or retention of which is prohibited.
(2) Except where the retention of an incidental catch is expressly authorized by any of the Regulations listed in subsection 3(4), every person who catches a fish incidentally shall forthwith return it
(a) to the place from which it was taken; and
(b) where it is alive, in a manner that causes it the least harm.
Dumping and Wasting of Fish
34 (1) This section does not apply in respect of marine mammals.
(2) No person who is fishing under the authority of a licence issued for the purpose of commercial fishing shall dump from a vessel any fish that has been caught in accordance with the Act and the regulations made thereunder.
(3) No person who is food fishing for personal use or fishing for recreational or sport purposes shall waste any fish that is suitable for human consumption.
Sale of Fish
35 (1) This section does not apply in respect of fish cultivated in an aquaculture facility or in respect of marine mammals.
(2) Subject to subsection (3), no person shall buy, sell, trade, barter or offer to buy, sell, trade or barter any fish unless it was caught and retained under the authority of a licence issued for the purpose of commercial fishing, a licence issued under Part VII, a licence issued under the Aboriginal Communal Fishing Licences Regulations in which the Minister has authorized the sale of fish or an Excess Salmon to Spawning Requirement Licence issued under the Pacific Fishery Regulations, 1993.
(3) Subsection (2) does not apply if the buying, selling, trading or bartering is carried out in accordance with the terms of the Agreement defined in section 2 of the Western Arctic (Inuvialuit) Claims Settlement Act, the Agreement defined in section 2 of the James Bay and Northern Quebec Native Claims Settlement Act or the Agreement defined in section 2 of the Labrador Inuit Land Claims Agreement Act.
- SOR/93-333, s. 5
- SOR/2010-270, s. 9
- SOR/2018-110, s. 7
Identify, Count, Weigh and Measure Fish
36 (1) No person shall possess fish that were caught by any person while fishing for recreational or sport purposes and that have been skinned, cut, packed or otherwise dealt with in such a manner that
(a) the species cannot be readily determined;
(b) the number of fish cannot be readily determined;
(c) where weight is used to determine catch limits, the weight of the fish cannot be readily determined; and
(d) where size limits are applicable, the size of the fish cannot be readily determined.
(2) No person who catches and retains a fish under the authority of a licence issued for the purpose of commercial fishing shall have the fish in possession if the fish is skinned, cut, packed or otherwise dealt with in such a manner that
(a) the species cannot be readily identified;
(b) the number of fish cannot be readily determined;
(c) the weight of the fish cannot be readily determined; and
(d) where size limits are applicable, the size of the fish cannot be readily determined.
Fishing in or Near Government Facilities
37 (1) Unless authorized under the Act, these Regulations or any of the Regulations listed in subsection 3(4), no person shall fish in or remove fish from a fish hatchery, fish rearing establishment, fish holding facility or fish collection facility operated by the Department.
(2) Subject to subsection (3), no person shall fish within a 100 m radius of any facility operated by or on behalf of the Department, the Province of Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, British Columbia, Prince Edward Island or Newfoundland and Labrador, the Yukon Territory or the Northwest Territories for the purpose of the counting, passage or rearing of fish.
(3) A fishery officer may determine, taking into account the configuration of the waters, the amount of water flow and any other relevant circumstances, that the distance set out in subsection (2) is longer than required to protect fish, and may shorten the distance by placing a sign or signs, as may be appropriate, to delimit the shorter distance.
(4) Where a sign has been placed under subsection (3), no person shall fish between that sign and any facility referred to in subsection (2).
- SOR/2003-369, s. 4
Authorization to Place Nets in Waters for Cleaning
38 (1) Notwithstanding section 25 of the Act, a fishery officer may, in writing, authorize a person to place a net in waters closed to fishing with that net for the purposes of cleaning the net.
(2) An authorization given under subsection (1) shall specify the location at which the net may be placed, the manner in which the net may be placed and the period of time for which the authorization is valid.
PART VObservers
Designation and Duties
39 (1) The Regional Director-General may designate as an observer any individual who is qualified and trained to perform any of the duties described in subsection (2) and who
(a) does not hold a fisher’s registration card or a provincial or territorial fisher’s certificate;
(b) does not purchase fish for the purpose of resale; and
(c) is not an owner, operator, manager or employee of an enterprise that catches, cultures, processes or transports fish.
(2) The Regional Director-General shall assign to an observer designated under subsection (1) one or more of the following duties:
(a) the monitoring of fishing activities, the examination and measurement of fishing gear, the recording of scientific data and observations and the taking of samples;
(b) the monitoring of the landing of fish and the verification of the weight and species of fish caught and retained; and
(c) conducting biological examination and sampling of fish.
(2.1) An observer designated under subsection (1) shall transmit in a timely manner to the Department or to a corporation designated under subsection 39.1(1), as the case may be, the information collected and compiled in the course of their duties under subsection 39(2).
(3) An observer who is assigned the duties set out in paragraph (2)(a) shall perform those duties while on board a fishing vessel or in an aquaculture facility.
(4) An observer who is assigned the duties set out in paragraph (2)(b) shall perform those duties while at a fish landing station or in an aquaculture facility.
(5) An observer who is assigned the duties set out in paragraph (2)(c) shall perform those duties while on board a fishing vessel, at a fish landing station or in an aquaculture facility.
(6) The Regional Director-General may revoke the designation of an observer designated under subsection (1) if the observer
(a) no longer complies with the criteria set out in that subsection;
(b) performs his or her duties in respect of a fisher with whom the observer is not dealing at arm’s length;
(c) falsifies any information transmitted in the course of his or her duties or fails to perform those duties; or
(d) fails to perform his or her duties in a competent and professional manner.
- SOR/98-481, s. 3
- SOR/2003-369, s. 5(F)
- SOR/2010-270, s. 10
- SOR/2013-36, s. 1
- SOR/2020-255, s. 8
39.1 (1) The Regional Director-General may designate as an observer any corporation that has submitted
(a) a description of a program that is capable of accurately collecting and compiling information obtained by individual observers in the course of their duties under subsection 39(2) and that includes
(i) a business plan for the corporation that describes the organization of the corporation, its human resources and its plan of operations,
(ii) a plan for the training and independent examination of individuals who will be designated as observers to perform the duties described in subsection 39(2), and for the supervision of those observers, and
(iii) a quality control system for ensuring the integrity of the information collected and compiled that identifies a person responsible for the system and his or her duties, and that describes the operation of the system, the manner in which records are kept, the control points, the verification procedures and the process for correcting deficiencies in the system;
(b) a statement that discloses all conflicts of interest that the corporation or any of its directors, officers or employees, or any shareholder having a significant interest in the corporation may have with the fishing industry, and that explains how those conflicts are to be resolved; and
(c) evidence of the corporation’s financial viability, or a performance bond guaranteeing three months of operation.
(2) An observer designated under subsection (1) has the following duties:
(a) to comply with the program submitted under paragraph (1)(a);
(b) to transmit to the Department, in a timely manner, the information collected and compiled as part of the program;
(c) to disclose all conflicts of interest that arise after the observer’s designation and explain how they are to be resolved; and
(d) to resolve any conflicts of interest disclosed under paragraph (c) or paragraph (1)(b).
(3) The Regional Director-General may revoke the designation of an observer designated under subsection (1) if the observer
(a) falsifies any information transmitted in the course of its duties or fails to perform those duties; or
(b) fails to maintain the performance bond submitted under paragraph (1)(c).
- SOR/98-481, s. 4
- SOR/2013-36, s. 2
39.2 The designation of an observer is valid for
(a) six months for the first designation and 36 months for any subsequent designation, in the case of an individual; and
(b) 12 months for the first and second designations and 24 months for any subsequent designation, in the case of a corporation.
- SOR/98-481, s. 4
39.3 (1) No person shall submit false information to the Regional Director-General for the purpose of obtaining their designation as an observer.
(2) No observer shall provide false information in the course of their duties.
- SOR/98-481, s. 4
- SOR/2004-263, s. 1
Certificate of Designation
40 (1) The Regional Director-General shall provide each observer with a certificate that certifies the observer’s designation as such and specifies the duties that have been assigned to the observer.
(2) An observer shall, on entering any place to perform the observer’s duties, on request, show the certificate of designation to the person in charge of the place.
- Date modified: