NR-M-99-27E

PRINCE EDWARD ISLAND AREA 23 SCALLOP 1999 FISHERY PLAN

June 21, 1999

Charlottetown – The Department of Fisheries and Oceans today announced the following management measures for the 1999 Prince Edward Island Area 23 Scallop Fishery:

• Fishing season is July 5^th to September 11th and November 1^st to November 27th;
• Fishing time is 06:00 hours to 20:00 hours each fishing day;
• Fishing days are six days per week; Monday to Saturday inclusive;
• Buffer Zones – implementation of the voluntary buffer zones as put in place in 1998; from North Cape to Cape Tyron, minimum depth of 90 feet; from Cape Tyron to East Point, minimum depth of 108 feet;
• Drag size maximum of 20’ (240“), cumulative totals of the outside measurements of the buckets;
• Meat counts – 33/500 gms.
• Ring Size – go to a minimum ring size of 3 ¼“ by the year 2000. Also by the year 2000, a maximum of one rubber washer and two steel washers will be permitted on the top and one rubber washer and two steel washers on the bottom. Two steel washers will be permitted on each horizontal side of the rings. Fishers may opt for two steel washers on each side and top and bottom of the rings, if they so choose.

These measures follow consultation with the Scallop Fishing Area 23 Advisory Committee which is comprised of representatives of commercial Scallop fishers, processors, Aboriginal groups and the Provincial and Federal governments.

For information: