Glossary

ADIPOSE FIN - the fleshy appendage found on salmon, located between the dorsal fin and the tail.

AGGREGATE - the total number.

AREA - statistical area as defined by the Pacific Fisheries Management Area Regulations. Areas or portions of areas (Subareas) may be closed to fishing for conservation or contamination reasons. 

BARBLESS HOOK - a hook from which all barbs have been removed when manufactured, filed off or pinched flat against the shaft.

BAR RIG - a line or leader with a weight no greater than 1 kg attached at the end, and from which line or leader no more than two lines are attached by means of one or more swivel, spreader bars or other means, and each of these two lines may have attached no more than one hook.

BOUNDARY SIGN - boundary signs may be posted to help you identify closed areas.  A sign with a square outlined in white indicates a boundary of an area closed to sport fishing for any finfish.  A sign with a triangle outlines in white, yellow or orange is a boundary marker for management areas, and when found at the mouth of a stream, indicates the tidal mark.  These signs may also indicate boundaries of closed areas.

BIVALVE MOLLUSC - shellfish with two shells, for example, oysters, mussels, clams, cockles and scallops. 

CARAPACE - the protective boney shell covering the inner organs of any member of the crab or shrimp family.

CIRCLE HOOK - a circle hook is one in which the shank, bend and point form an almost enclosed circle, with the tip pointing toward the shaft at roughly 90 degrees. Circle hooks may not be offset more than 10 degrees. The shape of the circle hook makes it difficult for the hook to set except in the fish’s jaw. Should a hook be ingested, it may be drawn back out of the fish’s gut without engaging.

CODED-WIRE TAG - microscopic stainless steel tags that are inserted into the nose cartilage of the salmon prior to ocean migration.  The adipose fin is removed to allow for the recognition of tagged adult salmon.  Recovery of coded-wire tags is critical for fisheries management and enhancement of B.C. salmon stocks.

DAILY LIMIT - the maximum number of a species a person may retain in one day.

DAYLIGHT HOURS - one hour before sunrise to one hour after sunset. Sunrise and sunset means the times for those events as calculated by the National Research Council of Canada. These times are published daily in Vancouver’s major daily newspapers.

DOWNRIGGER - a device consisting of an electric or handpowered winch or gurdy used to lower a wire line with heavy weight attached.  In use, a fishing line coming from a separate rod and reel is affixed to a quick release clip which can be lowered to a selected depth.  When a fish is hooked, the fishing line is released from the downrigger mainline and the fish can be played without weight on the rod and reel.

FINFISH - includes all fish other than crustaceans, echinoderms (sea urchins, sand dollars, etc), molluscs, shellfish and marine mammals.

FISH - includes finfish, shellfish, crustaceans and molluscs in any stage of life, including eggs. 

FOUL HOOKING (SNAGGING) - a term used to describe hooking a fish in any part of its body other than the mouth. It is illegal to willfully foul hook a fish other than herring, northern anchovy, Pacific sand lance and squid. 

GURDY - a winch run by hand or power.

HATCHERY FISH - a fish usually marked by the absence of the adipose fin, or sometimes the ventral (pelvic), or pectoral fin, and having a healed scar in place of that absent fin. 

LENGTH OF A FISH - the distance measured from the tip of the nose to the fork of the tail; where there is no fork, to the tip of the tail. 

MANAGEMENT AREA - has the same meaning as Area and Statistical Area.

NON-RESIDENT - a person who normally resides outside of Canada. 

NON-RETENTION - a conservation measure which requires that if a fish is caught it must be released/returned to the water.  Similar terms include "catch and release", "closed to retention", and "daily limit is 0".

ORDINARY RESIDENCE - a residential dwelling where a person normally lives, with all associated connotations including a permanent mailing address, telephone number, furnishings and storage of automobile; the address on one's driver's licence and automobile registration, where one is registered to vote. A motor home or vessel at a campsite or marina is not considered to be an ordinary residence. 

POSSESSION LIMIT - the number of fish of any species that an angler may have in his/her possession at any given time, except at place of ordinary residence. In most instances, the possession limit is two times the daily limit. There are exceptions.

RED TIDE - an algal bloom that produces a toxin which is concentrated in bivalve molluscs; other shellfish such as crabs and shrimp are not affected.  Eating contaminated bivalves can lead to paralytic shellfish poison (PSP) a serious illness that may be fatal. This toxin is not destroyed by cooking.  Phone the shellfish line at 604-666-2828 (Lower Mainland) or 1-866-431-3474 (toll free) for updated information on closures. 

RESIDENT - a person who normally resides in Canada.

SELECTIVE FISHING - a conservation-based management approach which allow for the harvest of target species or stocks, while avoiding and minimizing the harvest of less productive species or stocks (by-catch). The objective is to release alive and unharmed non-target stocks or species of
concern. 

SET LINE - a line with one or more hooks left unattended in the water. It is illegal to use a set line in tidal waters. 

SHORELINE - the waters inside and shoreward of the 2 m depth contour measures below the chart datum (0 tide).

SINGLE BARBLESS HOOK - a barbless hook with only one point.  A treble hook is not considered to be a single hook.

SNARE – a looping mechanism of wire or cord creating a noose-type form that can be drawn closed to complete the capture of desired prey.

SPEAR FISHING - fishing by means of a spear propelled by a spring, elastic band, compressed air, a bow or by hand. A sport fishing licence is required to spearfish. Spearfishing for salmon, trout, char, sturgeon, and shellfish is prohibited. 

SPORT FISHING - fishing by any means for recreational purposes. This includes angling, assisting in landing a fish, harvesting shellfish, and spearfishing. Sport-caught fish may not be bought, sold or bartered. 

TAGGED FISH - some finfish and crab have been tagged with a variety of tags to indicate involvement in different Fisheries and Oceans Canada research programs which provide valuable information on the species. If you catch a tagged fish, please return the tag to the address noted on the tag.  Rewards are offered for returned tags. 

TIDAL BOUNDARIES - streams or rivers may be designated by a white triangular sign near the mouth of a stream or rivers. On streams or rivers where no boundary sign is in place, the tidal boundary is that point on the stream which is the mean upper point of tidal influence. 

TREBLE HOOK —a hook with three separate points radiating out from one common shank.  Treble hooks are permitted in tidal waters, however when fishing for salmon, cutthroat trout or steelhead, these hooks must be barbless.