Rockfish Conservation Areas

Rockfish Conservation Areas *Effective Feb. 1, 2007*

Catch monitoring and research programs have indicated inshore rockfish stocks, particularly in the Strait of Georgia, area a low levels of abundance.

Rockfish Conservation Areas (RCAs) have been designed to protect inshore rockfish and lingcod by eliminating mortality from directed or incidental fisheries.  RCAs are part of a larger strategy that is designed to halt declines and allow inshore rockfish and lingcod stocks an opportunity to rebuild.  This strategy is based on four specific conservation measures: a reduced total harvest of inshore rockfish and lingcod; the establishment of areas for the protection of inshore rockfish where fishing will be restricted; the improvement of catch monitoring; and the establishment of a stock assessment framework for both lingcod and inshore rockfish.

In BC there are 34 species of rockfish including Yelloweye, Copper, Tiger, China, and Quillback. Rockfish are very slow growing and do not reproduce until they are quite old, from 7 to 20 years, depending on the species. They also live for a long time; maximum ages attained for some species of rockfish can be as high as 170 years. Unlike salmon, rockfish rarely survive after being caught and released. This means that catch and release is not a management strategy that works for rockfish.

Fishing activities in an RCA have been restricted for recreational and commercial harvesters.  Anglers should check to ensure the area they intend to fish is not an RCA and be aware of the limited fishing activity that is permitted in an RCA. 

Click here to see a list of permitted fishing activities within RCAs.