The requirements for the 2014 commercial prawn fishery include licence conditions in addition to a Vessel Monitoring System.
Vessel owners/licence eligibility holders are required to make arrangements with an industry service provider for the delivery of in-season information to DFO as required by conditions of licence regarding trap tags, vessel fishing and gear locations, vessel and gear characteristics, and spawner index information. The industry service provider for 2014, selected by the Pacific Prawn Fishermen’s Association (PPFA), is J.O. Thomas and Associates, Ltd. of Vancouver, British Columbia.
As outlined in the recent letter mailed to Prawn and Shrimp by Trap (W and FW) Licence Eligibility Holders and Vessel Owners from the DFO Regional Resource Manager, Invertebrates, the Prawn Industry Caucus and the PPFA have worked with two providers to obtain the equipment and services necessary to meet these DFO requirements for 2014. Contact PPFA (604-523-1528) or J.O. Thomas & Associates Ltd. (604-291-6340) for more information.
Licence holders currently using the ROMTrax VMS-9601 unit are advised to contact J.O. Thomas and Associates Ltd. at the above number. Having a ROMTrax unit alone does not currently meet the 2014 commercial prawn licence conditions. J.O. Thomas will be able to explain what options are available to meet the conditions of licence respecting the electronic transmission of vessel and set/haul locations to J.O. Thomas using the ROMTrax unit.
Licence holders and vessel owners are reminded that it is your responsibility to meet conditions of licence for the 2014 season.
Sincerely,
Laurie Convey
Resource Management Biologist | Biologiste de Gestion des Pêches Fisheries and Oceans Canada | Pêches et Océans Canada