A scaled down roe herring commercial fishery in the Strait of Georgia began last week. (Ian Holmes/NanaimoNewsNOW)

By Ian Holmes

herring season

Vastly reduced mid-Island roe herring fishery well underway

Mar 7, 2022 | 5:04 PM

NANAIMO — While marine wildlife are as eager as ever, far fewer boats are battling for their share of this year’s commercial roe herring fishery in the Strait of Georgia.

Fisheries and Oceans Canada cut the harvest rate in half to 10 per cent of the allowable stock supply to a maximum of nearly 7,900 tonnes, following last fall’s appointment of Lower Mainland MP Joyce Murray as minister of fisheries, oceans and the Canadian Coast Guard.

Fisheries and Oceans regional pelagics manager Bryan Rusch said most of the stocks are in the Comox Valley area, while schools of herring have popped southward through Qualicum Beach.

“Last year was a bit different, we saw more spawn closer to Nanaimo but we haven’t seen that yet, although we do still expect to see more spawn, it’s fairly early in the season,” Rusch told NanaimoNewsNOW.

Nanaimo, Gabriola Island and as far south as Ladysmith have seen their share of herring as part of an embattled fishery centred around the Comox Valley area, including Hornby and Denman Island.

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“The whole north and east side of Hornby Island has also seen consistent spawn,” Rusch said.

He noted seine boat crews realized their catch quota on Saturday, March 5 after the fishery opened two days earlier.

Rusch said gillnetters, entitled to a bulk of the fishery, remain on water.

Voices from conservancy groups and opposition politicians grew in recent years as concerns were raised about the health of regional herring stocks, a critical component of the marine food supply chain.

The fishery often attracts photographers drawn to the wildlife phenomenon of birds and sea life swarming herring vessels as anglers try to haul in their catch.

Constantly updated herring spottings available for this year’s commercial catch are posted by Fisheries and Oceans Canada here.

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ian@nanaimonewsnow.com

On Twitter: @reporterholmes