Nova Scotia Sport-fisherman: Can anyone tell me where I can find information ...

Jefferey Cave - 2013-10-29 15:45:49-0400 - Updated: 2013-10-29 15:45:49-0400

Nova Scotia Sport-fisherman: Can anyone tell me where I can find information on tidal water fishing regulations in the Annapolis Region?

According to the Provincial government, "You do not need a licence to fish in tidal or salt water in Nova Scotia. However, you must respect Canadian federal fishing seasons and bag limits".

So there are seasons and bag limits in Tidal Waters. Very well, so I went to the Recreational Fishing page on the Fisheries website, and they send me to the provincial website for fresh water fishing.

I phoned the Dept of Fisheries, they told me it depended on the region I was in and gave me the number of the local office. The local office stopped returning my calls once they find out why I was calling.

I grew up in Alberta, I don't understand tidal fishing regulations. Is there a published list somewhere? Help!

I didn't worry about it until last year when I heard that "shark" season was opening...

Recreational Fishing Regulations

Caroline Lobban - 2013-10-29 17:23:13-0400

As an Albertan... tidal fishing fascinates me!

(hopes for a follow up post)

Jefferey Cave - 2013-10-29 17:34:10-0400

Coming from Alberta it fascinates me too, but it is also a little intimidating. Considering I live 10 minutes from a warf, I should probably get used to the idea.

Jefferey Cave - 2013-10-29 18:25:23-0400 - Updated: 2013-10-29 18:25:46-0400

Looks like I may have found the applicable federal regulation (and the season is longer):

Section 15.2: A person may, without [licences], engage in recreational fishing for groundfish with a hand-line or by angling; for mackerel with a hand-line or by angling; for capelin with any fishing gear other than trap nets, seines or mobile gear; or for squid with any fishing gear other than trap nets or mobile gear

http://laws-lois.justice.gc.ca/eng/regulations/SOR-86-21/FullText.html

Now I just have to figure out how they define "angling" (which appears to be slightly different).

Caroline Lobban - 2013-10-29 20:20:19-0400

What's a hand-line?

Jefferey Cave - 2013-10-30 07:14:12-0400

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Vintage-Wooden-Bobber-and-Hand-Line-with-vintage-small-sinker-/141073822172

Jefferey Cave - 2013-10-30 07:15:58-0400 - Updated: 2013-10-30 07:22:14-0400

I had to look it up too. In Alberta, that would be considered "angling".

In fact, by the definition of the regulations, HandLines fall under Angling (single hook on a line).

Jefferey Cave - 2013-10-30 07:21:31-0400

My favourite part is the bit about Shark Season (49.2): They have 5 types of shark, 7 fishing areas, and 3 styles of fishing. Everyone of them has a season specification (5*7*3=105 definitions), and every one of them is defined as "Closed Dec1->Dec31".

So let me sum up, no shark fishing during December.

Save a tree, replace your lawyer with an Analyst.

Björn Augustsson - 2013-10-30 09:07:51-0400

"for capelin with any fishing gear other than trap nets, seines or mobile gear;" So dynamite, cyanide etc are A-OK, then...?

(Except I don't know what "mobile gear" means, and maybe "fishing gear" is defined somewhere not to include those things, but...)

Jefferey Cave - 2013-10-30 09:44:07-0400

+Björn Augustsson after that comment, you must come fishing with me.

Roman M - 2013-10-30 10:24:48-0400

With regulations so hard to find, I would've gone there and asked the locals fishing the same warf. If there's good fishing, there will most definitely be fishermen there. If no fishermen are there, assume no one (including Fish & Game Authorities) goes there and do whatever you want.

Jefferey Cave - 2013-10-30 13:22:33-0400

Nobody fishes the warf here. I will be trail blazing.

Jefferey Cave - 2013-10-30 14:59:57-0400 - Updated: 2013-10-30 15:02:59-0400

Just got an email from DFO pointing me to this area of their site http://www.mar.dfo-mpo.gc.ca/e0006076. Interestingly, the portion on recreational fishing 404ed.

Paul Wright - 2013-10-30 15:52:06-0400

Tides 4 fishing. Com

Jefferey Cave - 2013-10-31 05:51:22-0400

Thanks that will be handy.