Start for Prawn and Shrimp season delayed until June

A shipment of sea food from 2019 on the Prince Rupert waterfront

A potential start to the North Coast Commercial Prawn and Shrimp season planned  for opening for Thursday, has been set back until June 4th, with DFO releasing word of the suspended opening through their Fisheries Notices page on Tuesday.

The move comes in the midst of the COVID-19 emergency and is one of a number announcements from DFO in recent weeks related to fishery issues.

Due to market uncertainties, the Province of BC's declaration of a provincial state of emergency, and the 45-day suspension by the Minister of Fisheries and Oceans Canada of all At-Sea Observers to help control the spread of COVID-19, the Pacific Prawn Fishermen's Association in collaboration with the Prawn Industry Caucus, the BC Seafood Alliance and the major prawn processors in BC has requested a delay to the start of the prawn season until June 4, 2020. 

A delayed season will provide time for vessel operators and processors to work through the new guidelines for safe operations and for the Pacific Prawn Fishermen's Association and J.O. Thomas and Associates Ltd. to work with DFO on safety protocols for the at-sea sampling program.


You can review the full statement here.

The at sea observer program was suspended earlier this spring.

The additional delay will allow for more time to explore how to implement the at sea observer program under new COVID related guidelines.

The full range of advisories and measures now in place by DFO related to their COVID-19 response can be reviewed here.

More notes on the Fishing Industry on the North Coast and Haida Gwaii can be examined here.