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free dive fishing in Marine Parks B.C. Canada dive fishing

Thread Status: Hello , There was no answer in this thread for more than 60 days.
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J

john alberta

New Member
Jul 29, 2013
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I am going to B.C. Canada and want to try spearfishing in a place called smugglers cove marine park and it got me looking at the regulations but I can't find anything on rules for free dive fishing in marine parks???
the website claims there is great "fishing" in the park but am I allowed to dive in and shoot? or collect oysters/shellfish?


please help if you dive fish in B.C. / Vancouver / sunshine coast / Vancouver island

thanks for any help
 
You can fish and spear anything in season for Area 16 as per DFO limits and regulations. Limits are 1 lingcod 65cm MINIMUM length so be careful, 1 rockfish, 3 greenling, 4 redrock crabs 110mm+, 4 dungeoness 160mm+ no females of any crab. I'm not sure the Sole/flounder limits as I do not fish them.

There are plenty of rockfish conservation areas around there though, see: Area 16 Rockfish Conservation Areas | Fisheries and Oceans Canada, Pacific Region

Within those areas, you cannot spear or H&L for any fish at all. The only permitted activity is handpicking invertabres/shellfish while diving.

Make sure you check the latest Sanitary and red tide reports for shellfish in the area you intend to dive, as it changes all the time and you could get very very sick.

- I just read on DFO smugglers cove there is no gathering of bi-valve shellfish may-sept for sanitary reasons, so you're SOL on that, but grab some crabs!


Good luck!
 
Last edited:
thank you so much

the B.C. tidal water fishing guide (BC Tidal Waters Sport Fishing Guide - Area 19 (Sidney/Victoria)) or (http://www.pac.dfo-mpo.gc.ca/fm-gp/rec/docs/SFGtidal-GPSmaree-2013-eng.pdf) was very hard for me to understand and when I called B.C. fisheries they have a automated system that is almost unbearable :duh and thank you agen for clearing up the rockfish conservation area question of havesting other fin fish species within the bounderys of the rockfish conservation area.

thanks a lot for your help and I will post video and pics if I have any luck
 
Keep in mind you are not intending to dive in Area 19. Smuggler's Cove is in Area 16.
 
thanks just found the right one for my spearfishing/kiteboarding adventure on the sunshine coast BC Tidal Waters Sport Fishing Guide - Area 16 (Sechelt Inlet/Jervis Inlet/Texada Island) I'm so glad that I will be able to dive fish in smugglers cove and I believe I can fish to the north east of the inlet to the cove ( supper exiteing ) anyone have any advice for spearfishing lingcod / rockfish or collecting of crabs from the tidal waters of the sunshine coast ?
 
Crabs are easy... just grab em when you see them throw em in the boat and measure them when you're back topside and toss what is too small to take home.

Rockfish are easy... especially the black variety. Greenling can either be skittish or they will swim up to the tip of your spear like it's something worth eating. Lingcod, look for rocks and holes. I find tugging on my loaded band from the side makes a good sound that draws them out from their holes to see whats going on, but sometimes they will just be sitting on ledges motionless.

good luck, fishing is great right now!
 
I figured the lings would be hiding in the cracks so I orderd a 1500lume underwater flashlight to peer into the holes! and a mesh bag for the crabs because I will be using my surfboard (with flag attached) as a dive platform I know it's low budget but hey I just spent a lot of coin on this trip and have not even left home yet lol
 
I use a 100~ lumen... but you can pull em out by banging your light on a rock or your gun, or plucking your loaded rubber like a guitar string. They come darting out to see whats up.
 
 
I'm back and forth between Vancouver and Victoria right now, my gear is in Victoria. If I am around, I am usually up for diving.
 
that's great I would love to go out with an experienced diver and I will be in Victoria on the trip around the 20th - 26th (ruffly) most likely during the week but there is a weekend in there maby we can meet up and film a hunt! I also hear there is a few good beaches for kiteboarding, I'm gonna figure out how to send you a privet message for more details
 
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