Both salt water and fresh water fishing licences and various conservation tags are due by April 1, but Department of Fisheries and Oceans has said the hard copies of salt water licences will be delayed for at least three weeks.
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The new halibut regulations – which for the first time will include an area for recording the date and location of the catch – has meant that the licence has to be larger and hence the delay.
This year there is a limit of six per year for halibut retention, along with upper and lower minimal size restrictions.
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This poses problems for licence vendors. They can help a customer by going on line to fill out information, but the customer will then have to provide an email address and credit card information.
At many times during the height of the fishing season there are line-ups of people getting their hard copy filled out. Stores usually bring in extra staff to help out. But limited computer availability within the vendor shop could mean huge delays.
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