Tidal Area 12TidalDFO, federal

Port Hardy, Robson Bight

As of Sep 21, 2026, no active Fishery Notice overrides beyond salmon in this zone.

The current rule for salmon in this zone is merged from DFO's baseline regulations and any active Fishery Notice. Halibut, rockfish, lingcod, and crab below show the baseline regulation, plus any notice that names them.

You need a licence before you fishSaltwater / tidal waters (salmon, halibut, rockfish, crab, prawn): get a BC Tidal Waters sport fishing licence (DFO).

Area 12 on the map

Where this area sits on the coast, and its subareas. Pick a species to colour the map by its current status -- open, closed, or non-retention -- across the area, and by subarea where the rules break it down.

Chinook salmon: 48 Open by subarea. Tap a subarea for detail.
Open Non retention Closed See notice No rule on record

Salmon, right now

Chinook salmonopen

Chinook salmon is open in 12-1 to 12-13 and 12-15 to 12-48 (daily limit 2, minimum size 62cm, barbless hook and line required); open in 12-14 (daily limit 2, minimum size 45cm, barbless hook and line required). A recent Fishery Notice (FN0723-RECREATIONAL, issued July 15, 2026 at 1534) may change this in-season -- check it before you fish.

From a Fishery Notice, effective July 15, 2026 at 1534 · view source

Chum salmonopen

Chum salmon is open in 12 (daily limit 2, minimum size 30cm, barbless hook and line required). A recent Fishery Notice (FN0723-RECREATIONAL, issued July 15, 2026 at 1534) may change this in-season -- check it before you fish.

From a Fishery Notice, effective July 15, 2026 at 1534 · view source

Coho salmonopen

Coho salmon is open in 12-1 to 12-13 and 12-15 to 12-25 (daily limit 2 Combined Total, minimum size 30cm, barbless hook and line required); open in 12-14 and 12-26 to 12-48 (daily limit 2 Combined Total, minimum size 30cm, barbless hook and line required). A recent Fishery Notice (FN0723-RECREATIONAL, issued July 15, 2026 at 1534) may change this in-season -- check it before you fish.

From a Fishery Notice, effective July 15, 2026 at 1534 · view source

Pink salmonopen

Pink salmon is open in 12 (daily limit 4, minimum size 30cm, barbless hook and line required). A recent Fishery Notice (FN0723-RECREATIONAL, issued July 15, 2026 at 1534) may change this in-season -- check it before you fish.

From a Fishery Notice, effective July 15, 2026 at 1534 · view source

Sockeye salmonnon retention

Sockeye salmon is catch-and-release only (non-retention) in 12. A recent Fishery Notice (FN0723-RECREATIONAL, issued July 15, 2026 at 1534) may change this in-season -- check it before you fish.

From a Fishery Notice, effective July 15, 2026 at 1534 · view source

Full baseline regulation table

Every species scraped for this zone, with its baseline rule and source. Salmon above already reflects any active Fishery Notice; everything here is the standing baseline.

50 total
SpeciesSubareaMin sizeGearDaily limitStatusSource
Chinook salmon12-1445cmbarbless hook and line2OpenSep 21, 2026 · view source
Chinook salmon12-1 to 12-13 and 12-15 to 12-4862cmbarbless hook and line2OpenSep 21, 2026 · view source
Chum salmon1230cmbarbless hook and line2OpenSep 21, 2026 · view source
Coho salmon12-14 and 12-26 to 12-4830cmbarbless hook and line2 Combined Total * Consisting of no more than: 2 - Hatchery - marked 1 - Wild - unmarkedOpenSep 21, 2026 · view source
Coho salmon12-1 to 12-13 and 12-15 to 12-2530cmbarbless hook and line2 Combined Total * Consisting of no more than: 2 - Hatchery - marked 0 - Wild - unmarkedOpenSep 21, 2026 · view source
Pink salmon1230cmbarbless hook and line4OpenSep 21, 2026 · view source
This is a plain-language summary, not the regulation itself. Always confirm at the source link before you fish. Rules can change without notice.

Restrictions & gear rules

85 total
SpeciesWhereTypeDetail
GeneralPort McNeil BayClosedany gear or method (Aug 15 to Dec 31)
GeneralScott CoveClosedany gear or method (Aug 15 to Sep 30)
GeneralWakeman SoundClosedany gear or method (year round )
GeneralScott CoveClosedany gear or method (Aug 15 to Sep 30)
GeneralWakeman SoundClosedany gear or method (year round )

Notices mentioning this zone

All notices →
FN0723-RECREATIONAL·Issued July 15, 2026 at 1534

FN0723-RECREATIONAL Salmon - All salmon - Areas 1 to 29, 101 to 111, 121, 123 to 127, 130 and 142 - Coastwide tidal water gear requirements - Effective September 1, 2026

FN0674-R·Issued July 8, 2026 at 1106

FN0674-Recreational - Salmon - Chinook Management Measures - Northeast and Central Vancouver Island - Areas 11 to 17, 111 and Subareas 29-1 and 29-2 - effective July 15, 2026

FN0479-RECREATIONAL·Issued May 13, 2026 at 1627

FN0479-RECREATIONAL - Salmon - Coho - Areas 11 to 20, 111, and Subareas 29-1 to 29-5 and 29-8 - Coho Management Measures - Effective June 1, 2026

Get told when this changes

We check the government sources every hour. When a rule changes or a Fishery Notice lands for Area 12, you get one email.

We email to confirm before anything else, and every email has a one-click unsubscribe. Alerts point at the live page; they are never the rule themselves.

Related

See something wrong?

Rules change in-season and we'd rather hear it from you than have someone fish on bad information. Tell us what looks off and we'll check it against the source.