Tidal Area 25TidalDFO, federal

Nootka Sound, Esperanza Inlet

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 25 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: open across the whole area.
Open Non retention Closed See notice No rule on record

Salmon, right now

Pink salmonopen

Pink salmon is catch-and-release only (non-retention) in 25; open in 125 (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

Chinook salmonopen

Chinook salmon is open in 25,125 (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 catch-and-release only (non-retention) in 25; open in 125 (daily limit 2, minimum size 30cm, barbless hook and line required). A recent Fishery Notice (FN0920-RECREATIONAL, issued August 27, 2026 at 1115) may change this in-season -- check it before you fish.

From a Fishery Notice, effective August 27, 2026 at 1115 · view source

Coho salmonopen

Coho salmon is open in 25-1 to 25-3 and 25-6 to 25-16 (daily limit 2 Combined Total, minimum size 30cm, barbless hook and line required); open in 25-4 and 25-5 (daily limit 4 Combined Total, minimum size 30cm, barbless hook and line required); open in 125 (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

Sockeye salmonnon retention

Sockeye salmon is catch-and-release only (non-retention) in 25,125. 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 salmon25,12545cmbarbless hook and line2OpenSep 21, 2026 · view source
Chum salmon12530cmbarbless hook and line2OpenSep 21, 2026 · view source
Chum salmon2530cmbarbless hook and line0Non RetentionSep 21, 2026 · view source
Coho salmon12530cmbarbless hook and line2 Combined Total * Consisting of no more than: 2 - Hatchery - marked 0 - Wild - unmarkedOpenSep 21, 2026 · view source
Coho salmon25-1 to 25-3 and 25-6 to 25-1630cmbarbless hook and line2 Combined Total * Consisting of no more than: 2 - Hatchery - marked 1 - Wild - unmarkedOpenSep 21, 2026 · view source
Coho salmon25-4 and 25-530cmbarbless hook and line4 Combined Total * Consisting of no more than: 4 - Hatchery - marked 1 - Wild - unmarkedOpenSep 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

86 total
SpeciesWhereTypeDetail
GeneralTahsis InletClosedany gear or method (Jul 15 to Oct 15)
GeneralZuciarte ChannelClosedany gear or method (Jul 15 to Oct 15)
General25-2,25-3,25-9 to 25-12,25-14 and 25-16Closedany gear or method (Jul 15 to Oct 15)
GeneralOuter Nootka Island closuresClosedany gear or method (Jul 15 to Oct 15)
GeneralHesquiat ClosuresClosedany gear or method (Jul 15 to Oct 15)

Notices mentioning this zone

All notices →
FN0920-RECREATIONAL·Issued August 27, 2026 at 1115

FN0920-RECREATIONAL Salmon - Chum - Area 26 and Portions of Area 25 - Increase in Daily limits

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

FN0705-R·Issued July 13, 2026 at 1153

FN0705-Recreational - Salmon and Fin fish - Northwest Vancouver Island - Portions of Subarea 25-1 (Muchalat Inlet) - Finfish closure, effective July 15, 2026

Get told when this changes

We check the government sources every hour. When a rule changes or a Fishery Notice lands for Area 25, 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.