RCMP Cpl. Robert Landry says it was a tragic start to the fishing season. (CBC)After spending hours searching the Nerepis River, a dive team has recovered the body of a 23-year-old man who went missing while fishing on Thursday.

The victim has been identified as Scott Jefrey Pineo, of Quispamsis.

The RCMP believe Pineo drowned after he and his friend fell out of their small aluminum boat in the river near Grand Bay-Westfield on the first day of the fishing season.

Crews spent hours on Friday trying to find the body and around 4 p.m., divers located it about eight metres offshore.

The other man was able to swim to shore.

Grand Bay-Westfield RCMP Cpl. Robert Landry said it was important to find the body.

"It's very important to help bring closure to a tragic incident and bring closure to the family involved. As you can well imagine, they are devastated by this turn of events," Landry said.

On other rivers around Saint John, anglers were shocked to hear what had happened.

"First thing that came to my mind was preparedness ... and being ready for the cold water and opening day of fishing season," said Dan Beattie.

Others, such as Tom Benjamin, the president of the Hammond River Angling Association, said the accident is a tragic reminder about the importance of wearing life jackets.

"You have to have them in the boat but there is a trend for some people to have them with them to meet the legal requirements but not to wear it, and to be effective, that life jacket has to be on," Benjamin said.

An RCMP boat searched the Nerepis River for any sign of the missing angler Friday. (CBC)It was a tragic start to the fishing season, said Landry.

"Any time is certainly a bad time... However [Thursday] was the first day of fishing season and people were no doubt excited to be on the river, as evidenced by all the fishermen who were out there," he said.

Grand Bay-Westfield RCMP responded just after noon. Firefighters, paramedics and a helicopter from CFB Greenwood, N.S., joined in the search, along with some local fishing boats.

Rough waters caused emergency-response personnel to call off the search late in the afternoon, but it resumed Friday morning with the help of dive teams.