Entries

DFO reminds harvesters that the Snow crab fishery will close at 2000 hours on Monday, June 30, 2025 in Crab Fishing Areas 3C and 3BC in NAFO Division 3K.

"Notices to Fish Harvesters" for all commercial fisheries are now available online under the Fishery Notices link on the DFO NL Region webpage at Newfoundland and Labrador Region

If you would like to have all "Notices to Fish Harvesters" for commercial fisheries sent directly to you by email, please contact: miranda.pryor@dfo-mpo.gc.ca

DFO advises that the 3Ps Shrimp beam trawl fishery in the 3Ps portion of Shrimp Fishing Area (SFA) 7, for vessels less than 65 feet, based in NAFO sub-division 3Ps will open on Friday, June 27, 2025 at 0600 hours.

The Regional Director General, Fisheries and Oceans Canada, Newfoundland and Labrador Region give notice that Variation Order 2025-091 has been revoked and Variation Order 2025-096 will come into force on June 27, 2025.

"Notices to Fish Harvesters" for all commercial fisheries are now available online under the Fishery Notices link on the DFO NL Region webpage at Newfoundland and Labrador Region

If you would like to have all "Notices to Fish Harvesters" for commercial fisheries sent directly to you by email, please contact: miranda.pryor@dfo-mpo.gc.ca 

DFO advises fish harvesters that the opening date for the commercial eel fishery in inland waters using eel pots is July 1, 2025.

The season will open to fyke nets on August 15, 2025.

The eel fishery for all gear types will close on October 31, 2025.

Fish harvesters are reminded that closures due to environmental conditions on scheduled salmon rivers will result in closure of the eel fishery on these rivers. During the closures, fish harvesters will be permitted to leave the fyke nets in the rivers. However, the bag on the end of the net must be removed to permit the escapement of salmonids and eels.

"Notices to Fish Harvesters" for all commercial fisheries are now available online under the Fishery Notices link on the DFO NL Region webpage at Newfoundland and Labrador Region

If you would like to have all "Notices to Fish Harvesters" for commercial fisheries sent directly to you by email, please contact: miranda.pryor@dfo-mpo.gc.ca 

Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO) would like to remind fish harvesters to ensure the removal of all set fishing gear from the water at the end of fishing seasons, and to report all lost fishing gear as outlined in commercial fishing license conditions.

In July 2021, DFO launched the online Fishing Gear Reporting System (FGRS). Fish harvesters can easily access and submit the required lost or retrieved gear reporting forms simply and efficiently. This reporting helps the Department locate and remove lost gear from our waters and, where possible, return the gear to its rightful owner. 

Depending on your regional COLs, you can choose to use any of the following available reporting tools:

Fishing Gear Reporting System (FGRS)

Electronic Logbook (ELOG)
Complete the section reserved for that purpose in the electronic logbook (ELOG)

PDF Fishing Gear Form

DFO advises that the Snow Crab fishery will open at 0600 hours on Friday, June 27, 2025 for NAFO divisions 2HJ North of 54 40. This fishery will close at 1800 hours on Sunday, September 14, 2025.

Fish Harvesters are also reminded that all designations to participate in this fishery are issued by the Nunatsiavut Government and Torngat Fisheries Cooperative Limited and must be in place prior to participating.

Fish harvesters are reminded that they are not authorized to set Crab traps until 72 hours after the Snow Crab fishery season has opened. Therefore, any setting of Crab traps or possession of Crab before 0600 hours on Monday, June 30, 2025, is prohibited.

Licence fees and licence conditions are available through the National Online Licencing System (NOLS).

The Regional Director General, Fisheries and Oceans Canada, Newfoundland and Labrador Region gives notice that Variation Order 2025-092 has been revoked and Variation Order 2025-093 will come into force on June 25, 2025.

"Notices to Fish Harvesters" for all commercial fisheries are now available online under the Fishery Notices link on the DFO NL Region webpage at Newfoundland and Labrador Region

If you would like to have all "Notices to Fish Harvesters" for commercial fisheries sent directly to you by email, please contact: miranda.pryor@dfo-mpo.gc.ca 

DFO advises that in accordance with the soft-shell protocol, the following grid in Crab Fishing Area 4 in NAFO Division 3K will close to fishing Snow Crab and Northern Shrimp at midnight on Monday, June 23, 2025 due to a high incidence of soft-shell crab:

Grid W 38

This grid will be closed to Snow crab fishing for the remainder of the year. Harvesters should note that all gear in these grids must be hauled and removed immediately, resetting of gear is not permitted.

The closure for Northern shrimp is in effect for 60 days, and will re-open on August 22, 2025, if the shrimp fishery is open at that time.

Grid quandrant W 38 is defined as the area bounded by the following coordinates:

51° 40' North, 54° 10' West;
51° 40' North, 54° 00' West;
51° 30' North, 54° 00' West;
51° 30' North, 54° 10' West; 
51° 40' North, 54° 10' West;

The Regional Director General, Fisheries and Oceans Canada, Newfoundland and Labrador Region gives notice that Variation Orders 2025-074 and 2025-075 have been revoked and Variation Orders 2025-090 and 2025-091 will come into force on June 21, 2025.

"Notices to Fish Harvesters" for all commercial fisheries are now available online under the Fishery Notices link on the DFO NL Region webpage at Newfoundland and Labrador Region

If you would like to have all "Notices to Fish Harvesters" for commercial fisheries sent directly to you by email, please contact: miranda.pryor@dfo-mpo.gc.ca 

DFO advises that the 3Ps Greenland Halibut (Turbot) fishery for vessels less than and greater than 65' using gillnets and hook and line gear, will open at 0600 hours on Wednesday, June 25, 2025.

"Notices to Fish Harvesters" for all commercial fisheries are now available online under the Fishery Notices link on the DFO NL Region webpage at Newfoundland and Labrador Region

If you would like to have all "Notices to Fish Harvesters" for commercial fisheries sent directly to you by email, please contact: miranda.pryor@dfo-mpo.gc.ca 

DFO advises that the Capelin fixed gear fishery using traps and bar seine (including modified bar seine known as "tuck seine"), for the large vessel fleet (less than 65 feet (19.8m)) in the following area will open at 0600 hours on June 24, 2025:

Capelin Fishing Area 14 from Point Riche to Cape Bauld

The Regional Director General, Fisheries and Oceans Canada, Newfoundland and Labrador Region gives notice that Variation Order 2025-076 has been revoked and Variation Order 2025-094 will come into force on June 24, 2025.

"Notices to Fish Harvesters" for all commercial fisheries are now available online under the Fishery Notices link on the DFO NL Region webpage at Newfoundland and Labrador Region

If you would like to have all "Notices to Fish Harvesters" for commercial fisheries sent directly to you by email, please contact: miranda.pryor@dfo-mpo.gc.ca 

DFO advises that the Atlantic Halibut fishery in NAFO sub-Division 3Pn, for vessels less than 65 feet using hook and line gear, will close at 2000 hours on June 17, 2025. The reason for the closure is that the available harvesting cap for this fishery has been reached. Fish harvesters are reminded that all fishing gear must be removed from the water by closing time.

"Notices to Fish Harvesters" for all commercial fisheries are now available online under the Fishery Notices link on the DFO NL Region webpage at Newfoundland and Labrador Region

If you would like to have all "Notices to Fish Harvesters" for commercial fisheries sent directly to you by email, please contact: miranda.pryor@dfo-mpo.gc.ca 

DFO advises that the Snow crab fishery will now close at 2000 hours on Monday, July 7, 2025 in select Crab Management Areas in NAFO Divisions 3K. These season extensions apply to the following Crab Management Areas:

Areas 4, 3A, 3B, and 3D

The Regional Director General, Fisheries and Oceans Canada, Newfoundland and Labrador Region, gives notice that Variation Order 2025-090 has been revoked and Variation Order 2025-092 will come into force on June 21, 2025.

"Notices to Fish Harvesters" for all commercial fisheries are now available online under the Fishery Notices link on the DFO NL Region webpage at Newfoundland and Labrador Region

If you would like to have all "Notices to Fish Harvesters" for commercial fisheries sent directly to you by email please contact: miranda.pryor@dfo-mpo.gc.ca