NOTICE TO FISH HARVESTERS

DFO advises that in accordance with the soft-shell protocol, the following grids in Crab Fishing Area 4 in NAFO Division 3K will close to fishing Snow Crab and Northern Shrimp at 2400 hours on May 22, 2026 due to a high incidence of soft-shell crab:

Grid AA 38
Grid AB 38

These grids will be closed to Snow crab fishing for the remainder of the year. Harvesters should note that all gear in these grids must be removed immediately. Gear must be hauled and not reset on your next fishing trip.

The closure for Northern shrimp is in effect for 60 days, and will re-open on July 22, 2026, if the shrimp fishery is open at that time.

Grid quadrant AA 38 is defined as the area bounded by the following coordinates:
51° 00' North, 54° 10' West;
51° 00' North, 54° 00' West;
50° 50' North, 54° 00' West;
50° 50' North, 54° 10' West; 
51° 00' North, 54° 10' West;

Grid quadrant AB 38 is defined as the area bounded by the following coordinates:
50° 50' North, 54° 10' West;
50° 50' North, 54° 00' West;
50° 40' North, 54° 00' West;
50° 40' North, 54° 10' West; 
50° 50' North, 54° 10' West;

Notices to Fish Harvesters for all commercial fisheries are available online in the Fishery Notices section of the DFO Newfoundland and Labrador Region webpage at Newfoundland and Labrador Region.

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

DFO advises that in accordance with the soft-shell protocol, the following grids in Crab Fishing Area 4 in NAFO Division 3K will close to fishing Snow Crab and Northern Shrimp at 2400 hours on May 22, 2026 due to a high incidence of soft-shell crab:

Grid AA 38
Grid AB 38

These grids will be closed to Snow crab fishing for the remainder of the year. Harvesters should note that all gear in these grids must be removed immediately. Gear must be hauled and not reset on your next fishing trip.

The closure for Northern shrimp is in effect for 60 days, and will re-open on July 22, 2026, if the shrimp fishery is open at that time.

Grid quadrant AA 38 is defined as the area bounded by the following coordinates:
51° 00' North, 54° 10' West;
51° 00' North, 54° 00' West;
50° 50' North, 54° 00' West;
50° 50' North, 54° 10' West; 
51° 00' North, 54° 10' West;

Grid quadrant AB 38 is defined as the area bounded by the following coordinates:
50° 50' North, 54° 10' West;
50° 50' North, 54° 00' West;
50° 40' North, 54° 00' West;
50° 40' North, 54° 10' West; 
50° 50' North, 54° 10' West;

Notices to Fish Harvesters for all commercial fisheries are available online in the Fishery Notices section of the DFO Newfoundland and Labrador Region webpage at Newfoundland and Labrador Region.

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

DFO advises that the fishery for Atlantic Halibut in NAFO Division 3NO, for vessel class A329 (Maritimes) using longline will open on May 20, 2026 at 0600 hours.

The Regional Director General, Fisheries and Oceans Canada, Newfoundland and Labrador Region gives notice that Variation Order 2026-062 has been revoked and Variation Order 2026-067 comes into effect on May 20, 2026.

Notices to Fish Harvesters for all commercial fisheries are available online in the Fishery Notices section of the DFO Newfoundland and Labrador Region webpage at Newfoundland and Labrador Region.

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

Fisheries and Oceans Canada advises that the inshore Shrimp fishery in Shrimp Fishing Area (SFA) 6 for vessels less than 90 feet, based in NAFO Divisions 2J, 3K, 3L, and 4R will open at 6:00 AM on May 20, 2026.

Licence fees and licence conditions will soon be available in the National Online Licensing System (NOLS).

Notices to Fish Harvesters for all commercial fisheries are available online in the Fishery Notices section of the DFO Newfoundland and Labrador Region webpage at Newfoundland and Labrador Region.

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

DFO advises that the 4R portion of the Unit 1 Redfish fishery will open to the following mobile gear fleets, Offshore fleet, Midshore fleet, Indigenous allocation holders, Inshore fleet, and Estuary and Gulf of St. Lawrence shrimp harvester fleet. The fishery will open at 0600 hours on May 15, 2026, and will close at 2400 hours on May 14, 2027.

Access to the fishery at the start of the season will only be provided through an interim reserve allocation available on an application basis. Harvesters wishing to fish during this period must submit an application and will be issued Conditions of Licence upon approval.

This opening applies to vessels in the following classes C1 to C359, C363, C364, C369, C370, C373, C376, C381, C385, C387, C393, C396, C399, C400, C401, C405, C406, C407, C410, C412, C415, C417, C419, C421, C422, C423, C424, C425, C432, C433, C436, C437, C440, C442, C443, C444, C445, C448, C449, C452, C453, C455, C459, C460, C461, C361, C362, C365, C366, C367, C368, C371, C372, C374, C375, C377, C378, C379, C380, C382, C383, C384, C386, C388, C389, C390, C391, C392, C394, C395, C396, C398, C403, C404, C409, C411, C413, C414, C418, C420, C434, C435, C439, C447, C450, C451, C464, C469, C470, C471, C462 to C3999, D1 to D199, E to J and L to Z.  

The Regional Director General, Fisheries and Oceans Canada, Newfoundland and Labrador Region give notice that Variation Order 2026-035 has been revoked, and Variation Order 2026-056 comes into force on May 15, 2026.

Notices to Fish Harvesters for all commercial fisheries are available online in the Fishery Notices section of the DFO Newfoundland and Labrador Region webpage at Newfoundland and Labrador Region.

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

DFO wishes to advise harvesters that the Lumpfish fishery will open in the following NAFO Division 3K Lumpfish fishing areas:

Note all opening times are 0600 hours and all closing times are 2000 hours.

Cape Bauld to Granite Point: May 20, 2026 to July 8, 2026
Granite Point to Little Harbour Deep Head: May 20, 2026 to July 8, 2026
Little Harbour Deep Head to Cape St. John: May 20, 2026 to July 8, 2026
Cape St. John to North Head: May 20, 2026 to July 8, 2026
North Head to Cape Freels: May 27, 2026 to July 15, 2026

Fishing for Lumpfish is authorized in water depths less than 25 fathoms.

Licence fees and licence conditions are available on the National Online Licensing System (NOLS).

The Regional Director General, Fisheries and Oceans Canada, Newfoundland and Labrador Regions gives notice that Variation Order 2026-060 has been revoked, and Variation Order 2026-066 will come into force on May 15, 2026.

Notices to Fish Harvesters for all commercial fisheries are available online in the Fishery Notices section of the DFO Newfoundland and Labrador Region webpage at Newfoundland and Labrador Region.

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

DFO wishes to advise harvesters that the Lumpfish fishery will open at 0600 hours on May 17, 2026 and close at 2000 hours on July 5, 2026 in the following NAFO Division 3L Lumpfish fishing area:

Conception Bay

Fishing for Lumpfish is authorized in water depths less than 25 fathoms.

Licence fees and licence conditions are available on the National Online Licensing System (NOLS).

The Regional Director General, Fisheries and Oceans Canada, Newfoundland and Labrador Regions gives notice that Variation Order 2026-060 has been revoked, and Variation Order 2026-066 comes into effect on May 15, 2026.

Notices to Fish Harvesters for all commercial fisheries are available online in the Fishery Notices section of the DFO Newfoundland and Labrador Region webpage at Newfoundland and Labrador Region.

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

DFO advises harvesters that the less than 65 ft. fixed gear Greenland Halibut (Turbot) fishery in NAFO Divisions 3LMNO will open on May 20, 2026 at 0600 hours.

Fish Harvesters are required to hail-out to an At Sea Observer Company 24 hours prior to leaving port.

License conditions will be available on the National Online Licensing System (NOLS) for those harvesters who submitted an Expression of Interest and are eligible to participate in the NAFO Divisions 3LMNO fixed gear Greenland halibut (Turbot) fishery.

The Regional Director General, Fisheries and Oceans Canada, Newfoundland and Labrador Regions gives notice that Variation Order 2026-058 has been revoked and Variation Order 2026-065 will come into force on May 15, 2026.

Notices to Fish Harvesters for all commercial fisheries are available online in the Fishery Notices section of the DFO Newfoundland and Labrador Region webpage at Newfoundland and Labrador Region.

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

DFO advises that the Atlantic Halibut fishery in NAFO Division 4R for Quebec-based vessel classes A138 to A144, A500 to A519, A521 to A700, A901 to A948, A949 to A990, A1800 to A1980 and A2343 to A2456 will open at 0500 hours EDT on May 15, 2026 and close 2359 hours EDT on October 31, 2026.

DFO reminds harvesters that a portion of NAFO sub-Division 4Rd and 4Rc (Bay St. George and Port au Port Bay), is closed to ALL groundfish fishing until 0001 hours EDT, June 24, 2026. The purpose of this closure is to protect the Cod spawning activity occurring in this area.

The Regional Director General, Fisheries and Oceans Canada, Newfoundland and Labrador Region gives notice that Variation Order 2026-061 has been revoked, and Variation Order 2026-062 will come into force on May 14, 2026.

Notices to Fish Harvesters for all commercial fisheries are available online in the Fishery Notices section of the DFO Newfoundland and Labrador Region webpage at Newfoundland and Labrador Region.

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

DFO advises that the details of the 2026 and 2027 management measures for the 4RST Capelin fishery in Newfoundland and Labrador are now available at:

Fisheries Management Decision 2026 and 2027 Capelin in NAFO Divisions 4RST

Décision de gestion des pêches 2026-2027 Pêche du capelan dans les divisions 4RST de l’OPANO

Notices to Fish Harvesters for all commercial fisheries are available online in the Fishery Notices section of the DFO Newfoundland and Labrador Region webpage at Newfoundland and Labrador Region.

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