NOTICE TO FISH HARVESTERS

Fisheries and Oceans Canada advises that the details of the 2026 management measures and quota levels for the Snow Crab fishery in Newfoundland and Labrador are now available at:

2026 Snow Crab Fishery, Newfoundland and Labrador

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 A353 (Maritimes) using longline will open on April 1, 2026 at 0600 hours.

The Regional Director General, Fisheries and Oceans Canada, Newfoundland and Labrador Region gives notice that Variation Order 2026-003 has been revoked, and Variation Order 2026-019 comes into effect on March 27, 2026.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 buddy-up arrangements for Lobster Fishing Areas (LFAs) 3, 4A, 4B, 5, 6, 7, and 10 are now authorized.

Buddy-up Applications are now available on the National Online Licensing System (NOLS).

Harvesters interested in applying for a buddy-up arrangement may submit completed applications through NOLS.

Harvesters experiencing difficulties accessing their online NOLS account should contact the NOLS support line at 1-877-535-7307.

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 details of the management measures for the Lobster fishery in Newfoundland and Labrador for the 2026 season are now available at:

Lobster Fishing Areas 3-14C, Newfoundland and Labrador Region 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 Fixed Gear (Gillnet, Trap and Tuck Seine) Herring fishery will open on March 20, 2026, at 0600 hours for the following:

Herring Fishing Area 10 – Placentia Bay

The Regional Director General, Fisheries and Oceans Canada, Newfoundland and Labrador Regions gives notice that Variation Order 2025-289 has been revoked, and Variation Order 2026-018 will come into force March 19, 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 Mobile Gear (Purse Seine) Herring fishery will open by permit only on March 12, 2026 at 0600 hours and close on March 31, 2026 at 2200 hours in St. Mary’s Bay (Herring Fishing Area 9) and Placentia Bay (Herring Fishing Area 10).

Licence conditions can be obtained through DFO's National Online Licensing System (NOLS) for those harvesters who have been contacted for the above date.

The Regional Director General, Fisheries and Oceans Canada, Newfoundland and Labrador Regions gives notice that Variation Order 2026-013 has been revoked, and Variation Order 2026-017 comes into effect on March 12, 2026.

"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: NLPRI@dfo-mpo.gc.ca.

DFO wishes to remind inshore crab harvesters in Crab Fishing Areas 3B (White Bay) and 3C (Green Bay) in NAFO Division 3K that applications for CFA 3BC are now available.

Harvesters can obtain an application by contacting the area licencing center by phone or e-mail. Applications can also be requested from the National Online Licensing System (NOLS).

Applications must be returned by close of business on March 6, 2026.

Return applications by email to: kelly.firmage-obrien@dfo-mpo.gc.ca

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 during the 2026 seal harvest, there will be an opportunity to participate in a Personal Use Seal Fishery Educational Observer Pilot. The intent of this pilot project is to allow knowledge transfer within the personal use seal harvest. Anyone ages 12 and older can apply for an educational observer licence, including current commercial sealers who wish to observe a personal use harvest.

Information has been added to the personal use seal humane harvesting training course, offered through DFO, describing the roles and responsibilities of the educational observer and the accompanying personal use seal licence holder.

Anyone interested in applying for an educational observer licence is required to complete a humane harvesting course for personal use seal offered through DFO. 

Personal use seal licence holders who have already completed the humane harvesting course, and plan to take an educational observer, can contact DFO to receive supplemental information about the pilot prior to harvest trips. 

For more information, please contact DFO at the following email address:  DFO.SealHumaneHarvestingNL-PhoqueslachassesanscruateTNL.MPO@dfo-mpo.gc.ca

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 2026-27 and 2027-28 management measures for the 4R Herring fishery in Newfoundland and Labrador are now available at:

Fisheries Management Decision - 4R Herring Management Plan 2026-27 and 2027-28

Décision relative à la gestion des pêches - Plan de gestion de la pêche du hareng dans les divisions 4R pour 2026-2027 et 2027-2028

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 2026-27 and 2027-28 management measures for the 4R Herring fishery in Newfoundland and Labrador are now available at:

Fisheries Management Decision - 4R Herring Management Plan 2026-27 and 2027-28

Décision relative à la gestion des pêches - Plan de gestion de la pêche du hareng dans les divisions 4R pour 2026-2027 et 2027-2028

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.