Fishery General

The Department of Fisheries and Oceans would like to advise that in-person Outreach meetings will be held throughout the Region in the coming weeks.

The intent of these meetings is to provide inshore harvesters and other interested stakeholders an opportunity to discuss matters of concern with respect to the various inshore fisheries.

The meeting schedule is as follows:
Thursday, February 9, 2023 – Marystown, Marystown Hotel: 10:30 am – 12:30 pm
Monday, February 13, 2023 – Hawkes Bay, Torrent River Inn: 3:00 – 5:00 pm
Tuesday, February 14, 2023 – St. Anthony, Lions Club: 3:00 – 5:00 pm
Thursday, February 16, 2023 – Corner Brook, Greenwood Inn & Suites: 1:00 – 3:00 pm

Please note that there will be Virtual Meetings scheduled at a later date for those unable to attend in-person meetings.
"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: Danielle.Nichols@dfo-mpo.gc.ca

The Department of Fisheries and Oceans would like to remind harvesters that in-person Outreach meetings will be held throughout the Region in the coming weeks.

The intent of these meetings is to provide inshore harvesters and other interested stakeholders an opportunity to discuss matters of concern with respect to the various inshore fisheries. 

The meeting schedule is as follows:

Week 1: 

Monday, January 30, 2023 - New Wes Valley, Lions Club: 6:00 - 8:00 pm

Tuesday, January 31, 2023 - Fogo, Anglican Church Hall (Centre Island): 10:30am - 12:30 pm

Wednesday, February 1, 2023 - Twillingate, Lions Club: 10:00 am - 

12:00 pm

Wednesday, February 1, 2023 - Baie Verte, College of the North Atlantic: 6:00 - 8:00 pm

Week 2:

Monday, February 6, 2023 - Bonavista, Fire Hall: 2:00 - 4:00 pm

Tuesday, February 7, 2023 - Petty Harbour, Community Center: 6:00 - 8:00 pm

Wednesday, February 8, 2023 - Old Perlican, Community Center: 10:00 am - 12:00 pm

Wednesday, February 8, 2023 - Riverhead, Royal Canadian Legion: 3:00 - 5:00 pm

Thursday, February 9, 2023 - Ferryland, Southern Shore Folk Arts Council: 10:00 am - 12:00 pm

Week 3:

Tuesday, February 14, 2023 - St. Anthony, Lions Club: 3:00 - 5:00 pm

Wednesday, February 15, 2023 - Roddickton-Bide Arm, Cross Country Centre: 10:00 am - 12:00 pm

Please note that there will be Virtual Meetings scheduled at a later date for those unable to attend in-person meetings.

"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: Danielle.Nichols@dfo-mpo.gc.ca

The Department of Fisheries and Oceans would like to advise that in-person Outreach meetings will be held throughout the Region in the coming weeks.

The intent of these meetings is to provide inshore harvesters and other interested stakeholders an opportunity to discuss matters of concern with respect to the various inshore fisheries.

The Labrador meeting schedule is as follows:
Tuesday, January 31, 2023 – St. Peter’s Parish Hall, Cartwright: 2:00 pm – 4:00 pm
Wednesday, February 1, 2023 – Town Hall, Mary’s Harbour 10 am – 12 pm

Please note that there will be virtual meetings scheduled at a later date for those unable to attend in-person meetings.

"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: Danielle.Nichols@dfo-mpo.gc.ca
 

The Department of Fisheries and Oceans would like to advise that in-person Outreach meetings will be held throughout the Region in the coming weeks.

The intent of these meetings is to provide inshore harvesters and other interested stakeholders an opportunity to discuss matters of concern with respect to the various inshore fisheries.
The meeting schedule is as follows:

Week 1:
Monday, January 30, 2023 – New Wes Valley, Lions Club: 6:00 – 8:00 pm
Tuesday, January 31, 2023 – Fogo, Anglican Church Hall (Centre Island): 10:30am – 12:30 pm
Wednesday, February 1, 2023 – Twillingate, Lions Club: 10:00 am – 12:00 pm
Wednesday, February 1, 2023 – Baie Verte, College of the North Atlantic: 6:00 – 8:00 pm

Week 2:
Monday, February 6, 2023 – Bonavista, Fire Hall: 2:00 – 4:00 pm
Tuesday, February 7, 2023 – Petty Harbour, Community Center: 6:00 – 8:00 pm
Wednesday, February 8, 2023 – Old Perlican, Community Center: 10:00 am – 12:00 pm
Wednesday, February 8, 2023 – Riverhead, Royal Canadian Legion: 3:00 – 5:00 pm
Thursday, February 9, 2023 – Ferryland, Southern Shore Folk Arts Council: 10:00 am – 12:00 pm

Week 3:
Tuesday, February 14, 2023 – St. Anthony, Lions Club: 3:00 – 5:00 pm
Wednesday, February 15, 2023 – Roddickton-Bide Arm, Cross Country Centre: 10:00 am – 12:00 pm

Please note that there will be Virtual Meetings scheduled at a later date for those unable to attend in-person meetings.

"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: danielle.nichols@dfo-mpo.gc.ca
 

DFO advises fish harvesters that fishing licences for 2023 may not be available until after the first few weeks of January 2023. Those fish harvesters who wish to fish during the first weeks of January 2023 must first have their 2022 fishing licences amended by a DFO Fishery Officer or a Licensing Officer to extend their licence into 2023. 

Fish harvesters are advised that before the start of any fishing trip in 2023, they are to place a request in NOLS (National Online Licensing System), with a copy of their 2022 Licence Document attached for a Licensing Officer to amend the licence end date. This will allow harvesters to continue fishing while they are awaiting their 2023 licence through the National Online Licensing System (NOLS).

All commercial fish harvesters are reminded to review their 2022 licenses in the National Online Licensing System (NOLS) at National Online Licensing System as soon as possible to confirm that they have renewed all their 2022 commercial licenses and/or 2022 vessel registration(s).

In order to retain the privilege to be issued the licenses in the following year, commercial harvesters must renew both their commercial fishing licenses and vessel registrations on an annual basis, whether or not the harvester actively fished or used the vessel for harvesting in that year.

Also, all 2022 Individual Quota (IQ) fees must be paid, with the exception of commercial cod IQ fees. Commercial cod IQ fees are not required to be paid if the licence holder had no directed or incidental landings of cod; however, the groundfish license fee must still be paid each year.

Harvesters who have not yet renewed their licenses for 2022 are reminded that they must complete their license renewals before midnight, Friday, December 30, 2022. It is very important to be aware that any licenses and registrations that are not renewed before this date will not be available in the following year - these licences will be cancelled.

As well, DFO advises fish harvesters based in the Newfoundland and Labrador Region that the National Online Licensing System (NOLS) will not be available for renewal of 2022 fishing licenses after midnight Friday, December 30. This is to allow for year-end data updating processes and system maintenance.

Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO) launched the National Online Licensing System in the spring of 2013 for fish harvesters to complete routine licensing transactions using a computer with internet access. This includes: renewing licenses and vessel registrations; paying the associated fees; and printing licenses, license conditions, payment receipts, and other licensing documents.

For more information about the NOLS system, visit Online Licensing or call 1-877-535-7307 if you need assistance.

Newfoundland and Labrador Region  - December 1, 2022

Fisheries and Oceans Canada announces that the timeline for harvesters to implement lower breaking strength gear modification requirements in non-tended fixed gear, trap and pot commercial fisheries in Atlantic Canada and Quebec is extended to 2024.

Canada is committed to protecting North Atlantic right whales and supporting their recovery. We continue to prioritize measures to prevent entanglements of North Atlantic right whales in fishing gear, closing areas to fishing when and where right whales are detected, and removing lost, abandoned and discarded fishing gear. The Department is reviewing available information to ensure that lower breaking strength fishing gear is safe, effective at protecting whales, and readily available. This is important for supporting harvesters as they transition successfully to equipment that better protects endangered whales.

The Department will continue its support for various whalesafe gear trials in relevant fisheries with a particular focus on ropeless and rope-on-demand gear, and its engagement with industry, other stakeholders and Indigenous partners. During 2023, the Department will announce further details regarding measures to protect North Atlantic right whales in Canadian fisheries, including the approach to implement appropriate whalesafe gear requirements over time. 

For more information:

Whalesafe Fishing Gear: Whalesafe fishing gear 

North Atlantic right whale protection measures: North Atlantic right whale

In response to the recent devastating impacts of Hurricane Fiona in Atlantic Canada and Eastern Quebec, Fisheries and Oceans Canada will be providing up to 28.4 million dollars through the Ghost Gear Fund to support for projects in the areas directly affected by Hurricane Fiona. The call for proposals is now open and application information can be found on the Ghost Gear Fund website. The funding will be available for projects focusing work on areas directly affected by Hurricane Fiona from April 1, 2023 to March 31, 2024. Interested proponents will be required to submit an application by December 28, 2022 23:59 PST to be considered. This funding is in addition to the 1.5M announced recently which has been allocated through Ghost Gear Fund partners for immediate actions this fall in response to Hurricane Fiona. 

Fisheries and Oceans Canada is reminding harvesters that the reporting of lost gear is mandatory in all commercial fisheries, as outlined in commercial fishing license conditions, and should be done online through the Fishing Gear Reporting System. PDF versions of the lost and retrieved fishing gear forms are still available, if required. All commercial harvesters in Atlantic Canada are reminded to report gear that was lost as a result of Hurricane Fiona, including gear that was lost from areas of storage on land. This reporting enables the Department to identify hotspots for lost gear, prioritize areas for retrieval and also facilitates the return of usable gear to harvesters. 

If harvesters require help navigating the Fishing Gear Reporting System, they are encouraged to reach out to the Department for assistance at DFO.LostandRetrievedGear-EnginsPerdusRecupere.MPO@dfo-mpo.gc.ca.

DFO advises that the portion of Scallop Fishing Area 11 (Fortune Bay) from Dantzic Point to Point Rosie will close to commercial harvest of scallop at 2000 hours October 15, 2022.

Harvesters are reminded to submit all weekly logs for this fishery to DFO as per conditions of licence.

"Notices to Fish Harvesters" for all commercial fisheries are 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: beverly.piccott@dfo-mpo.gc.ca

DFO advises that the portion of Scallop Fishing Area 11 (Fortune Bay) from Dantzic Point to Point Rosie will open to a commercial harvest of scallop as a continuation of the 2017 pilot project at 1800 hours on July 28, 2022 and will close at 2000 hours on October 15, 2022.

Please note that additional reporting requirements for this fishery include the submission of weekly logs to DFO.

Please submit a request through the National Online Licensing System to indicate your interest and to receive licence conditions.

The Regional Director General, Fisheries and Oceans Canada, Newfoundland and Labrador Region gives notice that Variation Order 2022-110 has been revoked and Variation Order 2022-145 comes into effect at 1700 hours on July 28, 2022.

"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: Karen.Keats-Brett@dfo-mpo.gc.ca