Groundfish

DFO advises that the Witch flounder (Greysole) fishery for vessels less than 65 feet, using Danish seine (vessel classes C50 and C351), will open in NAFO sub-Division 4Rd - from a line drawn due west of Cape Ray, north to a line drawn due west of Cape St. George at 0600 hours on July 15, 2026.

The Regional Director General, Fisheries and Oceans Canada, Newfoundland and Labrador Region gives notice that Variation Order 2025-284 has been revoked and Variation Order 2026-106 comes into effect on July 15, 2026.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 hook and line (long line) fishery in NAFO Divisions 4RST, for fixed gear vessels less than 65 feet based in Western NL and Southern Labrador that elected to fish in Period 2, will open at 0600 hours on Monday, July 13, 2026. This fishery is open to Vessel class A288 and will close at 2000 hours on August 2, 2026.

The Regional Director General, Fisheries and Oceans Canada, Newfoundland and Labrador Regions gives notice that Variation Order 2026-077 has been revoked and Variation Order 2026-104 will come into force on July 11, 2026.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 Winter flounder (Blackback) fishery in NAFO Divisions 3KL will open at 0600 hours on July 5, 2026.

Licence conditions will be available soon on 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 NAFO Division 3Ps Lumpfish Area Dantzic Point to Grand Bank Cape will open 0600 hours July 3, 2026 and will close 2000 hours August 19, 2026.

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

Harvesters are reminded that licence conditions are available through the National Online Licensing System (NOLS).

DFO will monitor fishing activity and may close the fishery if the incidental catch of Atlantic halibut exceeds the established protocol.

The Regional Director General, Fisheries and Oceans Canada, Newfoundland and Labrador Region gives notice that Variation Order 2026-066 has been revoked, and Variation Order 2026-098 comes into effect on July 3, 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 inshore 2J3KL Northern cod fishery will open on July 5, 2026, at 0600 hours for vessel classes A283, A286, A292, A295 and A433 and will close on April 14, 2027, or until the fleet allocations are taken.

DFO also advises that the base authorized catch limits (in round weight) are as follows:
-2J-based harvesters: July 5 – September 12: 50,000 lbs. base bi-weekly
-3KL-based regular season harvesters: July 5 – September 12: 10,000 lbs. base weekly

Catch and gear limits for harvesters from September 13th onward will be determined following a mid-August review. An additional seasonal review may be required to determine catch and gear limits later in the season. Should adjustments to catch limits or seasons be required, updates will be communicated to harvesters via a Notice to Fishers.

The Conservation and Harvesting Plan (CHP) will be available online soon at: 
Decisions for Atlantic Canada, Quebec and the Arctic - 2026.

Licence conditions will be available soon on the National Online Licensing System (NOLS).

For fish harvesters that have acquired additional cod shares through enterprise combining, adjusted catch limits will be identified in their licence conditions.

Harvesters are reminded that fishing gear cannot be set prior to the season opening and to ensure that weekly or bi-weekly landing limits are not exceeded by setting only the amount of fishing gear that is necessary. This is particularly important at the start of the season when fish abundance levels are unknown.

The Regional Director General, Fisheries and Oceans Canada, Newfoundland and Labrador Region gives notice that Variation Orders 2025-278 and 2025-281 have been revoked, and Variation Orders 2026-094 and 2026-095 come into effect on July 1, 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 3Ps portion of the Unit 2 Redfish Fishery for the mobile and fixed gear fleets will open at 0600 hours on July 1, 2026.

The 3Pn portion of the Unit 2 Redfish Fishery for the mobile gear fleets will open at 0600 hours on July 1, 2026.

The Regional Director General, Fisheries and Oceans Canada, Newfoundland and Labrador Region gives notice that Variation Order 2026-056 has been revoked, and Variation Order 2026-092 comes into effect on June 30, 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 2J3KL Northern cod fishery will open for 3KL-based inshore fixed-gear harvesters to fish in NAFO Divisions 2J3KL on Sunday, July 5, 2026 at 06:00 hours.

The base weekly authorized catch limits (in round weight) for 3KL-based regular season fixed-gear harvesters are:
-July 5 – September 12: 10,000 lbs. base weekly

The base bi-weekly authorized catch limits for 2J-based inshore fixed-gear harvesters will be finalized soon.

Catch and gear limits for 3KL-based harvesters from September 13 onward will be determined following a mid-August review. An additional seasonal review may be required to determine catch and gear limits later in the season. 

3KL-based harvesters will have the option of fishing the regular season at the weekly base catch limits identified above, or they may opt to fish only during the 3KL fall season starting September 13 with a catch limit of no less than 75,000 lbs. base bi-weekly (round weight). The catch limit for 3KL harvesters opting for fall-only conditions will be confirmed during the mid-August review. 

Fish harvesters selecting the 3KL fall only fishery option MUST indicate their intention via e-mail to Robyn.Lee@dfo-mpo.gc.ca by Thursday, July 2, 2026. Harvesters must provide their FULL NAME, FIN, HOMEPORT in their email. 

If a harvester who has opted to fish in the fall season has directed cod landings prior to September 12, they will forfeit their fall fishery licence conditions. 

Should adjustments to catch limits or seasons be required, updates will be communicated to harvesters via a Notice to Fishers. The Conservation and Harvesting Plan (CHP) will be available online soon at: 
Decisions for Atlantic Canada, Quebec and the Arctic - 2026

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 24, 2026. 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 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 inshore fixed-gear Northern Cod harvesters that 2026 buddy up applications are available through the National Online Licensing System (NOLS).

PLEASE NOTE: COMPLETED APPLICATIONS MUST BE UPLOADED TO THE NATIONAL ONLINE LICENCING SYSTEM. APPLICATIONS MUST BE RECEIVED AND APPROVED PRIOR TO THE START OF THE SEASON.

For the 2026 fishing season, harvesters participating in a northern cod buddy up arrangement will be authorized to change their approved vessel to another vessel registered to either participant, based on operational requirements during the season.  Requests for a vessel substitution must be submitted through the National Online Licensing System.  A maximum of one vessel substitution will be permitted for the 2026 season.

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 2+3KLMNO Mobile Gear Greenland halibut (Turbot) fishery will close on June 18, 2026 at 2000 hours as the quota has been taken.

The Regional Director General, Fisheries and Oceans Canada, Newfoundland and Labrador Region gives notice that Variation Order 2026-079 has been revoked, and Variation Order 2026-084 comes into effect at 1700 hours on June 18, 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.