Groundfish

DFO advises that the Atlantic Halibut hook and line (long line) fishery in NAFO Divisions 4R for fixed gear vessels less than 65 feet based in Western NL and Southern Labrador that elected to fish in Period 2, vessel class A288 will now close on August 9, 2026, at 2000 hours.

The Regional Director General, Fisheries and Oceans Canada, Newfoundland and Labrador Regions gives notice that Variation Order 2026-112 has been revoked, and Variation Order 2026-124 comes into effect on August 1, 2026.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 Inshore fishery in NAFO Divisions 3NO for Atlantic Halibut, Monkfish and Skate using longline will open on July 25, 2026 at 0600 hours for the following vessel classes:

A251, A254, A257, A260, A263, A266, A269, and A272

Licence conditions can be obtained by emailing kelly.firmage-obrien@dfo-mpo.gc.ca or by calling (709) 685-0344.

Fish harvesters are reminded that all licence holders are required to provide a Daily Report of your fishing activity.

The Regional Director General, Fisheries and Oceans Canada, Newfoundland and Labrador Regions gives notice that Variation Order 2026-104 has been revoked and Variation Order 2026-112 comes into effect on July 18, 2026.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.
 

DFO advises that the Inshore fishery in NAFO Divisions 3NO for Atlantic Halibut, Monkfish and Skate using longline will open on July 25, 2026 at 0600 hours for the following vessel classes:

A251, A254, A257, A260, A263, A266, A269, and A272

Licence conditions can be obtained by emailing kelly.firmage-obrien@dfo-mpo.gc.ca or by calling (709) 685-0344.

Fish harvesters are reminded that all licence holders are required to provide a Daily Report of your fishing activity.

The Regional Director General, Fisheries and Oceans Canada, Newfoundland and Labrador Regions gives notice that Variation Order 2026-104 has been revoked and Variation Order 2026-112 comes into effect on July 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.
 

DFO advises that the Inshore fishery in NAFO Divisions 3NO for Atlantic Halibut, Monkfish and Skate using longline will open on July 25, 2026 at 0600 hours for the following vessel classes:

A251, A254, A257, A260, A263, A266, A269, and A272

Licence conditions can be obtained by emailing kelly.firmage-obrien@dfo-mpo.gc.ca or by calling (709) 685-0344.

Fish harvesters are reminded that all licence holders are required to provide a Daily Report of your fishing activity.

The Regional Director General, Fisheries and Oceans Canada, Newfoundland and Labrador Regions gives notice that Variation Order 2026-104 has been revoked and Variation Order 2026-112 comes into effect on July 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
 

The Department of Fisheries and Oceans advises harvesters of the following management measures for the 2+3K <65 FG Greenland Halibut Fisheries starting July 17, 2026:

• The fishery will now be administered through trip limits.
• Trip limits for 2+3K will increase to 50,000 lbs. round weight.
• New conditions will be available through the National Online Licensing System (NOLS) after July 16, 2026.
• Any participants that were not issued an initial permit can now request license conditions to participate in the 2+3K fishery.

To request these license conditions, contact Kelly Firmage-O’Brien at kelly.firmage-o’brien@dfo-mpo.gc.ca.

The issuance and acceptance of these licence conditions is not a guarantee that sufficient quota will be available to harvest the amount on the licence condition.

The Department will continue to closely monitor this fishery.  Closures may occur on short notice which will be communicated through Notice to Fishers.

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 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.