Pelagics

DFO advises that the capelin fishery for vessels using fixed gear (tuck, bar seine and trap) will open in the following areas in White Bay (Capelin Fishing Area 3):

July 11, 2026 at 0600 hours in
• Cape Fox to Hampden, Inclusive
• Bottom of White Bay to Cape St. John

July 13, 2026 at 0600 hours in
• Fischot Island to Cape Fox

Harvesters are reminded that the fishery must be open for 24 hours before any Capelin can be removed from any fixed Gear.

Licence conditions can be obtained through DFO’s National Online Licensing System (NOLS).

The Regional Director General, Fisheries and Oceans Canada, Newfoundland and Labrador Regions gives notice that Variation Order 2026-103 has been revoked and Variation Order 2026-105 comes into effect on July 11, 2026.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 capelin fishery for vessels using fixed gear (tuck, bar seine and trap) will open on July 12, 2026 at 0600 hours in the following area:

North Head to Dog Bay Point (Capelin Fishing Area 4)

Harvesters are reminded that the fishery must be open for 24 hours before any Capelin can be removed from any fixed gear.

Licence conditions can be obtained through DFO’s National Online Licensing System (NOLS).

The Regional Director General, Fisheries and Oceans Canada, Newfoundland and Labrador Regions gives notice that Variation Order 2026-103 has been revoked and Variation Order 2026-105 comes into effect on July 11, 2026.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 capelin fishery for vessels using fixed gear (tuck, bar seine and trap) will open on July 10, 2026 at 0600 hours in the following areas:

• Dog Bay Point to Cape Freels (Capelin Fishing Area 4).

Harvesters are reminded that the fishery must be open for 24 hours before any Capelin can be removed from any fixed Gear.

Licence conditions can be obtained through DFO’s National Online Licensing System (NOLS).

The Regional Director General, Fisheries and Oceans Canada, Newfoundland and Labrador Regions gives notice that Variation Order 2026-101 has been revoked, and Variation Order 2026-103 comes into effect on July 10, 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 will be pausing the Atlantic mackerel bait fishery in all Mackerel Fishing Areas as of 12:00 PM on July 8, 2026. This notice to stop fishing is for conservation purposes as landings have surpassed the first 466.67 tonne portion of the total allowable catch (TAC).  

The second 466.67 tonnes for the Atlantic mackerel personal-use bait fishery is scheduled to be released in August with the exact date to be communicated in the coming weeks. For harvesters with a multi-species bait licence, please refer to your conditions of licence. 

The Regional Director General, Fisheries and Oceans Canada, Newfoundland and Labrador Region, gives notice that Variation Order 2026-073 has been revoked, and Variation Order 2026-096 will come into force at 1100 hours on July 8, 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 Bluefin tuna fishery for vessels fishing homewaters in NAFO Divisions 3KLNOP will open at 0600 hours on July 9, 2026.

Licence conditions will be available prior to opening on the National Online Licensing System (NOLS). Observer coverage must be paid prior to tag purchase.

Tuna tags and forms are available at DFO Detachment offices in Bay Roberts, Clarenville and Marystown.

Bluefin tuna harvesters are encouraged to return tuna heads to one of the locations listed in the Conservation Harvesting Plan and record the tag number.

The Regional Director General, Fisheries and Oceans Canada, Newfoundland and Labrador Region gives notice that Variation Order 2025-269 has been revoked and Variation Order 2026-102 comes into effect on July 08, 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 capelin fishery for vessels using fixed gear (tuck, bar seine and trap) will open on July 6, 2026 at 0600 hours in the following area:

Cape St John to North Head (Capelin Fishing Area 4)

Harvesters are reminded that the fishery must be open for 24 hours before any Capelin can be removed from any fixed gear.

Licence conditions can be obtained through DFO's National On-line Licencing System.

The Regional Director General, Fisheries and Oceans Canada, Newfoundland and Labrador Regions gives notice that Variation Order 2026-090 has been revoked and Variation Order 2026-101 comes into effect on July 6, 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 (DFO) – July 3, 2026 – Fisheries and Oceans Canada increases Total Allowable Catch for Atlantic mackerel and Southern Gulf of St. Lawrence fall herring fishery  - Canada.ca. Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO) has increased the Total Allowable Catch (TAC) for Atlantic mackerel to 1,500 tonnes (t), replacing the previous decision that set a 500t TAC in 2025 and 2026. This TAC includes 1,400t for the personal-use bait fishery, 60t for bycatch and 20t each to support scientific sampling and live bait for the bluefin tuna fishery.

Along with the increase in TAC, DFO is setting three fishery openings for Atlantic mackerel bait fishery: May 27 (already open), and two additional openings tentatively scheduled for August, and October. A total of 466.67t will be released on each opening date. As 220t were previously released on May 27, an additional 246.67t is being released immediately. 

Please be advised the Atlantic mackerel bait fishery is a competitive fishery and is intended for personal-use only. Eligible fish harvesters participating in this fishery will be restricted to a daily limit of 454 kg (1,000 lbs) to be fished by either gillnet or handline. Monitoring will be achieved using various measures, including a 100% hail-in requirement in all regions. For additional information please refer to your conditions of licence.
 

DFO advises that the capelin fishery for vessels using mobile gear will open on July 1, 2026, at 0600 hours in Notre Dame Bay (Capelin Fishing Area 4).

The Regional Director General, Fisheries and Oceans Canada, Newfoundland and Labrador Regions gives notice that Variation Order 2026-091 has been revoked, and Variation Order 2026-097 comes into effect on July 01, 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 herring (purse seine) fishery will close at 2200 hours on June 30, 2026 for: 

White Bay HFA 3, 
Notre Dame Bay HFA 4, 
Bonavista Bay HFA 5,
Conception Bay HFA 7, 
Southern Shore HFA 8.

The Regional Director General, Fisheries and Oceans Canada, Newfoundland and Labrador Region gives notice that Variation Order 2026-029 has been revoked, and Variation Order 2026-093 comes into force 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 capelin fishery for vessels using fixed gear (tuck, bar seine and trap) will open on June 29, 2026 at 0600 hours in Bonavista Bay and Conception Bay (Capelin Fishing Areas 5 and 7).

Harvesters are reminded that the fishery must be open for 24 hours before any Capelin can be removed from any fixed gear.

Licence conditions can be obtained through DFO's National On-line Licencing System.

The Regional Director General, Fisheries and Oceans Canada, Newfoundland and Labrador Regions gives notice that Variation Order 2026-088 has been revoked and Variation Order 2026-090 comes into effect on June 29, 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.