Marine Mammals

DFO advises Newfoundland and Labrador Seal harvesters that the Commercial and Personal Use Seal fishery will re-open in Sealing Areas 4 to 23 and Sealing Areas 25 to 27 at 0600 hours on April 6, 2026. 

Commercial Seal harvesters based in the Front have access to the Gulf and commercial Seal harvesters based in the Gulf have access to the Front.

Commercial Seal harvesters are advised to check with their buyers to confirm a market for their Seals before going Sealing.

Seal harvesters are reminded that licences and licence conditions are available through DFO's National Online Licencing System.

Additionally, all Commercial and Personal Use Sealers are reminded that landings must be hailed in daily, as per licence conditions.

NOTE: the Ringed seal fishery in Sealing Area 4 remains closed. A public notice will be issued for this fishery at a later date.

The Regional Director General, Fisheries and Oceans Canada, Newfoundland and Labrador Regions gives notice that Variation Order 2026-014 has been revoked, and Variation Order 2026-025 comes into effect on March 31, 2026.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 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 both the Commercial fishery and Personal Use fishery for Harp seals and Hooded seals will close in all areas to all seal harvesters and all fleets based in Newfoundland and Labrador at 1800 hours on March 1, 2026.

This is the annual closure to allow time for Seal whelping and nursing.

Re-opening dates for the 2026 season for these Seal fisheries, in both the Gulf and on the Front, will be announced at a later date.

The Regional Director General, Fisheries and Oceans Canada, Newfoundland and Labrador Regions gives notice that Variation Order 2025-036 has been revoked and Variation Order 2026-014 comes into effect on February 24, 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 Newfoundland and Labrador seal harvesters that the seal fishery for Ringed Seals will reopen in Sealing Area 4 at 0600 hours on Saturday April 19, 2025. This includes personal use and license classes N300, N301 and N302.

DFO further advises that as per Section 6(3) of the Marine Mammal Regulations, members of the public that reside immediately adjacent to Sealing Area 4 and fish for seals for food purposes, this hunt will reopen on Saturday at 0600 hours on April 19, 2025.

Commercial seal harvesters are reminded to check with their buyers to confirm a market for their seals before going sealing and that licenses and license conditions are available through DFO’s National Online Licensing System.

Additionally, all Commercial and Personal Use Sealers are reminded that landings must be hailed in daily, as per license conditions.

The Regional Director General, Fisheries and Oceans Canada, Newfoundland and Labrador Region gives notice that Variation Order 2025-018 has been revoked, and Variation Order 2025-036 will come into force April 17, 2025.

"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: miranda.pryor@dfo-mpo.gc.ca 

DFO advises Newfoundland and Labrador Seal harvesters that the Commercial and Personal Use Seal fishery will re-open in Sealing Areas 4 to 23 and Sealing Areas 25 to 27 at 0600 hours on Monday, April 7, 2025.

Commercial Seal harvesters based in the Front have access to the Gulf and commercial Seal harvesters based in the Gulf have access to the Front.

Commercial Seal harvesters are advised to check with their buyers to confirm a market for their Seals before going Sealing.

Seal harvesters are reminded that licences and licence conditions are available through DFO's National Online Licencing System.

Additionally, all Commercial and Personal Use Sealers are reminded that landings must be hailed in daily, as per licence conditions.

The Regional Director General, Fisheries and Oceans Canada, Newfoundland and Labrador Region gives notice that Variation Order 2025-009 has been revoked, and Variation Order 2025-018 will come into force April 01, 2025.

"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: miranda.pryor@dfo-mpo.gc.ca

DFO advises that both the Commercial fishery and Personal Use fishery for Harp seals and Hooded seals will close in all areas to all seal harvesters and all fleets based in Newfoundland and Labrador at 1800 hours on Saturday, March 1, 2025.

This is the annual closure to allow time for Seal whelping and nursing.

Re-opening dates for the 2025 season for these Seal fisheries, in both the Gulf and on the Front, will be announced at a later date.

The Regional Director General, Fisheries and Oceans Canada, Newfoundland and Labrador Region gives notice that Variation Order 2025-013 has been revoked and Variation Order 2025-009 comes into effect on February 20, 2025.

"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: miranda.pryor@dfo-mpo.gc.ca   

The Department of Fisheries and Oceans would like to advise that  in-person Outreach meetings to discuss the proposed five-year Whalesafe Gear Strategy will be held on the following dates and locations:  

Hampton Inn, St. John’s,  November 12th,  3-5pm
Clarenville Inn, Clarenville, November 13th, 10am-12pm
Albatross Hotel, Gander, November 14th, 10am-12pm 
Quality Inn, Corner Brook, November 15th, 10am-12pm.

The intent of these meetings is for DFO to provide an overview of the proposed five-year Whalesafe Gear Strategy and to offer harvesters an opportunity to provide their input.

Please note that additional sessions may be scheduled at a later date.

"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 Miranda.Pryor@dfo-mpo.gc.ca

On Sunday, August 11, 2024, a North Atlantic right whale (NARW) was sighted swimming near Brimestone Head, Fogo Island, NL.

Due to the area of sighting, no temporary measures will be implemented at this time. However, harvesters should be on alert while in this area.

The Government of Canada is undertaking extensive surveillance of many areas of Atlantic Canadian waters where North Atlantic right whales may be present.

To view information on NARW sightings, please follow the link below:

Whale Insight - An interactive map of North Atlantic right whale detections in Canada

DFO advises Newfoundland and Labrador seal harvesters that the seal fishery for Ringed Seals will reopen in Sealing Area 4 at 0600 hours on Saturday April 20, 2024. This includes personal use and license classes N300, N301 and N302.

DFO further advises that as per Section 6(3) of the Marine Mammal Regulations, members of the public that reside immediately adjacent to Sealing Area 4 and fish for seals for food purposes, this hunt will reopen on Saturday at 0600 hours on April 20, 2024.

Commercial seal harvesters are reminded to check with their buyers to confirm a market for their seals before going sealing and that licenses and license conditions are available through DFO’s National Online Licensing System.

Additionally, all Commercial and Personal Use Sealers are reminded that landings must be hailed in daily, as per license conditions.

“Notices to Fish Harvesters” for all commercial fisheries and “Notices to the Public” 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” or “Notices to the Public” sent directly to you by email please contact: miranda.pryor@dfo-mpo.gc.ca

DFO advises fish harvesters that the details of the 2024 fisheries management measures to protect North Atlantic right whales (NARW), as announced by the Minister of Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO) on March 26, 2024, are available online at:  Fishery notices related to North Atlantic right whales (dfo-mpo.gc.ca)

"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: miranda.pryor@dfo-mpo.gc.ca