Entries

DFO advises that the directed Cod fishery in NAFO Sub-Division 3Ps will open to inshore fixed gear fleets at 0600 hours on Wednesday, May 15, 2024.

A Conservation Harvesting Plan that outlines management measures for the inshore fixed-gear sector for cod and other groundfish in 3Ps will be made available online at a later date at Fisheries Management Decisions for Atlantic Canada, Quebec and the Arctic - 2024.

Licence fees and licence conditions are available on the National Online Licencing System. (NOLS)

DFO wishes to remind inshore fixed-gear harvesters that as outlined in their conditions of licence, all cod caught, whether from directed catch or by-catch, will be charged against the harvester’s IQ for their licence in 3Ps. Once a harvester has caught their cod IQ, whether it is a result of directed fishing or as by-catch, the harvester must cease fishing for all species of groundfish in 3Ps for the remainder of the year.

DFO will closely monitor landings from the directed 3Ps cod fishery. This fishery may close to the individual inshore fixed-gear fleets once they reach their respective fleet allocations and will close to the entire inshore fixed-gear sector once the sector’s allocation is reached.

"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 the directed Cod fishery in NAFO Sub-division 3Ps units d, e, f, g, and h will open to all fleets at 0600 hours on Wednesday, May 15, 2024.

A Conservation Harvesting Plan that outlines management measures for the inshore fixed-gear sector for cod and other groundfish in 3Ps will be made available online at a later date at Fisheries Management Decisions for Atlantic Canada, Quebec and the Arctic - 2024.

Licence fees and licence conditions are available on the National Online Licencing System (NOLS).

Inshore mobile-gear harvesters are reminded that as outlined in their conditions of licence, all cod caught, whether from directed catch or by-catch, will be charged against the harvester’s IQ or harvesting cap for their licence in 3Ps. Once a harvester has caught their cod IQ or harvesting cap, whether it is from directed fishing or as by-catch, the harvester must cease fishing for all species of groundfish in 3Ps for the remainder of the year.

"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 the 2024 summer Trout season for Zone 1 (insular Newfoundland) opens on May 15, 2024, and will remain open until September 7, 2024.

Bag limits and possession limits for insular Newfoundland remain the same: daily bag limit for Trout (includes Speckled trout, Brown trout, Rainbow trout and Ouananiche) is 12 Trout or 2.25 kg + 1 Trout, round weight (which can be a combination of any of the species - Speckled, Brown, Rainbow, Ouananiche); possession limit is twice the daily bag limit.

Details on the regulations pertaining to bag limits, river classification, closed areas, and special management areas are contained in the 2024 - 2025 Angler’s Guide which is available online at Anglers' Guide 2024-2025

"Notices to Anglers" 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 Anglers" for recreational fisheries sent directly to you by email please contact: miranda.pryor@dfo-mpo.gc.ca

DFO wishes to advise harvesters that the Lumpfish fishery will open at 0600 hours on May 12, 2024 and close at 2000 hours on June 30, 2024 in the following NAFO Division 3K Lumpfish fishing area:

Little Harbour Deep Head to Cape St. John

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

Licence fees and licence conditions will soon be available on the National Online Licencing System (NOLS).

The Regional Director General, Fisheries and Oceans Canada, Newfoundland and Labrador Regions gives notice that Variation Order 2024-048 has been revoked and Variation Order 2024-049 comes into effect on May 10, 2024.

"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 the Lumpfish fishery will open at 0600 hours on May 11, 2024 and close on June 28, 2024 at 2000hrs in a portion of NAFO Division 4R from Ferolle Point to Cape Bauld.

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

The Regional Director General, Fisheries and Oceans Canada, Newfoundland and Labrador Region gives notice that Variation Order 2024-042 has been revoked and Variation Order 2024-048 comes into effect on May 10, 2024.

"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 the 3Ps Scallop fishery in the Core Area will open at 0600 hours on Friday, May 10, 2024.

Access to the Core Area is only available by trip permit for historical harvesters. If you meet the criteria and you are interested in fishing in the Core area in 2024, please contact DFO through the National Online Licensing System (NOLS) to request access and an application for a permit. Those seeking access will be reviewed against policy, before determining whether they will be granted access.

The Core Area is defined as that portion of Scallop Fishing Area 11 bounded by a line connecting the following coordinates:

• 46 degrees 52.7 minutes North latitude, 57 degrees 28 minutes West longitude to
• 46 degrees 52.7 minutes North latitude, 56 degrees 29 minutes West longitude to
• 46 degrees 30.0 minutes North latitude, 56 degrees 29 minutes West longitude to
• 46 degrees 30.0 minutes North latitude, 57 degrees 28 minutes West longitude to
• 46 degrees 52.7 minutes North latitude, 57 degrees 28 minutes West longitude.

Fish harvesters are reminded that they must have at-sea observer coverage services arranged before commencing fishing.

The Regional Director General, Fisheries and Oceans Canada, Newfoundland and Labrador Region gives notice that Variation Order 2024-038 has been revoked and Variation Order 2024-07 comes into effect on May 8, 2024.

"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 the Scallop fishery in the 3Ps North Bed in Scallop Fishing Area (SFA) 11 will open at 0600 hours on Friday, May 10, 2024.

If you are a 3Ps Scallop licence holder with vessel eligibility of  >50' and you are interested in fishing Scallop on the North Bed in 2024, please contact DFO through the National Online Licensing System (NOLS) to request access and an application for a permit. Those seeking access will be reviewed against policy, before determining whether they will be granted access.

A Vessel Monitoring System (VMS) or Observer coverage is required to fish in the North Bed scallop area.

The North Bed is defined as that portion of Scallop Fishing Area 11, bounded by a line connecting the following coordinates:

• 46 degrees 30.0 minutes North latitude, 57 degrees 28 minutes West longitude to
• 46 degrees 30.0 minutes North latitude, 56 degrees 46 minutes West longitude along the Canada/France boundary to
• 46 degrees 23 minutes North latitude, 56 degrees 29 minutes West longitude to
• 46 degrees 14 minutes North latitude, 56 degrees 29 minutes West longitude to
• 46 degrees 14.0 minutes North latitude, 57 degrees 28 minutes West longitude to
• 46 degrees 30.0 minutes North latitude, 57 degrees 28 minutes West longitude.

Fish harvesters are reminded that fishing is not permitted in the Middle Bed, Southern Bed, or the Core Area. These areas are defined in your licence conditions.

Fish harvesters are reminded that they must have at-sea observer coverage services arranged before commencing fishing.

The Regional Director General, Fisheries and Oceans Canada, Newfoundland and Labrador Region gives notice that Variation Order 2024-038 has been revoked and Variation Order 2024-047 comes into effect on May 8, 2024.

"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

St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador - May 7, 2024 

As Minister of Fisheries, Oceans and the Canadian Coast Guard, I am committed to safeguarding Canada’s aquatic resources and maximizing the benefits they provide to Canadians. 

Accurate information on the resources that are being harvested from the sea is critical to making sound resource management decisions that will improve long-term benefits for coastal communities. Failing to report or misreporting the quantity of fish and seafood being removed from our waters can be a contributor to declining stocks and undermines economic stability and the livelihoods of law-abiding fish harvesters. 

We know that fisheries is a vital sector of our economy. By way of illustration, according to current data, the 2021 inshore lobster fishery landed value exceeding 2 billion dollars. While the use of cash in the sale is not illegal, landings or revenues that are not reported/declared, and which often involve cash transactions, are illegal. Our government is committed to fight the underground economy wherever it exists. From my many visits to the field over the past few months, I know that this issue is at the heart of the priorities of many stakeholders, both in the catching and processing sector.

This is why my department is working closely with federal and provincial counterparts, including the Canada Revenue Agency and Public Safety Canada, to protect Canada’s fisheries interests through the detection and deterrence of unreported cash sales and landings with a current focus on the Atlantic and Quebec fisheries. Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO) is also modernizing tools and methods to facilitate the provision of catch data by harvesters and to monitor fisheries, notably through the progressive implementation of electronic logbooks (ELOGS).

DFO uses its authorities under the Fisheries Act and the regulations to require accurate reporting from harvesters and those purchasing their landings for commercial purposes. In order to verify compliance with these requirements, DFO’s enforcement program uses a wide range of tools as part of a risk-based, intelligence-led compliance program.

The public can also assist the Department’s work to disrupt and prevent illegal activity by calling Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477, Poaching Alert 1-800-463-9057 (Quebec), or DFO Offices toll-free: Contact Fisheries and Oceans Canada: Report a fisheries violation (dfo-mpo.gc.ca)

DFO advises that the fishery for Atlantic Halibut in NAFO Division 3NO, for vessel class A335 (Maritimes) using longline will open on Wednesday, May 08, 2024 at 0600 hours.

The Regional Director General, Fisheries and Oceans Canada, Newfoundland and Labrador Regions gives notice that Variation Order 2024-043 has been revoked and Variation Order 2024-046 comes into effect on May 7, 2024.

"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

Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO) advises the public of the re-opening for the harvesting of all bivalve shellfish (Arctic wedge calms, Atlantic razor clams, Atlantic surf clams, bay quahaugs, northern propeller clams, ocean quahaugs, softshell clam, Stimpson's surf clams, bay mussels, blue mussel, horse mussels, American oysters, bay scallops, Iceland scallops, purple hinge rock scallop, sea scallops, northern moon snails, waved whelks, and Stimpson's whelks) for recreational or commercial purposes, effective 1600 hours on Monday, May 6, 2024 for a portion of Tommy's Arm, Notre Dame Bay as defined by those waters located inside of the following points:

49.472659° N, 55.760129° W,
49.467834° N, 55.772489° W,
49.468113° N, 55.762232° W,
49.471515° N, 55.765108° W,
49.470037° N, 55.789312° W,
49.46471° N, 55.785578° W.

More detailed information on these closed areas can be obtained from the nearest DFO office or the following website:  Check Before you Harvest

The Regional Director General, Fisheries and Oceans Canada, Newfoundland and Labrador Region gives notice that Prohibition Order NSN-2023-003 has been repealed effective 1600 hours on May 6, 2024.  

For more information on the Canadian Shellfish Sanitation Program please consult the following website:  Canadian Shellfish Sanitation Program (CSSP)