Fishery General

DFO advises fish harvesters that fishing licences for 2024 will not be available until the last week of January 2024. Those fish harvesters who wish to fish during the first weeks of January 2024 must first have their 2023 fishing licences amended by a DFO Fishery Officer or a Licensing Officer to extend their licence to January 28, 2024.

Fish harvesters are advised that before the start of any fishing trip in 2024, they are to place a request in NOLS (National Online Licensing System), with a copy of their 2023 Licence Document attached for a Licensing Officer to amend the licence end date. This will allow harvesters to continue fishing while they are awaiting their 2024 licence through the National Online Licensing System (NOLS).

All commercial fish harvesters are reminded to review their 2023 licenses in the National Online Licensing System (NOLS) at National Online Licensing System as soon as possible to confirm that they have renewed all their 2023 commercial licenses and/or 2023 vessel registration(s).

In order to retain the privilege to be issued the licenses in the following year, commercial harvesters must renew both their commercial fishing licenses and vessel registrations on an annual basis, whether or not the harvester actively fished or used the vessel for harvesting in that year.

Also, all 2023 Individual Quota (IQ) fees must be paid, with the exception of commercial cod IQ fees. Commercial cod IQ fees are not required to be paid if the licence holder had no directed or incidental landings of cod; however, the groundfish license fee must still be paid each year.

Harvesters who have not yet renewed their licenses for 2023 are reminded that they must complete their license renewals before midnight, Sunday, December 31, 2023. It is very important to be aware that any licenses and registrations that are not renewed before this date will not be available in the following year - these licences will be cancelled.

As well, DFO advises fish harvesters based in the Newfoundland and Labrador Region that the National Online Licensing System (NOLS) will not be available for renewal of 2023 fishing licenses after midnight Sunday, December 31. This is to allow for year-end data updating processes and system maintenance.

Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO) launched the National Online Licensing System in the spring of 2013 for fish harvesters to complete routine licensing transactions using a computer with internet access. This includes: renewing licenses and vessel registrations; paying the associated fees; and printing licenses, license conditions, payment receipts, and other licensing documents.

For more information about the NOLS system, visit Online Licensing or call 1-877-535-7307 if you need assistance.

Historically, data from fishing activity has been provided to the Department of Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO) via paper logbooks. In recent years, an effort has been made to streamline the process of sharing and collecting information using electronic logbooks applications (ELOGS).

Harvesters in some Quebec fisheries such as lobster, crab and select herring fishing areas are already using ELOGS on a mandatory basis and have been using it for a few years. 

Further advancement of mandatory implementation of ELOGs depends on several factors such as availability of a sufficient number of ELOG products for a fishery, harvester uptake, stakeholder feedback and regional readiness etc. Based on the current analysis of these key factors, no final decision has been made surrounding timelines for mandatory implementation on a national basis; however some regions may designate select fisheries for mandatory implementation. 

At this time, the ELOGs program continues its primarily voluntary use for all fisheries except those mentioned above in Quebec. Harvesters who wish to use a qualified ELOG product are free to do so where a qualified product exists in regions with fisheries onboarded.

DFO remains committed to working with industry as we continue to improve and enhance our catch reporting services.

For any additional questions regarding the National ELOG program, please contact DFO at 1-877-535-7307 or at the following email:  fishing-peche@dfo-mpo.gc.ca.

Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO) advises fish harvesters that the Vessel Monitoring System (VMS) form has been amended.

Wording has been revised and the form has been restructured to clarify the information required regarding the VMS Unit and associated Communication Service Provider (CSP). If this information is unknown when completing the form, please consult your CSP as unique identifiers used for VMS units varies. It is extremely important that unit information is correctly entered as it is required for data to be successfully processed by DFO.

The amended form does not change the current requirements outlined in the condition of licence. This revised form is to be used for future submissions of VMS registration paperwork. There is no requirement to complete and submit this revised form if an older version of the form has previously been submitted to DFO. The updated form will be required when a new submission is necessary as per the circumstances outlined in the condition of licence.

The amended National VMS Form and Instructions are available online at National Vessel Monitoring System

DFO wishes to remind harvesters that Section 61 of the Fisheries Act requires all fishing logs to be completed and submitted to DFO. Please refer to the requirements set out in Schedule 4 of the 2023 commercial fishing licence.

Instructions on how to complete a general log can be found with examples at the beginning of the general logbook.  For further information and questions, harvesters can contact the Email as per Fisher Homeports below.

Logbooks must be returned to the appropriate Area Office according to your homeport.

The addresses for the area offices are as follows:

Homeports in NAFO Division 3L
(Newtown, Bonavista Bay to Point Lance)
Area Statistics Office
Client Service Centre
Fisheries and Oceans Canada
P.O. Box 5667
St. John’s NL A1C 5X1
Email: AreaStats-StJohns@dfo-mpo.gc.ca
StatsSecteur-StJohns@dfo-mpo.gc.ca

______________________________

Homeports in NAFO Divisions 2G, 2H, 2J
(Cape Chidley to Lodge Bay)
Fisheries and Oceans Canada
P.O. Box 7003, STN C
Happy Valley-Goose Bay, NL A0P 1C0
Email: AreaStats-GrandFalls@dfo-mpo.gc.ca
StatsSecteur-GrandFalls@dfo-mpo.gc.ca

________________________________

Homeports in NAFO Divisions 3K
(Belle Isle to Cape Freels South)
Area Statistics Office
Fisheries and Oceans Canada
4A Bayley Street, Suite 200
Grand Falls – Windsor, NL A2A 2T5
Email: AreaStats-GrandFalls@dfo-mpo.gc.ca
StatsSecteur-GrandFalls@dfo-mpo.gc.ca

____________________________________

Homeports in NAFO Divisions 3PS, 3PN, & 4R
(St. Brides to Noddy Bay & L’Anse Au Claire to Cape St. Charles)
Area Statistics Office
Fisheries and Oceans Canada
1 Regent Square
Corner Brook, NL A2H 7K6
Email: AreaStats-CornerBrook@dfo-mpo.gc.ca
StatsSecteur-CornerBrook@dfo-mpo.gc.ca

The Minister has announced a continuation of the closure of Atlantic mackerel commercial and bait fishing in Atlantic Canada and Quebec for the 2023 season to allow the stock to rebuild.

The results of the 2023 Canadian stock assessment found that Atlantic mackerel declined further in the critical zone since the last assessment, with spawning stock biomass at its lowest-observed value. The stock rebuilding potential is currently limited by a collapsed age structure due to overfishing, low recruitment, and high predation pressure.

Please be advised that the recreational and food, social and ceremonial fisheries will remain open. The exemption for the Bluefin tuna fleet to fish for live Atlantic mackerel bait will continue and alternative bait trials will begin this summer. The Department will monitor these fisheries to ensure that removals do not undermine the goal of rebuilding Atlantic mackerel.

Given the current closure in place, fish harvesters holding licences are not required to renew their licences as long as the fishery remains closed. The Department has no intention to cancel any mackerel licence as a result of the continued mackerel fishery closure. Mackerel licence eligibility will continue to be connected to the current licence holders and tracked in the Department’s licensing systems.

The Department is optimistic that the Atlantic mackerel stock can rebuild, and we are committed to supporting the future re-opening of the Atlantic mackerel commercial and bait fisheries.

The Department of Fisheries and Oceans will be hosting an additional Stakeholder Engagement session on Vessel and Related Policies.

The intent of these meetings will be to explore stakeholder concerns with the existing vessel related policies and the extent to which the policies support Owner-Operator.

Specific topics to be discussed include:
- Owner Operator requirements
- Vessel length increases for fleets that remain less than fifty feet (<50’),
- Vessel registration requirements (DFO and Transport Canada),
- Vessel sharing arrangements (e.g. buddy up), and
- Modernizing the Substitute Operator Policy.

In-person engagement session:
St. John’s, NL – May 16th, 2023 9:00 to 5:00
Venue: Comfort Inn Airport Hotel
Address: 106 Airport Rd, St. John’s NL

Virtual access to the session:
Join Zoom Meeting:
Zoom Meeting

or by Phone:
Meeting ID: 853 4393 4033
Passcode: 478125
833 955 1088 Canada Toll-free

"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: danielle.nichols@dfo-mpo.gc.ca

DFO reminds harvesters that the following Marine Conservation Areas remain closed:

Hatton Basin Conservation Area

Hopedale Saddle Closure

Hawke Channel Closure

Funk Island Deep Closure

Northeast Newfoundland Slope Closure

Division 3O Coral Closure

Gilbert Bay Marine Protected Area

Eastport Marine Protected Area

Laurentian Channel Marine Protected Area

These areas have varying fisheries restrictions/prohibitions.

More information on the details of these conservation measures can be found at:

(English) Canada’s marine protected and conserved areas

(French) Aires marines protégées et conservées du Canada

The Regional Director General, Fisheries and Oceans Canada, Newfoundland and Labrador Region gives notice that Variation Orders 2017-304, 2017-307, 2017-308, 2018-011, 2018-012 and 2020-005 have been revoked, and Variation Orders 2023-038, 2023-039, 2023-040, 2023-041, 2023-042, 2023-043, 2023-044, 2023-045, 2023-046, 2023-047, 2023-048, 2023-049, 2023-050, 2023-051, 2023-052, 2023-053, 2023-054, 2023-055, 2023-056, 2023-057, 2023-058 and 2023-059 come into effect on April 27, 2023.

“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: beverly.piccott@dfo-mpo.gc.ca

The Department of Fisheries and Oceans would like to advise that an in-person Outreach meeting will be held in Roddickton-Bide Arm on March 29, 2023 from 1:00 pm – 3:00 pm at the Cross Country Center.

The intent of this meeting is to provide inshore harvesters and other interested stakeholders an opportunity to discuss matters of concern with respect to the various inshore fisheries.

"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: Danielle.Nichols@dfo-mpo.gc.ca

The Department of Fisheries and Oceans is hosting Stakeholder Engagement sessions on Vessel and Related Policies.

The intent of these meetings is to explore stakeholder concerns with the existing vessel related policies and the extent to which the policies support Owner-Operator.

Specific topics to be discussed include:
- vessel length increases for fleets that remain less than fifty feet (<50’),
- vessel registration requirements (DFO and Transport Canada),
- vessel sharing arrangements (e.g. buddy up), and
- modernizing the Substitute Operator Policy.

The second session in the NL Region will take place on Thursday this week. Harvesters can choose to participate in-person or virtually.

Session 2 Location: Gander, NL
Date and Time: Thursday March 23, 2023; 9:00 to 5:00 (lunch break 12:00-1:00)
Venue: Albatross Hotel, (114 Trans-Canada Hwy)
Or
Join Zoom Meeting
Zoom Meeting
1-855 703 8985 Canada Toll-free (Meeting ID: 856 6317 2611 Passcode: 629252)ice

"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: danielle.nichols@dfo-mpo.gc.ca