PUBLIC NOTICES

DFO advises that the Minister approved management measures for the Atlantic Mackerel recreational fishery for 2025 and 2026.

Please be advised that when fishing recreationally for Atlantic Mackerel, the following management measure is in effect to support rebuilding of the stock:

1.    Reduction in the gear allowance to 1 line and 3 hooks when fishing Atlantic Mackerel recreationally. 

Fisheries and Oceans Canada will vary the gear allowance which prohibits recreational fishing with more than 5 lines or 1 fishing line with 6 hooks, as outlined in Section 49.01(d) of the Atlantic Fishery Regulations, 1985, to 1 line and 3 hooks to reduce effort in the recreational fishery.

"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 Minister approved management measures for the Atlantic Mackerel recreational fishery for 2025 and 2026.

Please be advised that when fishing recreationally for Atlantic Mackerel, the following management measure is in effect to limit dead discards and support rebuilding of the stock:

1.    No minimum size requirement when fishing Atlantic mackerel recreationally. 

Fisheries and Oceans Canada will vary the minimum size for possession of Atlantic Mackerel from 26.8 cm, as outlined in Section 49.01(b) of the Atlantic Fishery Regulations, 1985, to 0 cm in length. This would mean that recreational harvesters can retain any size fish caught up to their daily possession limit of 20 Mackerel without discarding large numbers of undersized fish that typically die after release.

"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 reopening 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 Tuesday, May 6, 2025 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-2024-002 has been repealed effective 1600 hours on May 6, 2025.  

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

Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO) advises the public of the reopening 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 Tuesday, May 6, 2025 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-2024-002 has been repealed effective 1600 hours on May 6, 2025.  

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

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 

Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO) advises the public of the re-opening for the harvesting of all bivalve shellfish including 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, (except sea scallops), northern moon snails, waved whelks, and Stimpson's whelks for recreational or commercial purposes, if open and authorized to fish, in the following areas effective 1600 hours on March 25, 2025:

Those coastal waters from Francois (at Lat 47.56906 Long -56.71278), to Lat 47.17213 Long -56.00214 to Stones Cove at (Lat 47.57731 Long - 55.11963).

More detailed information on these closed areas can be obtained from the nearest DFO office or the following website:  CheckBeforeYouHarvest

The Regional Director General, Fisheries and Oceans Canada, Newfoundland and Labrador Region gives notice that Prohibition Order NSN-2025-001 has been repealed effective 1600 hours on March 25, 2025.

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

Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO) advises the public of the closure for the harvesting of all bivalve shellfish including Arctic wedge clams, 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, (except sea scallops), northern moon snails, waved whelks, and Stimpson's whelks for recreational or commercial purposes in the following areas effective 1800 hours on March 3, 2025:

Those coastal waters from Francois (at Lat 47.56906 Long -56.71278), to Lat 47.17213 Long -56.00214 to Stones Cove at (Lat 47.57731 Long - 55.11963). 

As a result, there is reason to believe that the sanitary conditions of the adjacent marine waters may have degraded to the point where accepted water quality standards have been exceeded and the contamination of the water would likely pose a risk to public health if shellfish in the affected area were harvested for consumption.

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-2025-001 comes into effect at 1800 hours on March 3, 2025.

In accordance with Appendix VIII of the CSSP Manual of Operations, these areas must remain closed for a minimum of seven days. There will be a Public Notice when the closure is lifted.

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

DFO will be delivering online Humane Harvesting Workshops for persons interested in obtaining a Personal Use Seal licence.

Workshops will be delivered virtually/online using Zoom. Sessions will be approximately 1 hour.

The workshop is available at no cost, and participants will need the following information:

    Valid photo ID

    Valid FAC or Hunter's Capability card

Registered participants will be sent an email confirming the date and time, and a Zoom link to join the online session.

To pre-register, submit an email request to: DFO.SealHumaneHarvestingNL-PhoqueslachassesanscruateTNL.MPO@dfo-mpo.gc.ca

"Notices to 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 Public” 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 will be held throughout the Region in the coming weeks.

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

The Labrador meeting schedule is as follows:

RESCHEDULED FOR Tuesday, February 4, 2025 – Fifty Plus Club, Cartwright: 1:00 pm

Wednesday, January 15, 2025 – Alexis Hotel, Port Hope Simpson: 1:00 pm

Please note that there will be virtual meetings scheduled at a later date for those unable to attend in-person meetings.

"Notices to 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 Public” 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 will be held throughout the Region in the coming weeks.

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

The Labrador meeting schedule is as follows:

Tuesday, January 14, 2025 – Fifty Plus Club, Cartwright: 1:00 pm

Wednesday, January 15, 2025 – Alexis Hotel, Port Hope Simpson: 1:00 pm

Please note that there will be virtual meetings scheduled at a later date for those unable to attend in-person meetings.

"Notices to 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 Public” sent directly to you by email please contact: miranda.pryor@dfo-mpo.gc.ca