Notices to Fish Harvesters
Announcement of the opening of the Area 12A snow crab fishery
Gaspé – March 27, 2026
Fisheries and Oceans Canada - Quebec Region announces that the opening date for the snow crab fishery in Area 12A for the 2026 season has been set for March 31 at 5:00 a.m. (EDT), following consultations with First Nations and the industry.
The management measures are set forth in the Conservation Harvesting Plan, which was approved on March 19, 2026, and is available on our website.
It should be reminded that it is the responsibility of the captain to acquaint himself with the marine safety notices published by Environment and climate change Canada and Transport Canada as well as with the standards and best practices in marine safety and to take all measures necessary to insure a safe fishery during the period where fishing is authorized.
Licence Conditions
In order to obtain the Conditions of License, anglers must access the National Permit System online. For assistance with the National Online Licensing System, please contact customer support by phone at 1-877-535-7307 or by email at fishing-peche@dfo-mpo.gc.ca.
For additional information
Please visit our website at the following address: https://inter-l01-uat.dfo-mpo.gc.ca/infoceans/en
Julie Bernier
Ressource Management
Fisheries and Oceans Canada
Gaspé-Lower St. Lawrence area: 1-877-898-5559
Note: In case of discrepancies between the English and the French versions, the latter prevail.