Notices to Fish Harvesters

ATLANTIC HALIBUT– 4RST – LOWER ST. LAWRENCE – GASPÉ PENINSULA FIXED GEAR OF UNDER 13.71 M LOBSTER GROUP 2025-2026 SEASON

Date of Notice

Approved July 4, 2025

1.    Application

This Conservation Harvesting Plan (CHP) for Atlantic halibut applies to the Gaspe peninsula fixed gear fleet of less than 13.71 m licence holders of the Lobster fishers group when conducting Atlantic halibut fishing activities in Divisions 4RST of the Northwest Atlantic Fisheries Organization (NAFO) from May 15, 2025 to May 14, 2026. 

It should be noted that: 

  • this CHP is subject to change following ministerial decisions; 
  • directed fishing for any other groundfish species will require a separate CHP;
  • when fishing in a NAFO division other than those indicated in this CHP, the CHP for that division applies;
  • the target species during a fishing trip is the species for which the fisher holds valid Conditions of licence;
  • round weight is the weight prior to processing of any kind.

2.    Fishing Areas

Based on valid Licence conditions and subject to a Variation order, licence holders are authorized to fish Atlantic halibut in NAFO Divisions 4RST.
The fishing areas coordinates are listed in the Conditions of licence and are also indicated on the fishing areas maps, which are available at the following address: 
Commercial Fisheries


3.    Fishing closures 

3.1    Protection of fish during spawn and cod concentrations 

Protecting fish during their spawning period and in areas where there are concentrations of juveniles is a priority that the Department and the industry consider very important for the recovery of the Cod stock in the Gulf of St. Lawrence. The following conservation measures apply:

  • From April 1 to June 23
    • Closure of groundfish fisheries in part of the NAFO Division 4R off shore from St. George’s Bay and Port-au-Port Bay, which is recognized as a spawning area. 
  • From January 1 to December 31 
    • Closure of directed Atlantic halibut fisheries in NAFO Subdivisions 4T7; 
    • Closure of groundfish fisheries in part of NAFO Subdivision 4T5 (Shediac Valley), which is recognized as a juvenile area;
    • Permanent closure of groundfish fisheries in part of Subdivision 4T3 (Miscou Bank), which is a recognized Cod concentration area. However, the area of the Miscou Bank delineated by a line that joins points 2, 5, 6, 7, 8 and 2 below, is open to the Atlantic halibut fixed gear fishery from June 24 to December 31. Please refer to the following positions :
  1. 48º15'00" N   64º22'00" W
  2. 47º52'00" N   64º22'00" W
  3. 47º52'00" N   64º02'00" W
  4. 48º15'00" N   64º02'00" W
  5. 48º09'00" N   64º22'00" W
  6. 48º09'00" N   64º10'00" W
  7. 47º55'00" N   64º10'00" W
  8. 47º52'00" N   64º15'00" W

Note: The lines joining points 1, 2, 3, 4 and 1 (in that order) represent the permanently closed area, which is known as the Miscou box.
The lines joining points 2, 5, 6, 7, 8 and 2 (in that order) represent the area open to the directed halibut fishery from June 24 to December 31.

3.2    Coral and Sponge Conservation Areas in the Estuary and Gulf of St. Lawrence

On December 15, 2017, Fisheries and Oceans Canada created eleven coral and sponge conservation areas in the Estuary and Gulf of St. Lawrence in order to protect areas with high concentrations of sponges and sea pens.
All fishing activities that use bottom-contact gear or gear designed to come into contact with the sea bed, including but not limited to bottom trawls, dredges, gillnets, bottom longlines, bottom seines and traps, are forbidden in the conservation areas.
For more information and maps of the eleven coral and sponge conservation areas, please visit the dedicated DFO website: Coral and sponge conservation measures in the Estuary and Gulf of St. Lawrence. 

3.3    Banc-des-Américains Marine Protected Area

On March 6, 2019, Fisheries and Oceans Canada created, jointly with the Quebec government, the Banc-des-Américains Marine Protected Area (MPA) in order to the ensure the conservation and protection of this marine ecosystem.
Provisions of the Banc-des-Américains Marine Protected Area Regulations apply to licence holders. In order to comply with them, please refer to the clauses that apply to your fishing activities: Banc-des-Américains Marine Protected Area Regulations

3.4    Temporary closure for Atlantic Halibut directed fishery 

Licence holders are advised of the continued temporary closure of part of the 4T division, considering the excessive by-catch of cod previously observed. This area will remain closed until further notice, and is bounded by straight lines delineated by the following points:

  1. 49°02’00" N   64°10’00" W
  2. 48°31’00" N   62°37’00" W
  3. 48°23’00" N   63°08’00" W
  4. 48°46’00" N   64°10’00" W
  5. 49°02’00" N   64°10’00" W

4.    Fishing Seasons

Following discussions with representatives of the fishing associations concerned, the fishing effort will be deployed in two periods: 

  • a “summer fishery” authorized from July 8, 2025 at 4:30 a.m. (EDT) to September 29, 2025 at 11:59 p.m. (EDT); 
  • a 4-week “spring fishery” will be authorized in spring 2026, dates to be confirmed.

The above fishing seasons will be in effect for the duration of this CHP. They represent the maximum duration of fishing periods, subject among other things to orders and specific closure periods. Opening dates may vary according to particular circumstances such as industry requests and the TAC announcement while closing dates may be advanced according to factors such as the reach of quotas or when risks of exceeding them are high. 
Opening and closing fishing dates of each fleet will be confirmed through usual communication means, particularly Notices to Fish Harvesters or Variation Orders.
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.

5.    Management Regime

A management system with individual transferable quotas (ITQs) applies to the fleets identified in section 1.
The administrative guidelines for the 4RST Atlantic Halibut ITQ program – Gaspe peninsula fixed gear fleet less than 13.71 m (Lobster group fleet) are included in the regional directive, available on the DFO Quebec Region website at the following address: REGIONAL GUIDELINES FOR THE MANAGEMENT OF INDIVIDUAL TRANSFERABLE QUOTA PROGRAMS
Please note that the maximum ITQ limit that a participant can hold by permanent transfer under this program is increased to 2.7522% of the fleet allocation.

5.1    Quotas

The Atlantic halibut allocation for Divisions 4RST comes in part from the basic allocation granted to Gulf fixed-gear fleets < 19.81 m, from a portion of the mobile-gear fleet allocation (207.89 t) transferred to inshore fixed-gear fleets, and from the carryover of quota from the residual 2024-2025 mobile-gear fleet allocation (86.25 t), in accordance with established sharing formulas.
On April 15, 2016, under the coordination of the Ministère de l’Agriculture, des Pêcheries et de l’Alimentation du Québec (MAPAQ), representatives of fixed gear groundfish licence holders associations have agreed to a sharing agreement for the global Atlantic halibut quota of the three Quebec geographic fleets. This agreement was recognized by the Department of Fisheries and Oceans Canada and confirms an adjustment to the shares of Quebec geographic fleets and their relative shares of the Quebec allocation according to the following percentage:

  • Quebec North Coast = 18.4277%;
  • Gaspésie = 66.9401%;
  • Îles-de-la-Madeleine = 14.6322%.

Any additional allocations to Quebec fixed-gear fleets will be shared according to these same percentages.
For 2025-2026, the overall quota allocated to Quebec's three geographical fleets corresponds to 1,496.27 t. The sharing of this quota therefore corresponds to :

  • Quebec North Coast = 275.727 t;
  • Gaspésie = 1001.604 t;
  • Îles-de-la-Madeleine = 218.937 t.

For the Gaspésie sector, a permanent sharing agreement between the 13.71 m and over fleet and the less than 13.71 m Gaspé  fleet is established at 63.5% : 36.5% respectively, the allocation for the Gaspé fleet under 13.71 m corresponds to 365.585 t.
In accordance with the permanent sharing agreements between the Gaspe peninsula fleets under 13.71 m, the Lobster fishers group share corresponds to 27.75% or 101.45 t for the 2025-2026 season.

5.2    Quota reconciliation

Under quota reconciliation, any quota overrun in a given year, whether within an ITQ regime or in a competitive fishery, is deducted on a one-for-one basis from the following season's established quota.
Quota reconciliation facilitates the management of all fisheries and helps ensure that harvest limits are respected. It contributes to achieving resource conservation objectives, ensuring that quota overruns by one fleet or fisherman do not affect others, and making the industry more accountable for conservation goals.
In 2025-2026, temporary transfers of Atlantic halibut ITQ will be prohibited. This exceptional measure, initiated in 2023-2024 to promote fleet rationalization, has been extended for a final year.
In addition, when fishing under ITQ, it is the licensee's responsibility to respect the quantity allocated to him (ITQ).

5.3    Carry forward of quota

The carryover of the residual Atlantic halibut quota from the 2024-2025 management year is authorized in 2025-2026, up to a maximum of 15% of the initial quota established at the start of the management cycle that began on May 15, 2024.

6.    Minimum Catch Size

The minimum commercial size for Atlantic halibut is 85 cm.

7.    Fishing Gear

The authorized fishing gear is the longline.

7.1    Number of Authorized Fishing Gear

The number of hooks authorized varies according to the allocation held by the licensee as follows:

  • From 0 to 749 kg: 900 hooks allowed. 
  • For 750 kg and over: 1,500 hooks allowed.

It is prohibited to have more fishing gear on board the vessel than the maximum allowed for fishing under the allocation held.

7.2    Characteristics of Authorized Fishing Gear

Longline hooks must have an opening equal to or greater than 15.4 mm.

7.3    Hauling and sauking time

It is the responsibility of licence holders to ensure that the immersion time of their fishing gear never exceeds 72 hours.

7.4    Fishing Tags and Additional Identification of Buoys

In addition to the regulatory requirement to mark buoys with the vessel registration number (VRN), licence holders are required to add a sequential number on each primary buoy in order to be able to individually identify each fishing gear. This additional requirement will help identify and retrieve lost gear and could also help identify the sector where a NARW may have become entangled.
The sequential number shall be solid block Arabic numerals:

  • Without ornamentation; 
  • Written in a smaller or bigger font size than the VRN so as to be capable of differentiating the number from the VRN; and 
  • In a colour that contrasts with the buoy’s colour.

7.5    Amount of Rope Floating on the Surface of the Water

The following requirements are in place to minimize the length of rope floating on the surface of the water and reduce the risk of North Atlantic Right Whales entanglements: 

  • A maximum of 6.4 metres (3.5 fathoms) of rope shall be used when attaching  secondary buoys to a primary buoy. 
  • At the exception of the rope attaching secondary buoys, no rope shall float on the surface of the water at any time. 

Note: A primary buoy is defined as a buoy or other floating device attached to a fishing gear. A secondary buoy is defined as a buoy or other floating device attached to a primary buoy.

7.6    Gear Marking

Licence holders using fixed gear must mark the rope used to attach a fishing gear to a primary buoy with colours specific to the region, targeted species and fishing area in which they are authorized to fish. This requirement is intended to facilitate the identification of the area where an entanglement has occurred.

  • Groundfish (longline) : Green-Pink

The gear marking requirement consisting of interlacing different coloured twine sections within existing rope must be implemented as follows:

  1. The first colour to identify specific Region – to be interlaced on the same segment of rope as the second colour.
  2. The second colour to identify target Species – to be interlaced on the same segment of rope as the first colour.

The above coloured twine markings must be permanently interlaced within the rope. Each coloured twine must be interlaced in the rope on a minimum length of 15 cm. The use of paint or tape is not an admissible alternative to twine.
For more information
The minimum requirements regarding the number and position of colour markings are detailed in the Conditions of licence. Please refer to the Notice to Fish Harvesters of August 14, 2020 available at the following link: Notice to Fish Harvesters

7.7    Requirement to Report Lost and Retrieved Gear

Lost gear reporting 
Lost fishing gear is defined as any active fishing gear previously set by the licence holder and fishing vessel operator which was sought but not found.

Lost fishing gear must be reported within 24 hours of returning to port at the end of the fishing trip. Reports of lost gear must be submitted to Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO) through the FISHING GEAR Reporting system available online at Fishing Gear Reporting System  or by completing the Lost fishing gear form available online at Reporting requirements for commercial fisheries  or in Annex of Conditions of licence, according to instructions on the form.

If the licence holder and fishing vessel operator are using an Electronic logbook, lost fishing gear must be reported to Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO) within 24 hours of returning to port at the end of the fishing trip. Reports of lost gear must be submitted to Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO) by completing the section reserved for that purpose in its electronic logbook. The licence holder and fishing vessel operator can also use the reporting methods indicated in the previous paragraph. 

Retrieved gear reporting
The licence holder and fishing vessel operator must report the retrieval of any of their own previously reported lost gear within 24 hours of returning to port at the end of the fishing trip. Reports of retrieved gear must be submitted to Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO) through the Fishing gear reporting system available online at Fishing Gear Reporting System  or by completing the Retrieval of previously reported lost fishing gear form available online at Reporting requirements for commercial fisheries or in Annex of Conditions of licence, according to instructions on the form. Retrieval can only occur during the validity period of the Conditions of licence and only in relation to the specific type of gear authorized to be used by the Conditions of licence.

If the licence holder and fishing vessel operator are using an Electronic logbook , the retrieval of any of their own previously reported lost gear must be reported within 24 hours of returning to port at the end of the fishing trip. Reports of retrieved gear must be submitted to Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO) by completing the section reserved for that purpose in its electronic logbook. The licence holder and fishing vessel operator can also use the reporting methods indicated in the previous paragraph.

8.    What to Do if You Observe a North Atlantic Right Whale

First of all, it is important to maintain a minimum distance of 100 meters from the animal and 200 meters if the whale is accompanied by a calve. Details regarding sightings of live and free-swimming right whales may be provided to DFO at: XMARWhalesightings@dfo-mpo.gc.ca or by phone at 1-844-800-8568. If you observe this species, please send us your contact information and information about the sighting (date, time, geographical position, number of individuals, etc.). If possible, you can also send us photos or videos.
If you see a right whale entangled in fishing gear, you should not under any circumstances attempt to release it on your own. The behaviour of an entangled individual is unpredictable and dangerous. You should contact "Marine Mammal Emergencies" at 1-877-722-5346 as soon as possible to share information that will help to organize an appropriate response by experts (time and position of the entangled animal, behaviour of the individual, details on the weather and the state of the sea, etc.).

9.    Marine Mammal Interaction Reporting

Licence holders and fishing vessel operators must provide information regarding all interactions with a marine mammal that occur during fishing expeditions including: bycatch, collisions and all sightings of entangled marine mammals, within 48 hours after the end of a fishing trip. To do this, the licence holder and fishing vessel operator must complete the section reserved for that purpose in its ELOG or the marine mammal interaction form available online at Report a marine mammal or sea turtle incident or sighting and attached to the Conditions of licence, and it must be submitted as per the instructions provided on the form.
The information provided will be used by the Department of Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO) to estimate levels of accidental mortality and injury to marine mammals. This information will allow DFO to better assess the types of threats that may affect Canada's marine mammals and to develop mitigation strategies.
In addition, if you observe a dead or distressed animal, please contact Marine Mammal Emergencies as soon as possible at 1-877-722-5346. If possible, do not hesitate to take photos or videos that will allow DFO to assess the situation and identify the species.

10.    Fishing Activities Declaration and Monitoring 

Licence holders must keep a true record of their fishing activities and catches in their Combined form or in their Electronic logbook.

10.1    Combined form / Logbook

Fishermen must acquire their booklet of Combined Forms from a prequalified supplier, identified by DFO, whose list is available at the following address: Prequalified completed it according to the instructions specified in the document and provide it to the dockside observer, or any other person designated by DFO, at landing. 
The logbook portion of this form must be properly completed each fishing day before docking

10.2    Electronic logbook

The use of an electronic logbook (Elog) is optional in 2025. Fish harvesters must use a client application approved by Fisheries and Oceans Canada for the Quebec region for the form  ELOG – Logbook – Groundfish. Furthermore, fish harvesters must have obtained and installed their Elog Key in their client application in order to allow data transmission to the Department. 
The Elog must be completed for each fishing expedition and “closed” before arriving at port. A fishing expedition means a voyage that commences at the time a fishing vessel leaves a port to engage in fishing and terminates at the time fish caught during that period are offloaded. Hence, when a fisher goes back to port for a reason other than for offloading fish and leaves port again, the fishing expedition goes on until fish are offloaded.
To consult the list of client applications approved by the Department and to obtain you Elog key, visit Fisheries and Ocean’s web page at the following address: Electronic logbooks (ELOGs)

To request a modification to data that has been transmitted to Fisheries and Oceans, you must communicate with the client support service at 1-877-535-7307.

10.3    Vessel Monitoring System

No Vessel Monitoring System (VMS) requirements are in effect for the 2025-2026 fishing season. 
Contrary to the Notices to Fishers issued on July 12, 2023 and January 24, 2024 for the Gaspé fixed-gear fleet under 13.71 m (Groupe des Homardiers), Vessel Monitoring Systems (VMS) will be mandatory for the directed Atlantic halibut fishery starting with the 2026-2027 fishing season.

10.4    Hail out

Hail out are mandatory for all participants.
Licence holders are required to contact the vessel hail-out system before 19:00 the day before each fishing trip.

10.5    At-sea Observer

The industry-funded At-Sea Observer Program is based on a minimum coverage of 10% of Greenland halibut and Atlantic halibut fishing trips. 
The licence holder must have entered into an at-sea observer coverage agreement with a company designated by DFO-Quebec Region prior to the start of a fishing trip.
If an individual or a fleet is suspected of discarding groundfish at sea, in addition to other regulatory options including fishing closures and legal proceedings, there may be an increase in at-sea observer coverage.
The list of accredited and designated companies is available on the DFO website : List of Qualified and Designated Companies

10.6    Dockside Monitoring

The Dockside Monitoring Program (DMP) is mandatory for 100% of landings.
Prior to the start of a fishing trip, licence holders must have entered into an agreement with a dockside monitoring company legally designated by DFO, a list of which is available at Monitoring Programs
Landings must be made at one of the designated ports appearing on the list published on the DFO website: Designated Dockside Monitoring Ports
Additional information on designated ports is also available at Map of small craft harbours.
When using an Electronic Logbook, you must communicate your unique Electronic Logbook Identifier to the Dockside Monitoring Company before hail in and also provide it to the dockside observer.

11.    Catch Management

11.1    Bycatch Protocols

By-catch is determined by dividing the round weight of the by-catch species by the round weight of the target species. 
The authorized groundfish by-catch limits per fishing trip in NAFO Divisions 4RST are :

  • Cod 4T: Largest of 30% or 45 kg per fishing trip.
  • Greenland halibut: 3% per fishing trip for anglers who do not hold an ITQ for this species.
  • White hake: 5% per fishing trip.
  • Shark: The lesser of 10% or 500 kg. When shark catches are landed and weighed, at least part of the tail fin must be attached to the shark carcass. Also, the pelvic fins (two fins placed on either side of the cloaca or anal region) must remain intact and attached to the carcass.
  • For all other groundfish species not listed above, the limit is 10% per fishing trip.

Fishermen must ensure that they have the necessary ITQs to cover the bycatch likely to be caught on their fishing trip.
If bycatch limits per fishing trip are exceeded, the fishery may be closed and legal proceedings initiated.
If licensees enter an ITQ fishery for any groundfish species in 2025-2026, bycatches of these species will be deducted from the respective fisher's ITQs.

11.2    Small Fish Protocol

The minimum size of fish relative to the small fish protocol is :

  • Cod : 43 cm
  • American plaice : 30 cm
  • Witch flounder : 30 cm
  • White hake : 45 cm
  • Winter flounder / Yellowtail flounder : 25 cm
  • Atlantic halibut : 85 cm
  • Greenland halibut : 44 cm
  • Redfish : 22 cm

Areas may be closed to fishing for certain sectors of the fleet when the number of undersized fish reaches 15% of catches of any of the above species.
Any Atlantic halibut under 85 cm must be returned to the water immediately, and if still alive, in a way that causes the least possible injury.

11.3    Catch monitoring and test fisheries

Small fish and bycatch closures are for a minimum duration of 10 days. The cost of conducting all test fisheries is borne by the industry. If a fishery is closed, it will not reopen until DFO feels that it can be effectively monitored and controlled. If a fishery is closed twice during the same year because of high levels of small fish or incidental catch, the fishery may remain closed for the remainder of the year.

12.    Particularities Applicable to the Fishery

12.1    Characteristics and Use of Boats

Vessels with an overall length (LOA) less than 15.24 m can be used, regardless of their cubic number.
Unless there are exceptional circumstances, only boat rentals between Lobster Group licensees will be permitted.

12.2    Partnership

Not applicable.

12.3    Conversion rate

The conversion rate from eviscerated Atlantic halibut weight to round (whole) fish weight is 1.14. 

13.    Species At Risk Act 


Pursuant to the Species at Risk Act, no person shall kill, harm, harass, capture, take, possess, collect, buy, sell or trade an individual or any part or derivate of a wildlife species designated as extirpated, endangered or threatened. 
At the time this Conservation Harvesting Plan is promulgated, the Estuary and Gulf of St. Lawrence species susceptible to being captured are the following: the Spotted Wolffish, the Northern Wolffish, the Leatherback Turtle, the Striped Bass (St. Lawrence River population) and exceptionally the White Shark (Atlantic population). New species could be added during the course of the year.
At the time this Conservation Harvesting Plan is promulgated, the Estuary and Gulf of St. Lawrence species susceptible to being captured are the following: the Spotted Wolffish, the Northern Wolffish, the Leatherback Turtle and the Striped Bass (St. Lawrence River population). New species could be added during the course of the year.
All incidental captures of species at risk must be immediately returned to the water where they were captured and, if the animal is still alive, in the manner that causes it the least harm. All incidental captures of species at risk must be recorded in the « Species at Risk » section of the logbook. Furthermore, all interactions with species at risk, notably the North Atlantic Right Whale, the Blue Whale (Atlantic population), the Beluga Whale (St. Lawrence Estuary population) and the White Shark (Atlantic population), must be recorded in this section of the logbook. 
These requirements are additional to any obligation to declare an interaction with a marine mammal using the prescribed form (see section Marine mammal interaction reporting).

14.    Crew registry

Since April 1st, 2021, inshore commercial licence holders, and their approved Substitute Operators, must keep records of all the crew members working aboard the vessel on every fishing trip. These records must be maintained by the licence holder for a period of five (5) years. This requirement does not apply to pre-1979 corporation licence and to any licence issued under the authority of the Aboriginal Communal Fishing Licences Regulations. For further details, refer to the March 17th, 2021 Notice to Fish Harvesters at Notices to Fish Harvesters or contact the Licensing Office at 1-877-535-7307 or fishing-peche@dfo-mpo.gc.ca.

15.    Discharge of waste

Since 2022, all commercial fisheries in Canada have a new condition of licence relating to the discharge of garbage from Canadian fishing vessels. The licence holder and fishing vessel operator are prohibited from discarding in Canadian fisheries waters from their vessel any item that may be harmful to fish or fish habitat . Please refer to the following NEW CONDITION OF LICENCE RELATING TO DISCHARGE OF GARBAGE

16.    Conditions of licence

To obtain their Conditions of licence, fish harvesters must access the National Online Licensing System. For National Online Licensing System assistance, please contact customer support by phone at 1 877 535-7307 or by email at fishing-peche@dfo-mpo.gc.ca. 

Note: In the event of a discrepancy between the French and English versions of the CHP, the French version shall prevail.

Approved by:

Maryse Lemire
Fisheries Management Regional Director
Fisheries and Oceans Canada
Quebec

For any question regarding this CHP 

You may call at :

Gaspé-Lower St. Lawrence area:

1-877-898-5559

For additional information

Please visit our website at the following address: Fisheries.