Notices to Fish Harvesters

Approved March 11,  2026

1. Application

This Conservation Harvesting Plan (CHP) for Scallop applies to the Scallop licence holders from the Magdalen Islands fleet when fishing in the Scallop fishing area no.20. The CHP is in place for the 2026 fishing season.

2. Fishing Areas

Subject to any Variation Orders and based on valid Conditions of licence, the authorized fishing area is Scallop fishing area 20, a coastal area surrounding the Magdalen Islands.

The fishing areas coordinates are listed in the Conditions of licence and are also indicated on the fishing areas maps.

3. Fishing closures

3.1 Sub-area 20E

Sub-area 20E, a refuge area, remains closed to Scallop fishing.

Three areas between Grosse-Ile and East Point, identified as lobster and/or rock crab habitat, are closed to the scallop fishery. These areas are described in the Conditions of licence.

3.2 Shellfish areas

It is important to recall the difference between a fishing area and a shellfish area. The fishing areas that are indicated in the Conditions of licence specify the limits of the fishing territory. The shellfish areas refer to some parts of the coastal territory used by Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO), Environment and Climate Change Canada and the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) in the context of the Canadian Shellfish Sanitation Program (CSSP).

The CSSP has developed an interactive mapping tool to visualize areas open or closed to bivalve shellfish harvesting in Canada. This tool is called SHELLI: (S)hellfish, (H)arvest, (E)xtents, (L)atitude, (L)ongitude, (I)nformation. It is available online at the following address: www.dfo-mpo.gc.ca/CheckBeforeYouHarvest.

Before going fishing in a shellfish area, DFO reminds fishers that it is their responsibility to check the condition of the shellfish areas in order to avoid fishing in areas that are closed for contamination. Information on these shellfish areas is available online at the above address. A fisher could therefore hold a valid fishing licence from DFO for a fishing area, but would not be authorized to fish if the corresponding shellfish sector(s) were not open for shellfish harvesting.

3.3 Coral and sponge Conservation Areas in the Estuary and Gulf of St. Lawrence

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

4. Fishing Seasons

Scallop fishing is authorised from 5:00 h to 21:00 h, Monday to Sunday.

The planned opening dates are as follows:

Sub-areas 20A, 20B and 20C: from March 21 to July 31

Sub-area 20F: from March 21 to October 31

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 infustry 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. Number of licences and access

There are 21 licence holders in Scallop Fishing Area No. 20.

6. Management Regime

Sub-area 20A: Control of fishing effort by the total number of authorized fishing days

Sub-areas 20B, 20C, 20F: Competitive fishing regime

6.1 Allocations

Sub-area 20A:

Starting 2019, each licence holder will be allocated a minimum of 4.3480% of the total number of fishing days.

The total number of fishing days authorized in sub-area 20A is 230 days for the fishing season 2026.

These fishing days may be divided into half fishing days. A half fishing day means a period of time between 5:00 h and 13:00 h or 13:00 h and 21:00 h during which there has been at least one dredge tow.

From 2026, fishing days may be divided in quarter days. A quarter-day means a period of time between 5:00 h and 9:00 h, 9:00 h and 13:00 h, 13:00 h and 17:00 h or 17:00 h  to 21:00 h during which there has been at least one dredge tow.

6.2 Temporary and permanent transfers

Temporary transfer of fishing days, sub-area 20A: a licence holder may transfer up to 50% of his (her) fishing days to one or several Area 20 Scallop licence holders. These transfers are temporary (for one management year) and do not affect the licence holder’s initial allocation for the following year.

Permanent transfer of fishing days, sub-area 20A: Starting 2016, permanent transfers of fishing days (partial or full) to one or several Area 20 Scallop licence holders are authorised under the following conditions:

• Minimum number of fishing days required to remain in the fishery: The minimum number of fishing days that a licence holder must hold is 4.3478% of the total number of fishing days allocated to the fleet.
• Maximum number of fishing days authorised: The maximum number of fishing days that a licence holder may hold is 8.6956% of the total number of fishing days granted to the fleet.

6.3 Quota reconciliation

Any overrun of fishing days incurred by a licence holder during a fishing season will be deducted from the licence holder`s number of fishing days for the following season, on a one-for-one basis.

7. Catch management

7.1 Characteristics of authorized catches

The minimum size authorized for giant scallop is 100 mm. It is therefore forbidden to catch and retain or have on board a fishing vessel any scallops the number of meats of which exceeds an average count of 30 meats per 500 g.

7.2 Discarding Incidental Catches

Any fish caught incidentally must be returned to the water and released in the exact capture location and, if the fish is still alive, with as little harm as possible.

8. Fishing Gear

8.1 Characteristics of Fishing Gear

Scallop drag, the total width of all baskets not exceeding 7.32 metres (24 feet).

Rings used in the composition of the dredge baskets must respect the minimum diameter of 8.9 cm (3½ inches). Rubber washers that link the rings together are not authorized on the side of the baskets. This section commonly named « side of the basket » is the part that links the back to the belly of the basket.

An additional dredge basket can be kept on board the fishing boat.

8.2 Requirement to Report Lost and Retrieved Gear

The licence holder and fishing vessel operator must report any loss or recovery of fishing gear. Reports regarding the loss or recovery of gear must be submitted to DFO through the Online Fishing Gear Reporting System or by completing and submitting the Fishing Gear Loss Report Form or the Previously Lost Gear Recovery Report Form, which are available online and attached to the Conditions of licence.

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 in accordance with the Conditions of Licence. To do so, 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 on the Report a marine mammal or sea turtle incident or sighting page and attached to the Conditions of licence, and it must be submitted as per the instructions provided on the form.

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

10.1 Logbook

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

10.1.1 Combined Form / Logbook

Licence holders should obtain their Combined Forms booklet from DFO prequalified suppliers, a list of which is available at: Prequalified Logbook Suppliers (dfo-mpo.gc.ca)

The logbook section of the Combined Form must be duly completed before arrival at the dock. The licence holder is required to send, without exception, his completed Combined Form to the Fisheries and Oceans Canada office in his sector after each landing.

10.1.2 Electronic logbook

The use of an electronic logbook (Elog) is optional in 2026. Fish harvesters must use a client application approved by Fisheries and Oceans Canada for the Quebec region for the form  ELOG – Logbook – Bivalve Mollusks, Squid and Whelk. 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 your 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.

10.2 Hail in

Before the beginning of a fishing trip, the licence holder must have entered into an agreement with a dockside monitoring company legally designated by Fisheries and Oceans Canada for the hail in. The licence holder must contact this same company at least one hour prior to the expected time of arrival at port for a landing.

10.3 Vessel Monitoring System (VMS)

Vessels must be equipped with an active vessel monitoring system (VMS) approved by Fisheries and Oceans Canada. Each licence holder must register his DFO-approved VSM unit prior to the beginning of his fishing activities. Data transmission every 5 minutes is required.

The current list of DFO-approved VMS units and the procedure and form to register a VMS unit are available at National Vessel Monitoring System page.

10.4 Partial landings

Partial landings will no longer be permitted from the 2026 season.

11. Particularities Applicable to the Fishery

11.1 Characteristics and Use of Boats

Vessels with a length overall less than 15.24 metres (50 feet) may be used.

11.2 Buddy-up

Buddy-up between two licence holders is authorized upon request to Fisheries and Oceans Canada. Both licence holders will be issued a buddy-up authorization and must be on board the fishing vessel used for the duration of the agreement.

Licence holders benefiting from a buddy-up agreement will be jointly responsible for any violation committed during fishing activities resulting from their agreement, if applicable.

12. 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 derivative of a wildlife species designated as extirpated, endangered or threatened.

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).

13. Crew registry

All independent core licence holder and their approved designated operators must keep records of all the crew members working aboard the vessel on every fishing trip in accordance with its Conditions of licence. 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, New inshore regulations or contact the licensing office at 1-877-535-7307 or fishing-peche@dfo-mpo.gc.ca.

14. Discharge of waste

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 Notice to Fish harvesters : New condition of licence relating to discharge of garbage.

15. Conditions of licence

To obtain their Conditions of licence, fish harvester 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 :

Magdalen Island area : 418-986-2095

For additional information

Please visit our Fisheries web page (dfo-mpo.gc.ca).