MACKEREL – AREA 15 AND 16 – GULF OF ST-LAWRENCE

2026

Subject: Opening of the second portion of the Atlantic mackerel bait fishery for the 2026 season

Québec – August 11, 2026

Fisheries and Oceans Canada – Quebec Region announces the opening of the competitive, personal-use Atlantic mackerel bait fishery on August 17, 2026 in all Mackerel Fishing Areas.

An additional opening is tentatively scheduled for early October, and will be communicated separately. These openings implement the additional bait fishing access announced by the Department on July 3, 2026.

For additional information, please refer to the DFO News Release.

Participating harvesters will be restricted to a daily limit of 454 kg (1 000 lbs) to be fished by either gillnet or handline. Monitoring will be achieved using various measures, including a 100% hail-in requirement in all regions.

Additional information related to conditions of licence will be available through the National Online Licensing System.

For additional information

Contact your area office at the telephone number below. You can also visit our website

Mathieu Pellerin

Resource management

Fisheries and Oceans Canada

mathieu.pellerin@dfo-mpo.gc.ca

Québec (Québec)

Magdalen Islands area: 418-986-2095

North Shore area: 1-800-463-1729

Gaspe- Lower North Shore area: 1-877-898-5559