Notices to Fish Harvesters

Gaspé – March 25, 2024

 

Fisheries and Oceans Canada - Quebec Region announces the opening of the Atlantic halibut fishery in Divisions 4RST for the Gaspé fixed gear fleet less than 13.71 m of the Others group.

 

Fishing will be authorized from April 1, 2024 at 5:00 a.m. (EDT) to April 14, 2024 at 11:59 p.m. (EDT) and from May 1, 2024 at 5:00 a.m. (EDT) to May 14, 2024 at 11:59 p.m. (EDT). Fishers may take advantage of either of the proposed fishing periods.

 

The authorized fishing gear is longline. All hooks must have an opening of at least 15.4 mm. The number of hooks authorized is presented in Table 1 and is established according to the allocation held by the licence holder, including quantities transferred or received through transfer.

Table 1: Number of hooks authorized depending on the allocation held (including transfers)

• 0 to 499 : 600 hooks
• 500 to 749 kg: 900 hooks
• 750 and over: 1500 hooks

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

Vessel Monitoring System (VSM)

The Vessel Monitoring System (VMS) is mandatory in the Atlantic halibut fishery for the 2023-2024 fishing season. Boats will have to be equipped with an active VMS approved by Fisheries and Oceans Canada. Each licence holders will have to register their approved VMS with DFO prior to the beginning of their fishing activities of the 2023- 2024 season.

Reconciliation of quotas

The reconciliation of groundfish quotas applies to this fishery. Thus, any overrun of an individual quota incurred by a licence holder at the end of a management year will be deducted, on a one-for-one basis, from his individual quota in the following year(s). It is the responsibility of licence holders to monitor their Atlantic halibut quotas and to ensure that catches made in their fishing activities are in accordance with the quotas allocated to them.

Management measures for the Atlantic halibut fishery are detailed in the CHP 2023-2024 for Atlantic halibut 4RST from fixed-gear fleets less than 13.71 m under Gaspé ITQ, approved on May 5, 2023 and amended on May 31, 2023.

Licence conditions

To obtain licence conditions, licence holders must access the National Licensing System online and indicate their chosen selected fishing period. For assistance with the National On-Line Licensing System, please contact Client Support by phone at 1-877-535-7307 or by e-mail at fishing-peche@dfo-mpo.gc.ca.

For more information

You can obtain additional information concerning the management measures and the fishing areas on our website Quebec Region.

 

For more information, please call 1-877-898-5559

 

Julie Bernier

Resources Management

Fisheries and Oceans Canada

Gaspé–Lower St. Lawrence Area

Note: In case of discrepancies between the English and the French versions, the latter prevails.