Notices to Fish Harvesters
4RST GREENLAND HALIBUT FIXED GEAR FLEETS - QUEBEC REGION 2024-2025 Fishery Management Measures announcement
Quebec – May 13, 2024
Fisheries and Oceans Canada – Quebec region informs fish harvesters of Greenland Halibut fixed gear fleets of Quebec region of the management measures for the 2024-2025 season.
The total allowable catch (TAC) for Greenland Halibut is established at 2,000 t for the 2024-2025 fishing season. The Québec’s fixed gear fleets allocation corresponds to 82% of the allocation of the fixed gear fleet less than 19.81 m of the Gulf of St. Lawrence. The temporary transfer of 50 % of the allocation from the inshore mobile-gear fleet to the fixed-gear fleet is interrupted in 2024-2025 in order to meet the by-catch requirements of the directed redfish fishery. Based on the 2,000 t TAC, Québec’s fleets share an overall allocation of 1,249.7 t distributed according to the established sharing formula:
| Fleet under ITQ regime from Gaspé and Upper and Middle Shore | 1 039.6 t |
| Fleet 13.71 m and greater under ITQ regime from the Gaspé (Others group) | 18.6 t |
| Fleet under ITQ regime from the Lower North Shore | 122.1 t |
| Fleet from the Lower North Shore non ITQ Program | 6.4 t |
| Fleet less than 13.71 m under competitive regime from the Gaspé | 53.1 t |
| Fleet under competitive regime from Upper and Middle North Shore | 9.8 t |
As specified in the Notice to Fish Harvesters of May 9, 2024 concerning the announcement of the Greenland halibut 4RST TAC, the fishery will be closely monitored, and could be closed if the total removals recommended of 823 t is exceeded according to harvest control rule of the precautionary approach.
In accordance with the implementation of quota reconciliation, competitive quotas and ITQs will be adjusted, if applicable, in the next few weeks. Note that carry-forward of the 2023-2024 residual quotas will not be authorized in 2024-2025.
Fishery closure area
For the 2024-2025 season, the directed Greenland halibut fishery is prohibited in part of NAFO divisions 4RS where water depth is less than 229 meters (125 fathoms), for all Quebec region fixed gear fleets under 19.81 m due to high cod bycatch.
The directed Greenland halibut fishery is prohibited in NAFO Subdivisions 4Tp and 4Tq due to high levels of small fish.
Other management measures
For the fleets under ITQ regime that were active between April 1 and May 14, 2024, fishing activities will continue until 31 October 2024. For the fleet under ITQ from Lower North Shore and competitive fleets, the opening of the fishery will be announced at a later date, following discussions with the concerned fish harvesters associations.
Other management measures in the Greenland Halibut 2024-2025 Conservation Harvesting Plan remain unchanged, in accordance with the discussions held at the Regional Greenland Halibut Management Committee (RGHMC) in March 2024.
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.
For more information
You can obtain additional information concerning the management measures and the fishing areas on our website at . Pêches commerciales
Steve Trottier
Resources Management
Fisheries and Oceans Canada
Quebec City, (Quebec)
Resources Management
Fisheries and Oceans Canada
North Shore Area
Gaspé–Lower St. Lawrence Area
North Shore Area: 1-800-463-1729
Gaspé–Lower St. Lawrence Area: 1-877-898-5559