Notices to Fish Harvesters

Conservation Harvesting Plan - Atlantic Halibut - 4RST - FLEET WITH FIXED GEAR UNDER ITQ OF LESS THAN 13.71M - GASPÉ-LOWER ST.LAWRENCE - SEASON 2026-2027

Date of Notice

Conservation Harvesting Plan

 

ATLANTIC HALIBUT– 4RST –

FLEET WITH FIXED GEAR UNDER ITQ OF LESS THAN 13.71M

GASPÉ-LOWER ST.LAWRENCE

SEASON 2026-2027

 

Approved May 12,  2026

1.  Application

This Conservation Harvesting Plan (CHP) for Atlantic halibut applies to groundfish licence holders in the Gaspé-Lower St-Lawrence's fleets of less than 13.71 m using fixed gear when conducting Atlantic halibut fishing operation in Division 4RST of the Northwest Atlantic Fisheries Organization (NAFO) from May 15, 2025 to May 14, 2026. The fleets in question are those of:

  • AMTG Group;
  • Others Group;
  • Lobster fishers Group; and
  • Turbot fishers Group.

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 4R, 4S, 4T.

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  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

      3.2  Banc-des-Américains Marine Protected Area

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

      3.3  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

         - Except for Atlantic halibut fishing, closure of groundfish fisheries in part of NAFO Subdivision 4T5 (Shediac Valley), which is recognized as a juvenile area;

         - Closure of groundfish fishery in a portion of Subdivision 4T3 (Miscou Bank) bounded by the rhumb lines connecting points 1, 2, 3, 4, and 1 below, in the order listed, except for the portion bounded by the rhumb lines connecting points 2, 5, 6, 7, 8, and 2, which remains open to Atlantic halibut fishing using fixed gear from June 24 to December 31:

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, that is, a portion of the traditional Miscou box.

The lines connecting points 2, 5, 6, 7, 8, and 2 in that order delineate the area open for directed fishing for Atlantic halibut using fixed gear between June 24 and December 31.

      3.4 Temporary closure area for directed fishing for Atlantic halibut    

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, bounded by the rhumb lines connecting the following points in the order listed, will remain closed until further notice:

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

  • May 15, to October 31
  • April 1 to May 14 

The above 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

Non applicable

6.  Management Regime

A management system with individual transferable quotas (ITQs) applies

      6.1  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 (246,7 t) transferred to inshore fixed-gear fleets, and from the carryover of quota from the residual 2025-2026 mobile-gear fleet allocation (57,0 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:

For 2026-2027, the overall quota allocated to Quebec's three geographical fleets corresponds to 1 660,7 t. The sharing of this quota therefore corresponds to :

-           Quebec North Coast = 306,025 t (18,4277 %);

-           Gaspe = 1 111,665 t (66,9401 %);

-          Magdelen Island = 242,995 t (14,6322 %).

Any additional allocations to Quebec fixed-gear fleets will be shared according to these same percentages.

For the Gaspé 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.

For 2026-2027, the allocation for the Gaspé-Lower St-Lawrence fleet under 13.71 m corresponds to 405,758 t, divided as follows:

  • AMTG: 39,561 t (9,75%);
  • Others Group: 59,849 t (14,75%);
  • Lobster fishers group: 112,598 t (27,75 %);
  • Turbot fishers group: 193,749 t (47,75%).

      6.2  Administrative guidelines of the ITQ program

Administrative guidelines of the ITQ program of the 4RST Atlantic halibut fleet are included in the regional guidelines, which is available on the DFO Quebec Region website at the following adress Regional guideline for the management of ITQ

The upcoming publication of this directive will include a change to the maximum ITQ for the lobster fleet, as specified in the 2025–2026 PPAC and available on our website. For this fleet, the maximum ITQ that a participant may hold through a permanent transfer under this program is increased to 2.7522% of the fleet allocation.

Starting with the 2026–2027 management year, all fleets included in this PPAC are authorized to make temporary transfers in accordance with the terms set forth in the Regional Directive.

      6.3  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 the implementation of quota reconciliation, the Ministry authorizes quota transfers to enable fishermen and fleets to cover quota overruns, up to a deadline, beyond which the Ministry compiles the final fishing data. This date corresponds to the end of the groundfish management year, i.e. May 14. Similarly, in the month following this date, the Ministry makes the necessary adjustments to the current year's quotas, taking into account any overruns of competitive quotas and ITQs.

In addition, for ITQ fisheries, it is the licensee's responsibility to respect the quantity allocated to him, taking into account his transfers and landings. He must also make the necessary arrangements to cover any quota overruns incurred on previous fishing trips, if applicable, prior to the departure of a fishing expedition, and hold the quota necessary to cover the catches likely to be made during the expedition.

Each licence holder must carry with him documents attesting to the quantities of Atlantic halibut he has transferred or received by transfer.

      6.4  Carry forward of quota

The carryover of the residual Atlantic halibut quota from the 2025-2026 management year is authorized in 2026-2027, up to a maximum of 15% of the initial quota established at the start of the management cycle that began on May 15, 2025.

7.  Catch management

      7.1  Characteristics of authorized catches

The minimum commercial size for Atlantic halibut is 85 cm.

      7.2  Discarding Incidental Catches

The license holder and fishing vessel operator are authorized to forthwith return into the water where they were caught, in a manner that causes them the least possible harm, if they are still alive:

  • Atlantic halibut with a length less than 85 cm;
  • Skates, dogfish, Lumpfish, Sculpin, Atlantic hagfish and Atlantic wolfish;

Incidental catches of Shark

It is allowed to retain incidental catches of Blue sharks in accordance with the terms specified in the licences conditions. All other shark species must be released in a manner that causes it the least harm.

      7.3  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 :

For all fleets :

  • Cod 4T : the greater of 15% or 25 kg per fishing trip.
  • White Hake : 5 % per fishing trip.
  • Greenland halibut : 3% per fishing trip;
  • Blue shark : The lesser of 10% or 500 kg. At the time of landing and weighing, at least a portion of the tail fin must be attached to the shark's carcass. Also, the pelvic fins (the paired fins adjacent to the cloaca or “vent”) must be intact and attached to the carcass.
  • 10% per fishing trip for all other groundfish species not listed above or below.

 

AMTG, Turbot fishers group and Lobster fishers group

  • Cod 4RS : The greater of 30% or 45 kg per fishing trip.

Others group

  • Cod 4RS : The greater of 10% or 15 kg 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 2026-2027, bycatches of these species will be deducted from the respective fisher's ITQs.

      7.4  Small Fish Protocol

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

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

      7.5  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.

8.  Fishing Gear

The authorized fishing gear is the longline.

      8.1  Number of Authorized Fishing Gear

The number of hooks authorized varies according to the allocation held by the licensee, including quantities transferred or received by transfer. The maximum number of hooks authorized for each fleet is as follows:

AMTG Group and Turbot fishers group

  • 3000 hooks;

Others Group :

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

Lobster Fishers Group :

  • Allocation of 0 to 749 kg : 900 hooks.
  • Allocation of 750 kg and over: 1500 hameçons.

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

      8.2  Characteristics of Fishing Gear

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

      8.3  Hauling and soaking duration

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

       8.4  Gear marking

The minimum requirements regarding the number and position of colour markings are details in the Conditions of licence. Please refer to the Notice to Fish Harversters of August 14, 2020.  

In addition to the regulatory requirement to mark buoys with the vessel registration number (VRN), licensees must add a sequential number to each main buoy in order to be able to individually identify each fishing gear.

      8.5  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 Loss Fishing Gear Form or the Retrieval of previously reported lost fishing gear form, wich are avaiblable 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  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.

      10.2  At-Sea Observer

The industry-funded At-Sea Observer Program is based on a minimum coverage of 10% of 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 : Commercial fishery requirements - Regional List of Qualified and Designated Companies.

      10.3  LogBook

Licence holder 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.

             10.3.1 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: https://www.dfo-mpo.gc.ca/fisheries-peches/sdc-cps/nir-nei/log-suppliers-eng.html 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

             10.3.2 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 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.

       10.4  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

Landings must be made at one of the designated ports appearing on the list Designated Dockside Monitoring Ports

Additional information on designated ports is also available at https://www.dfo-mpo.gc.ca/sch-ppb/maps-cartes-eng.html.

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.  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 30 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.

12.  Specific Provisions Applicable to the Fishery

       12.1  Characteristics and Use of Boats

Vessels with an overall length (LOA) less than 19.81 m can be used, regardless of their cubic number.

  • AMTG Group, Others Group and Turbot fishers Group : 19,81 m
  • Lobster Fishers Group : 15,24 m

License holders in the Lobster Fishers Group are authorized to rent boats only to other license holders in the Lobster Fishers Group, except under exceptional circumstances.

      12.2  Buddy-up

AMTG Group, Others Group and Turbot fishers Group

Partnerships between two members of the Others group are allowed. Both license holders must be on board and are allowed to use the sum of the fishing gear allowed per license holder.

The partnership agreement must be submitted to DFO at least 5 working days before the first fishing trip and, except for exceptional reasons, the partnership shall be effective for the entire fishing season of the species concerned.

Only one partnership agreement per licensee per year is allowed. Landings are accounted for in proportion to the respective individual quotas.

In addition, unless there are exceptional reasons, DFO will not issue replacement authorizations to fishers involved in a partnership 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.

Lobster Fishers Group : non applicable

      12.3  Conversion Rate

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

      12.4  Simultaneous fisheries

A licence holder and fishing vessel operator who holds both valid Atlantic halibut and valid snow crab licence conditions can conduct both fisheries simultaneously in the following areas and subareas:

AMTG Group, Others Group, Lobster Fishers Group and Turbot Fisher Group:

  • snow crab in fishing area 12, if the Atlantic Halibut fishery is conducted in sub-areas 4S4 or 4T3a;

AMTG Group and Turbot Fishers Group :

  • snow crab in fishing area 12A, if the Atlantic Halibut fishery is conducted in sub-areas 4S1, 4S4, 4T3a or 4T4;
  • snow crab in fishing area 12E, if the Atlantic Halibut fishery is conducted in division 4T (excluding Subdivision 4T4), or in Subdivision 4S3 or 4S4;
  • snow crab in fishing area 17, if the Atlantic Halibut fishery is conducted in sub-areas 4S1 or 4T4.

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.

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

All independent core licence holder and their approved substitute designated operators must keep records of all the crew members working aboard the bessel on every fishing trip in accordance with its Conditions of licence. This requirement does not apply to pre-1979 corporation licence holders, midshore licence holders nor to any holder of a 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 Customer support at 1-877-535-7307 or fishing-peche@dfo-mpo.gc.ca.

15.  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.

16.  Conditions of licence

To obtain their Conditions of licence, fish harvester must request them through 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 Fisheries web page (dfo-mpo.gc.ca).