Notices to Fish Harvesters

Subject:  Announcement of the Conservation Harvesting Plan for the North Shore and opening of the fishery for the Lower North Shore fleet in 2025-2026

Sept-Îles – June 4th, 2025

Fisheries and Oceans Canada – Quebec Region announces the Conservation Harvesting Plan for the North Shore Inshore Gear Fleets under the Individual Transferable Quota (ITQ) management regime for Atlantic halibut in NAFO Divisions 4RST as well as the opening of the fishery for the Lower North Shore (LNS) fixed gear fleet for the 2025-2026 management year.

The initial allocations allowed to the Upper and Middle North Shore (HMCN) and Lower North Shore (LNS) inshore fleets prior to the application of the quota carry-over and conciliation in 2025-2026 are 148.893 t and 126.834 t, respectively.

Fishing season

For the 2025-2026 season, licence holders in the LNS fleet are authorized to conduct commercial fishing activities during the following two periods:

• 1st period: June 6th,  2025 at 5 a.m. (EDT) to October 31, 2025 at 11:59 p.m. (EDT);
• 2nd  period: April 1st , 2026 at 5 a.m. (EDT) to May 14, 2026 at 11:59 p.m. (EDT).

From the 2026-2027 season, the LNS fleet, like the UMNS fleet, will be subject to the maximum groundfish fishing period of May 15 to October 31 and April 1 to May 14 of the following year.

Each licence holder of the fleet  must ensure that he holds sufficient allocations to cover the catches that are likely to be made during the fishery.

The carry-over of the residual Atlantic halibut quota from the 2024-2025 management year is authorized in 2025-2026, up to a maximum of 15% of the initial quota established at the beginning of the management cycle that began on May 15, 2024.

Vessel Monitoring System (VMS)

As specified in the 2024-2025 Conservation Harvesting Plan (CHP), the VMS is mandatory for licence holders in the LNS fleet as of the 2025-2026 season. Vessels must have an active Vessel Monitoring System (VMS) approved by Fisheries and Oceans Canada. Each licence holder must register their approved VMS with DFO prior to the commencement of their fishing activities. Data must be transmitted every 30 minutes.

Conservation harvesting plan 2025-2026

The other management measures are listed in the Conservation Harvesting Plan 2025-2026 for the Atlantic halibut fishery in NAFO divisions 4RST by the HMCN and NCB fixed gear fleets of less than 19.81 m under ITQ, which is available on the DFO website at the following address:

Publications to Fish Harvesters - Online Publications Tool (dfo-mpo.gc.ca).

Licence Conditions

In order to obtain the Licence Conditions, licence holders will have to apply for them through the National Online Licensing System. For assistance with the National Online Licensing System, please contact Customer Support by phone at 1-877-535-7307 or by e-mail at fishing-peche@dfo-mpo.gc.ca.

For additional information

Please visit our website at the following address: Quebec Region | Fisheries and Oceans Canada (dfo-mpo.gc.ca).

Resource Management

North Shore Area

Fisheries and Oceans Canada

418-962-6314 / Toll-free 1-800-463-1729