Notices to Fish Harvesters

Subject:     Spring opening date for the Atlantic halibut fishery by the Upper and Middle North Shore fleet

Sept-Îles – April 12th, 2024

Fisheries and Oceans Canada - Quebec Region announces the Spring opening date for the Atlantic halibut fishery in NAFO Divisions 4RST by the Upper and Middle North Shore (UMNS) fixed gear fleet of less than 19.81 m under the Individual Transferable Quotas (ITQ) regime in 2023-2024. The opening date is scheduled in April 17, 2024 at 5 a.m. (EDT).

For the 2023-2024 season, licence holders are offered the three following periods:

• 1st period: May 30, 2023 at 5 a.m. (EDT) to June 26, 2023 at 11:59 p.m. (EDT);
• 2nd period: July 15, 2023 at 5 a.m. (EDT) to August 25, 2023 at 11:59 p.m. (EDT);
• 3rd period: April 17, 2024 at 5 a.m. (EDT) to May 14, 2024 at 11:59 p.m. (EDT).

Each licence holder of the fleet is allowed to participate in the three fishing periods, however, he must ensure that he holds sufficient allocations to cover the catches that are likely to be made during the fishery.

Temporary transfers

The temporary ITQ transfers are allowed between participants in the same fleet. As specified in the Regional directive, a participant will always have to hold a minimum of 50% of their initial ITQ.

It is important to remember that it is the responsibility of the licence holder to monitor their ITQs to ensure that the catches made in their fishing activities respect the ITQs allocated to them, taking into account their transfers and landings. It must also make arrangements to cover any quota overruns that occur on previous fishing trips, if applicable, prior to the departure of a fishing trip and hold the necessary quotas to cover the catches likely to be made on that trip.

Conditions of Licence

In order to obtain the Conditions of Licence, licence holders will have to apply for them through the National Licensing System online. 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.

Conservation harvesting plan 2023-2024

Other management measures are listed in the 2023-2024 Conservation Harvesting Plan for Atlantic halibut Fishery in NAFO Divisions 4RST by the UMNS fixed gear fleet of less than 19.81 m under ITQ regime, available on the DFO website at the following address:

Notices to Fish Harvesters (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)

Yolaine Croussette

Resource Manager

North Shore Area

Fisheries and Oceans Canada

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