Spring-Summer Recreational Groundfish Fishery

Saguenay Fjord, Estuary and Gulf of St. Lawrence

June 5, 2019

NOTE: This is an archived page

Regulations

The recreational groundfish fishery is practiced without a licence. However, you must comply with the regulatory measures, such as:

  • The fishing areas, the closed times, the quantities and the species authorized to retain, as specified in the table and variation orders below.
  • It is the responsibility of each person to insure that all fish harvested can be retained. Every fish caught accidently and that cannot legally be retained must be released where it was caught, and where it is alive, in a manner that causes it the least harm.
  • No person shall engage in recreational fishing for groundfish by any means other than by hand-line or by angling.
  • No person shall possess fish that were caught by any person while fishing for recreational purposes and that have been skinned, cut, packed or otherwise dealt with in such a manner that the species and number of fish cannot be readily determined.
  • No person shall buy, sell, trade, barter or offer to buy, sell, trade or barter any fish that was caught while fishing for recreational purposes.
  • No person who is fishing for recreational purposes shall waste any fish that is suitable for human consumption.
Fishing Areas Opening of the Fishery and Restrictions
Charlevoix
The waters within 50 meters of the coastline between Baie-Saint-Paul and Tadoussac From April 13 to July 5, 2019 and from August 12 to September 29, 2019
Each person engaged in recreational fishing can, in any day, catch and retain 15 groundfish of all species in the aggregate, except (0) zero cod, haddock, pollock, white hake and the forbidden species.
The waters between Baie-Saint-Paul and Tadoussac From July 6 to August 11, 2019
From sunrise to sunset
Each person engaged in recreational fishing can, in any day, catch and retain 15 groundfish of all species in the aggregate, including no more than a combination of 5 cod and/or white hake, except (0) zero forbidden species.
North Shore
The waters within 50 meters of the coastline between Tadoussac and Pointe-des-Monts From April 13 to July 5, 2019, and from August 5 to September 13, 2019, and from September 23 to September 29, 2019 
Each person engaged in recreational fishing can, in any day, catch and retain 15 groundfish of all species in the aggregate, except (0) zero cod, haddock, pollock, white hake and the forbidden species.
The waters between Tadoussac and Pointe-des-Monts From July 6 to August 4, 2019 and, from September 14 to September 22, 2019 From sunrise to sunset 
Each person engaged in recreational fishing can, in any day, catch and retain 15 groundfish of all species in the aggregate, including no more than a combination of 5 cod and/or white hake, except (0) zero forbidden species.
The waters within 50 meters of the coastline between Pointe-des-Monts and Natashquan From April 16, 2019 to June 28, 2019, and
from July 2, 2019 to July 5, 2019, and
from July 9, 2019 to July 12, 2019, and
from July 16, 2019 to July 19, 2019, and
from July 23, 2019 to July 26, 2019, and
from July 30, 2019 to August 2, 2019, and
from August 6, 2019 to August 9, 2019, and
from August 13, 2019 to August 16, 2019, and
from August 20, 2019 to August 23, 2019, and
from August 27, 2019 to August 30, 2019, and
from September 3, 2019 to September 20, 2019 
Each person engaged in recreational fishing can, in any day, catch and retain 15 groundfish of all species in the aggregate, except (0) zero cod, haddock, pollock, white hake and the forbidden species.

 
The waters between Pointe-des-Monts and Natashquan From June 29 to July 1st 2019
from July 6 to July 8, 2019, and
from July 13 to July 15, 2019, and
from July 20 to July 22, 2019, and
from July 27 to July 29, 2019, and
from August 3 to August 5, 2019, and
from August 10 to August 12, 2019, and
from August 17 to August 19, 2019, and
from August 24 to August 26, 2019, and
from August 31 to August 2, 2019, and
From September 21 to September 29, 2019
From sunrise to sunset 
Each person engaged in recreational fishing can, in any day, catch and retain 15 groundfish of all species in the aggregate, including no more than a combination of 5 cod and/or white hake, except (0) zero forbidden species.

 
The waters between Natashquan and Blanc-Sablon From June 29 to July 1st 2019
From July 6 to July 8, 2019
From July 13 to July 15, 2019
From July 20 to July 22, 2019
From July 27 to July 29, 2019
From August 3 to August 5, 2019
From August 10 to August 12, 2019
From August 17 to August 19, 2019
From August 24 to August 26, 2019
From August 31 to August 2, 2019
From September 21 to September 29, 2019
From sunrise to sunset 
Each person engaged in recreational fishing can, in any day, catch and retain 5 groundfish of all species in the aggregate, except (0) zero forbidden species

 
Gaspe Peninsula and Lower St. Lawrence
The waters within 50 meters of the coastline of Gaspe Peninsula and Lower St. Lawrence From April 13 to June 24, 2019, and from July 15 to July 18, 2019, and from August 5 to September 29, 2019 
Each person engaged in recreational fishing can, in any day, catch and retain 15 groundfish of all species in the aggregate, except (0) zero cod, haddock, pollock, white hake and the forbidden species.
The waters around Gaspe Peninsula and Lower St. Lawrence

From June 25 to July 14, 2019, and from July 19 to August 4, 2019
From sunrise to sunset
Each person engaged in recreational fishing can, in any day, catch and retain 15 groundfish of all species in the aggregate, including no more than a combination of 5 cod and/or white hake, except (0) zero forbidden species.
Magdalen Islands
The waters within 50 meters of the coastline around the Magdalen Islands From April 13 to July 26, 2019 and from September 2 to September 29, 2019 
Each person engaged in recreational fishing can, in any day, catch and retain 15 groundfish of all species in the aggregate, except (0) zero cod, haddock, pollock, white hake and the forbidden species.
The waters around the Magdalen Islands From July 27 to September 1, 2019 
From sunrise to sunset 
Each person engaged in recreational fishing can, in any day, catch and retain 15 groundfish of all species in the aggregate, including no more than a combination of 5 cod and/or white hake, except (0) zero forbidden species.
Saguenay
The portion from the mouth of the Saguenay Fjord lying upstream of a line joining Pointe Noire, Baie-Sainte-Catherine, (48º07’24’’N, 69º43’00’’W) to Pointe Rouge, Tadoussac, (48º08’06’’N, 69º42’06’’W) From April 13 to September 29, 2019 
Each person engaged in recreational fishing can, in any day, catch and retain 5 groundfish of all species in the aggregate, except (0) zero forbidden species..

The recreational fishery of the following species is forbidden at all time and in every area:

Halibut

Brochet

Northern wolffish

Bar rayé

Atlantic wolffish

Bar rayé

Spotted wolffish

Brochet

Skate

Bar rayé

 

For more information you can consult the following variation orders:2019-017, 2019-Q-032.

Offences and Poaching

Fisheries and Oceans Canada whose mandate is to protect and conserve marine resources, strictly enforces the Fisheries Act and is ever vigilant in its efforts to prevent poaching of marine resources.

People guilty of offences may be fined up to $100,000 under the Fisheries Act. Anglers must abide by the regulations in force.

Fisheries and Oceans Canada encourages the public to inform Fishery Officers of illegal or suspicious activities related to marine fisheries or the protection of fish habitat. You can report poaching by using the online form, which can be completed from any mobile device or computer and to which photos can be attached, or by calling 1-800-463-9057. Your call is confidential.

Poaching Alert

Contact Us

For more information, contact a Fisheries Officer at your local DFO office.

RQ0036 Broadcast: June 5, 2019, 4h pm
Date modified: