Notices to Fish Harvesters

Amended, March 28, 2024

Approved  March 15, 2024

Application and Fishing Areas

This Conservation Harvesting Plan (CHP) applies to the fleets of snow crab licence holders in Areas 12A, 12C, 14, 15, 16, 16A and 17.

Fishing season

The specific periods of the 2024 snow crab fishing season for each of the Snow Crab Fishing Areas (CFAs) will be confirmed by Notice to Fishermen or Variation Orders. The duration of the fishing season is 10 weeks (CFA 12A), 13 weeks (CFA 17) and 14 weeks (CFA 12C, 14, 15, 16, and 16A).

Quotas

Snow crab quotas for Areas 12A, 17, and 16 will be 40, 1674,19, and 3067,48 tons respectively in 2024.

Snow crab quotas for Areas 12C, 15, and 16A will be 142,04, 418,03, and 376,31 tons  respectively in 2024.

The snow crab quotas for areas 14 will be specified at a later date in an amendment to the CHP and to this summary.

Fishing Gear

The number of standard traps that can be used is 75 (CFA 12A), 100 (CFA 12C group A), 50 (CFA 12C group B), 85 (CFA 14), 85 (CFA 15 group A), 50 (CFA 15 group B), 100 (CFA 16 group A), 35 (CFA 16 group B and C), 85 (CFA 16A), 85 (CFA 17 group A) and 50 (CFA 17 group B).

One standard trap can be replaced by two conical (Japanese) traps.

Special terms and conditions apply to certain fleets. These are set out in the CHP.

Other management measures

Management measures for the snow crab fishery in 2024 will also include the following aspects:

Gear soak time and marking;

Management measures to minimize the risks or interactions with the North Atlantic Right Whale;

Marine mammal interaction report;

Hail prior to departure;

At-sea observer;

Dockside monitoring;

Reporting of fishing effort and catches (logbook);

Vessel Monitoring System (VMS);

White crab monitoring and management;

Boat length;

Partnership;

Quota reconciliation;

Species at risk;

Crew registry;

Discharge of waste;

National Online Licensing System.

For any question regarding this CHP:

Côte-Nord area: 1-800-463-1729

Gaspésie - Bas-Saint-Laurent area: 1-877-898-5559

 

 

Dominic Boula

Resource Management

Fisheries and Oceans Canada

Quebec (QC)