Notices to Fish Harvesters

Amended June 10, 2024

Approved May 10, 2024

Application and Fishing Areas

This Conservation Harvesting Plan (CHP) for Atlantic halibut applies to groundfish licence holders from the following fleets when conducting Atlantic halibut fishing activities in NAFO's 4RST Zone Divisions during the management year from May 15, 2024 to May 14, 2025.

Upper and Middle North Shore fixed gear fleet of less than 19.81 m (UMNS);

Lower North Shore fixed gear fleet of less than 19.81 m (LNS).

Fishing season

The following seasons will be in effect for the duration of this CHP. They represent the maximum duration of fishing periods. Opening dates may vary according to particular circumstances such as industry 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.

UMNS :

1st period: May 15,  2024 at 5 a.m. (EDT) to October 31, 2024 at 11:59 p.m. (EDT);

2nd  period: April 1st , 2025 at 5 a.m. (EDT) to May 14, 2025 at 11:59 p.m. (EDT).

LNS : June 17, 2024 at 5 a.m. (EDT) to September 22, 2024 at 11:59 p.m. (EDT)

Quotas and Management Regime

The Division 4RST Atlantic halibut allocation is derived from the basic allocation to the Gulf <19.81m fixed gear fleets and a portion of the allocation for the mobile gear fleets (146.8 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 groundfish fishermen's associations holding fixed gear licenses agreed on a sharing agreement of the overall Atlantic halibut quota and the distribution among the three geographic sectors of Québec maritime. The agreement has been recognized by Fisheries and Oceans Canada and it confirms an adjustment to the shares of Quebec's geographic fleets and their relative shares of the Quebec allocation according to the following percentages:

 North Shore of Quebec = 18.4277%;

 Gaspésie = 66.9401%;

 Îles-de-la-Madeleine = 14.6322%.

Any additional allocation to the Quebec fixed gear fleets will be shared according to these same percentages.

For 2024-2025, the overall quota allocated to the three Quebec geographical fleets corresponds to 1,108.79 t. The sharing of this quota is therefore as follows:

 North Shore = 204.323 t;

 Gaspé = 742.223 t;

 Magdalen Islands = 162.240 t.

HMCN fleets : 54% of the allocation for a quantity of 110.335 tons.

LNS fleets : 46% of the allocation for a quantity of 93.989 tons.

Fishing Gear

The authorized fishing gear is the longline with a hook opening equal to or greater than 15.4 mm. The quantity of hooks authorized varies according to the allocation held by the license holder, including quantities transferred or received by transfer. The maximum number of hooks allowed for each fleet is :

UMNS fleet :

0 to 250 kg : 100 hooks

251 to 500 kg : 250 hooks

501 to 1500 kg : 1000 hooks

1501 to 3500 : 1500 hooks

3501 and more : 2000 hooks

LNS fleet :

0 to 199 kg : 100 hooks

200 to 549 kg : 250 hooks

550 and over : 1000 hooks

Other management measures

The management measures for the atlantic halibut fishery in 2024 will obligatorily include the following measures:

Fishing closure;

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

Marine mammal interaction reporting

Hail prior departure;

At-sea observer

Dockside monitoring;

Reporting of fishing effort and catches (logbook);

Vessel Monitoring System (VMS);

Incidental catches;

Small fish protocol;

Simultaneous fisheries;

Catch monitoring and test fisheries;

Boat length;

Partnership (combining of licences)

Conversion Rate;

Quota réconciliation;

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

Resource Management

Fisheries and Oceans Canada

Quebec (QC)