Notices to Fish Harvesters

vNotice to Fish Harvesters

ATLANTIC HALIBUT– 4RST

FLEET WITH FIXED GEAR UNDER ITQ OF LESS THAN 13.71M

GASPÉ PENINSULA – LOWER ST. LAWRENCE

SEASON 2026-2027

 

Subject: Opening of the Atlantic halibut fishery in Divisions 4R, 4S, and 4T for the Gaspé Peninsula-Lower-St-Lawrence fixed gear fleet less than 13.71 meters, and announcement of fishery management measures.

Gaspé – May 14, 2026

Fisheries and Oceans Canada – Quebec Region announces the opening of the 2026–2027 Atlantic halibut fishing season in Divisions 4R, 4S, and 4T for all fleets less than 13.71 meters in the Gaspé Peninsula-Lower-St-Laurence region:

• from May 15, 2026, at 5:00 a.m. (EDT) to October 31, 2026; and
• from April 1, 2027, at 5:00 a.m. (EDT) to May 14, 2027. 

The management measures are set forth in the 2026–2027 Conservation Harvested Plan (CHP), which was approved on May 12, 2026, and is available on our website.

The main changes to the CHP are outlined below.

Fleets included in the CHP

All fleets in the Gaspé Peninsula-Lower-St-Laurence region less than 13.71 meters in length that fish for Atlantic halibut using fixed gear in Divisions 4R, 4S, and 4T including the following AMTG Group, the Others Group, the Lobster fishers Group, and the Turbot Fishers Group, are included in the same CHP.

Quotas and ITQ management procedures

The initial Atlantic halibut allocation for all fleets of less than 13.71 meters in the Gaspé-Lower-St-Laurence region is set at 405,758 tons (t) for the 2026–2027 season. The distribution of this allocation between the two fleets in the Gaspé-Lower-St-Laurence region is detailed in the CHP and breaks down as follows:

• AMTG Group: 39,561 t (9,75 %);
• Others Group: 59,849 t (14,75 %);
• Lobster Fishers Group: 112,598 t (27,75 %);
• Turbot Fishers Group: 193,749 t (47,75 %).

Effective May 15, 2026, all fleets, including the lobster fleet, are authorized to make temporary transfers in accordance with the terms set forth in the Regional guidelines for the management of individual transferable quota programs

Closure of fishing areas

License holders and fishing vessel operators are authorized to fish for Atlantic halibut using fixed gear in NAFO subdivisions 4T5 (Shediac Valley) and 4T7. We encourage license holders and fishing vessel operators to review the specific details regarding this reopening in their conditions of licences.

Catch management

The allowed bycatch percentages for groundfish per fishing trip in NAFO Divisions 4R, 4S, and 4T are amended for the following species:

• Cod 4T: the greater of 15% or 25 kg
• Greenland halibut: 3%

Vessel Monitoring System (VMS)

All vessels in the fleets, including Lobster Fishers Group, must be equipped with a vessel monitoring system that transmits data every 30 minutes.

Request for conditions of licences

To obtain the Conditions of License, harvesters must request 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 email at fishing-peche@dfo-mpo.gc.ca.

Furthermore, it should be noted that during the period during which fishing is authorized, it is the captain's responsibility to read the notices issued by Environment and Climate Change Canada and Transport Canada related to marine safety, as well as safety standards and good practices, and take all the necessary steps to ensure safe fishing.

For additional information

Contact your area office at the telephone number below. You can also visit our website

Julie Bernier

Resource management

Fisheries and Oceans Canada

Gaspé (Québec)

Gaspé Peninsula- Lower-St-Lawrence area: 1-877-898-5559