Tracadie, New Brunswick (NB) – March 10, 2023 – Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO), Gulf Region, is announcing a 2 day extension to the current commercial smelt fishery for Eastern New Brunswick (ENB).
REVISED 2022-2023 fishing season dates:
The season dates for the commercial smelt fishery in the tidal waters of that portion of New Brunswick that borders on the Gulf of St. Lawrence and Northumberland Strait are as follows:
- Gill net: Open season from 8:00 a.m. on October 1 to February 24 inclusively.
- Box net, Bag net and Trap net: Open season from 8:00 a.m. on October 30 to March 18 inclusively.
Note: The waters of the Miramichi River upstream from the Morrissy Bridge in Newcastle remain closed to smelt fishing using bag net, box net, trap net and gill net.
Safety
It is strongly recommended that fish harvesters err on the side of caution and always consider safety measures when going on the ice. Temperatures can change quickly and affect ice thickness.
Reminder - Catch reporting hail-in
All active licence holders are required to call at 1-833-978-1605 on a weekly basis to report the smelt catches landed during each week fished.