Moncton, Quebec, St. John’s and Halifax – May 20, 2022 – The Department of Fisheries and Oceans (DFO) today announces the management plan for Atlantic halibut in the Gulf of St. Lawrence Northwest Atlantic Fisheries Organization (NAFO) divisions 4RST.
A Total Allowable Catch (TAC) of 1,716 t for Atlantic halibut 4RST is established for a one-year period from May 15, 2022, until May 14, 2023. From this TAC, a 60 t allocation has been set aside under section 10 of the Fisheries Act to support the industry/DFO longline survey and tagging project.
The remaining quota (1,656 t) is distributed based on the sharing formula announced in 2016 following the review of the inshore fixed gear fleet shares. The inshore fixed-gear fleet sector will receive a transfer of 92.5 per cent (411 t) of the mobile gear fleets’ allocation, which is distributed equally between the eight inshore fixed-gear fleets involved in the directed Atlantic halibut fishery.
As a result, the 2022-23 initial allocations per fleet (calculated before quota reconciliation or carry forward of previously uncaught quota where applicable) are as follows:
- Eastern New Brunswick : 111.11 t
- Gulf Nova Scotia : 74.63 t
- Gulf Prince Edward Island : 68.28 t
- Western Newfoundland : 421.20 t
- Quebec North Shore : 146.55 t
- Gaspésie : 559.74 t
- Magdalen Islands : 114.23 t
- Scotia Fundy : 70.24 t
- Mobile Gear < 19.81 m : 14.55 t
- Fixed Gear 19.81 m – 30.48 m : 56.78 t
- Mobile Gear 19.81 m – 30.48 m : 4.26 t
- Vessels > 30.48 m : 14.55 t
- Scientific survey : 60 t
Total : 1,716 t