Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island (PEI) – June 5, 2023 – Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO), Gulf Region is announcing the management measures for the rock crab fishery in Lobster Fishing Area (LFA 24) in 2023.
Fishing Season
The season in LFA 24 will open at 6:00 a.m. on July 5, 2023 and will remain open until October 26, 2023.
Other management measures which will continue to apply in 2023
Biodegradable Panels: The use of modified biodegradables mechanisms on all traps, including modified lobster traps, is mandatory. Please refer to your licence conditions for specifications on these biodegradable mechanisms.
Data entry: The licence holder is responsible to enter into an agreement with a dockside monitoring company for data entry of catch and effort information; a condition to this effect is included in all licences.
Logbooks: Crab Logbooks/landing reports are mandatory and must be completed as stipulated in licence conditions.
Dockside Monitoring Program: All of the catch must be weighed in kilograms at one decimal point on an approved scale.
Number of traps:
- Commercial licences: 150 traps.
- Communal commercial licences:150 traps.
Catch limitation:
- Commercial licences: 20,000 kg.
- Ccmmunal commercial licences: 20,000 kg.
Minimum size
Only male rock crabs, with a minimum carapace width of 102 mm, may be retained.
DFO will continue to apply the exploitation principle that prioritizes the rock crab fishery as follows: by-catch in the lobster fishery, bait for the lobster fishery and then directed rock crab fishery.