Tracadie, New Brunswick (NB) – September 25, 2025 – Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO), Gulf Region, is announcing the management measures for the smelt commercial fishery in Eastern New Brunswick (ENB) area that will be in effect for the 2025-2026, 2026-2027 and 2027-2028 fishing seasons.
Opening dates for the 2025-2026, 2026-2027 and 2027-2028 fishing seasons
The season dates for the commercial smelt fishery in the tidal waters of that portion of NB 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 16 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.
NEW
Species at Risk licence condition
A new licence condition has been added as part of the recovery strategy for the Northern Wolffish, the Spotted Wolffish and the Leatherback Sea Turtle. These species are protected under the Species at Risk Act. The smelt fishery is subject to this condition since these fishing activities may
incidentally kill, harm, harass or capture the Northern Wolffish, the Spotted Wolffish or the Leatherback Sea Turtle. A Species at Risk (SARA) logbook is now attached to the smelt licence conditions to record any incidental catch and it is to be returned within seven days after the fishing
season closure.
Miramichi Bay, Neguac Bay and Tabusintac Bay fishing areas
As a result of the collaboration of smelt harvesters, the Miramichi, Neguac and Tabusintac Bays are now defined in the smelt fishery. Licence conditions have been added to include these boundaries in respective licences.
Management measures for the 2025-2026, 2026-2027 and 2027-2028 fishing seasons
Previous management measures are maintained for the next 3 fishing seasons.
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. The week is now defined as commencing at 0001 hrs on Sunday and ending at 23:59 hr on the following Saturday.
Please note that the number of fishing gear reported during the catch reporting is the number of gear in the water during the week and not the number of times it was fished.
Fishing gear
All fishing gear used in the commercial smelt fishery must be identified with the name of the licence holder and must have a valid tag that has been obtained by the licence holder from an approved supplier. In addition, each tag has to be listed on the Record of Fishing Gear Tags issued with the smelt fishing licence.
Tags
All licence holders are responsible to obtain and pay for any gear tag used in commercial and communal commercial fisheries. If you have not already done so, please contact an approved tag supplier as soon as possible. A list of approved tag suppliers is kept up to date at the following address: Approved tag suppliers.
Bycatch
The Department wishes to remind fish harvesters that they have to sort their catches immediately after having fished their gear. Smelt harvesters may retain tomcod that is incidentally caught with smelt fishing gear operated under the authority of a licence; however, all other species of fish (including Greenland cod, commonly known as “Rock cod”), shall forthwith be returned to the place from which it was taken, and where it is alive, in a manner that causes it the least harm.
Licensing
The existing freeze on the reissuance of smelt licences is maintained. Consequently, the minimum number of fishing gear of all types authorized per licence is maintained at 8 fishing gears, and the maximum number of fishing gear of all types authorized is maintained at 15 fishing gears. Details on the licence reissuance freeze can be found in the Chapter 6 of the Commercial Fisheries Licensing Policy for the Gulf Region at the following link: Commercial Fisheries Licensing Policy for the Gulf Region.
Other management measures in place
Marine Mammal Interaction Reporting
Since 2018, all licence holders/operators must provide information regarding all lethal and non-lethal marine mammal interactions during fishing trips, including bycatch, collision and all sightings of marine mammals entangled in fishing gear in the DFO Marine Mammal Interaction Form.