Moncton (NB) and Quebec (QC) – April 29, 2026 - Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO) is providing an advance notice for the end of the Additional Traps Pilot Project in CFA 12 and 12F, following the detection of a North Atlantic right whale (NARW) in the waters of the southern Gulf of St. Lawrence.
For further information regarding this detection, please consult the Fishing Closure Notice dated April 29, 2026, available at the following link: Fishery closures and openings.
All eligible licence holders participating in this pilot project are required to remove from the water all additional traps authorized under the conditions of their licence no later than Monday, May 4, 2026, at 5:00 p.m. Atlantic Daylight Time (ADT).
Licence holders are reminded that once the additional traps are removed, they must complete the following actions in accordance with the conditions of their licence:
- Enter the tag numbers of the removed additional traps in their Record of Tags of the Additional Traps Pilot Project (Record);
- Submit this Record within the required timeframe; and
- Keep a complete and legible copy of this Record on board the vessel and produce it upon request by a Fishery Officer or Fishery Guardian.