Tracadie (NB), Charlottetown (PEI) and Antigonish (NS) – June 24, 2026 - Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO) is announcing the management measures for the rock crab fishery in Lobster Fishing Area 25 (LFA 25) in 2026.
Fishing Season
The summer fishing season in LFA 25 will open at 6:00 AM on June 29, 2026, and will remain open until July 25, 2026. These season dates comply with the practice of opening the fishery on the last Monday in June until the last Saturday in July. DFO wishes to remind fish harvesters to take extra care when navigating on the opening day of the fishery as vessels are loaded with gear and traps. Harvesters are encouraged to act diligently in setting their traps and should ensure that vessels are loaded safely by reducing the quantity of gear if necessary.
Opening and closing dates for the fall fishery will be published in a subsequent Notice to Fish Harvesters.
New in 2026
Mandatory electronic logbooks (ELOG)
The use of ELOG is mandatory. This requirement applies to all harvesters fishing under a commercial, communal commercial and community licences. Harvesters who are not active for an entire season are not required to purchase an ELOG application. For more information on ELOG, please visit: Electronic logbooks (ELOGs).
Harvesters must download an ELOG application from an approved developer: Qualified electronic logbook (ELOG) client applications.
Please refer to the Notice to fish harvesters issued on February 24, 2026: 2026 - Mandatory Electronic Logbooks for the Southern Gulf of St. Lawrence in the Rock Crab and Scallop Fisheries.
European green crab
A new management measure coming into effect this year allows European Green Crab incidentally captured in rock crab traps to be used as bait, subject to certain conditions. This management measure is intended to support control efforts and limit the spread of this invasive species through fishing activities. Please refer to your licence conditions for further details.
Other management measures in place for the 2026 fishing season
Gear Marking: Gear marking is in place in this fishery. Details of these requirements can be found in your licence conditions and at the following Internet address: Update to the conditions of licences related to the mandatory colour scheme for gear marking in Eastern Canada.
Management measures to minimize interactions with North Atlantic right whales (NARW) : The management measures to protect the NARW are available at the following Internet address: 2026 fishery management measures.
Biodegradable mechanisms: The use of biodegradable 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 (DMC) for data entry of catch and effort information; a condition to this effect is included in all licences.
Dockside Monitoring Program: All of the catch must be weighed in kilograms at one decimal point on an approved scale.
Number of traps: 100 traps
Catch limitation:
- Commercial licences - 25,000 kg
- Communal commercial licences – 35,000 kg
- Community licences – 35,000 kg
Minimum size: Only male rock crab may be retained. No rock crab that is less than 102 mm in carapace size (width) 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.