Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO) will be pausing the Atlantic mackerel bait fishery in all Mackerel Fishing Areas (MFA) as of 12:00 PM (Atlantic Daylight Time) on July 8, 2026. This notice to stop fishing is for conservation purposes as landings have surpassed the first 466.67 tonnes (t) portion of the total allowable catch (TAC).
The second 466.67 t for the Atlantic mackerel personal-use bait fishery is scheduled to be released in August with the exact date to be communicated in the coming weeks. For harvesters with a multi-species bait licence, please refer to your conditions of licence.
Todd Williams
Chair
Atlantic Mackerel Advisory Committee
Date Issued
Published