Tracadie, New Brunswick (NB) and Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island (PEI) – April 29, 2025 - Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO) is announcing the management measures for the Scallop Fishing Area 22 (SFA 22) for 2025-2027.
Fishing Seasons
2025: The fishery will open on Monday, May 5th, 2025 and close on Saturday, May 31st, 2025.
2026: The fishery will open on Monday, May 4th, 2026 and close on Saturday, May 30th, 2026.
2027: The fishery will open on Monday, May 3rd, 2027 and close on Saturday, May 29th, 2027.
The fishery will take place from 6:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. daily and will be closed on Sundays. The opening dates were established in consultations with industry members.
DFO wishes to remind fish harvesters to exercise caution when navigating in locations where dredging operations are on-going. A navigation warning (NAVWARN) is also in effect for the Chockpish wharf in New Brunswick due to dredging work and is available at the following address: NAVWARN details. Users are to reduce speed and maintain a safe distance from the land-based dredging equipment that may be actively working in this area.
Management measures in place
The following management measures remain in effect for the 2025-2027 fishing seasons. Further details are available in the scallop licence conditions:
Ring Size: The authorized minimal ring size in the bucket construction is set at 89 mm (3½ inches) with no rubber washers, with the exception of the first row of buckets where 76.2 mm (3 inches) rings may be used.
Washers: A maximum of two steel washers may be used to join two bucket rings together, giving a maximum of eight steel washers per ring. No rubber washer may be used. Rubber flappers are only allowed to be used on the bottom. With the exception of the authorized rubber flappers, no other type of chaffing gear can be used.
Meat Count: No more than 44 scallops can be harvested per 500 g of meat.
Drag Size: Maximum cumulative width of 4.88 m (16 feet) (outside measurements).
Tow Bar: The tow bar must be raised at least 50.8 mm (2 inches) by the use of runners or wheels located at both extremities of the bar and that are at least 50.8 mm (2 inches) wide.
Offloading Requirements: No person shall land (off-load) any other part of the scallop except for the adductor muscle (no roe or other internal organs of the scallop may be retained).
Coastal Buffer Zone: The coastal buffer zone for the protection of lobster habitat and the ecosystem continues to be applied by variation order.
Logbook: Fish harvesters are required to maintain a record of their estimated catches in the Scallop Logbook (GLF VERSION 2020) prior to entering port. Logbooks must be returned to DFO no later than two weeks following the closure of the fishing season.
Mandatory reporting of interactions between vessels or fishing gear and marine mammals: Any accidental contact between marine mammal and a vessel or fishing gear must be reported.