Moncton, New Brunswick (NB) – March 30, 2026 – Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO), Gulf Region, announces the 2026 management measures for Lobster Fishing Areas (LFA) 23, 24, 26A and 26B. Unless indicated otherwise, existing management measures remain in place. Please refer to your lobster licence conditions for further details. Licence conditions should be available on the National Online Licensing System (NOLS) by April 1, 2026.
Management measures and the season dates for LFA 25 will be announced at a later date.
Opening dates in 2026
Please see the 2026 targeted season dates below:
| LFA | Season opening dates in 2026 |
|---|---|
| 23 | April 30 - June 30 |
| 24 | April 25 - June 25 |
| 26 A-1 | April 27 - June 27 |
| 26 A-2 | April 27 - June 27 |
| 26 A-3 | April 20 - June 20 |
| 26 B (South) | April 30 - June 30 |
| 26 B (North) | May 2 - July 2 |
The LFA season will open at 6:00 a.m. on the dates indicated in the table above, except in LFA 26 A-3, where the season will open at 6:30 a.m. Season dates are subject to change due to weather, ice, dredging activities or other conditions. In the event of inclement weather, in accordance with DFO directives, the season opening may be delayed, with a corresponding extension of up to four days (a one‑day extension for each day of delay, up to a maximum of four days), at the industry's request. In LFA 23, there is also flexibility allowing for an opening up to 72 hours prior to the scheduled season opening.
DFO will monitor and assess the situation at the various wharves a few weeks before the scheduled openings. Conference calls will be held in the days leading up to the scheduled opening between DFO and stakeholders to obtain feedback on the situation at various locations in the southern Gulf of St. Lawrence.
Mandatory Electronic Logbook
The use of an electronic logbook (ELOG) is mandatory for commercial and commercial communal harvesters fishing lobster in LFA 23, 24, 25 and 26. The use of paper logbooks is no longer accepted.
Changes to Reporting of Lost / Retrieved Fishing Gear
DFO is advising fish harvesters of changes in the conditions of licences related to lost and retrieved fishing gear. Please consult the 2026 - Conditions of Licence : Changes to Reporting of Lost / Retrieved Fishing Gear for additional information.
LFA 23D - Change in the minimum legal carapace size and dockside monitoring
As announced in 2025, the minimum legal carapace size has been reduced from 81 mm to 79 mm, starting in 2025, in LFA 23D only. This temporary measure will remain in effect for a period of three years. A pilot project has been implemented for this same period to monitor a portion of lobster landings and will be subject to dockside monitoring.
Management measures to minimize interactions with North Atlantic Right Whales
The 2026 fisheries management measures to protect North Atlantic Right Whales (NARW) are posted online at the following link: Fishery notices related to North Atlantic right whales.
| LFA | Minimum legal carapace size (mm)1 | Window size for females (mm)2 | Maximum number of traps | Minimum number of traps per line3 | Maximum hoop size (mm) | Minimum size (mm) of escape mechanism |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 23A | 81 | 115-129 | 300 | n/a | 152 | 46 x 1275 |
| 23B | 81 | 115-129 | 300 | n/a | 152 | 46 x 1275 |
| 23C | 81 | 115-129 | 300 | 3 traps6 | 152 | 46 x 1275 |
| 23D | 79* | 115-129 | 300 | 3 traps6 | 152 | 44 x 127 or 43 x 254 |
| 24 | 75 | 115-129 | 300 | 6 traps | n/a | 43 x 127 or 42 x 254 |
| 26A-1 (PEI) | 76 | 115-129 | 272 | 6 traps6 | n/a | 43 x 127 or 42 x 254 |
| 26A-1 (Gulf NS) | 76 | 115-129 | 280 | 5 traps | n/a | 43 x 127 or 42 x 254 |
| 26A-2 | 78 | 115-129 | 255 and 2753 | 6 traps | 152 | 44 x 127 or 43 x 254 |
| 26A-3 | 81 | 115-129 | 250 | 2 traps | n/a | 46 x 1275 |
| 26B South | 82.5 | n/a | 250 | n/a | n/a | 47 x 1275 |
| 26B North4 | 84 | n/a | 250 | 5 traps | 152 | 48 x 1275 |
Notes:
- 1As defined by licence conditions (female Lobster of a length of 115 mm but not more than 129 mm shall be returned to the water immediately in a manner that causes it the least harm).
- 2As defined by licence conditions.
- 3Commercial licence holders: 255 traps/Some Communal Commercial licence holders: 275 traps.
- 4Closure to fishing in the waters of Cheticamp Harbour.
- *Temporary measure with a return to 81 mm after a 3-year period, in 2028.
- 5Please note that only the minimum height of the escape mechanism will be specified (Table 1) from now on if it
remains consistent regardless of length of the mechanism. As an example, a height of 46 mm X 127 mm will only
be specified, even if this 46 mm height applies to lengths greater than 254 mm. - 6In a portion of the LFA.
Bait
Since 2024, the minimum carapace size of rock crab that is permitted to be used as bait in LFA 26 A (including A-1, A-2, and A-3) is 108 mm.
New in 2026
A new management measure coming into effect this year allows European Green Crab incidentally captured in lobster 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 lobster licence conditions for further details.
Restrictions on the reissuance of lobster licenses
For information on restriction on the movement of lobster licences, please refer to the Commercial Fisheries Licensing Policy for Gulf Region.
Daily closed time
The daily close time is from 9:00 p.m. to 4:00 a.m. in LFA 23.
*Please note that the daily close time may vary at some wharves. Please refer to your licence conditions.
Transit Corridors
The transit corridors remain in effect, and a Vessel Monitoring System (VMS) is required (every 5 minutes) if using the transit corridor. The corridor allows fish harvesters to transport their catch through that area to reach their homeport, avoiding the use of a smack boat. For this reason, a validity period is added to LFA 23D licence conditions, from the date of issuance to June 30. The opening and closing of the season will remain as indicated in the Fisheries (General) Regulations or as announced in a Variation Order (VO). The coordinates for the corridor are identified in the VO and the licence conditions of those using the corridor.
Before you go fishing
DFO prepared a list of requirements and documents harvesters will need before they start fishing. This list is available at: Before you start fishing, you will need....