Moncton (NB) and Quebec (QC) – April 13, 2026 - Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO) today announces the opening date of the snow crab fishery in Crab Fishing Areas (CFA) 12 (12, 18, 25 and 26) and 12E. Refer to the Terms of Reference of the Committee for setting the opening date for the snow crab fishery for the safety at sea considerations.
The fishery in CFA 12 (12, 18, 25, 26) and 12E will open at 05:00 Atlantic Daylight Time (ADT) on Tuesday, April 14, 2026.
The fishery will close June 30, 2026 at 23:59 ADT. All gear must be removed from the water by the end of the day June 30th, but landing of traps and snow crabs can occur, if required, on July 1st.
Aids to navigation, should be considered unreliable, as not all buoys have been deployed before the fishery opens. Charted buoy position data is available for the fishing industry upon request. Mariners are advised to exercise extreme caution.
Furthermore, it is reminded that, during the period where fishing is authorized, it is the responsibility of the captain to take into account the marine safety notices issued, among others, by Environment and Climate Change Canada (ECCC) and Transport Canada (TC), as well as the standards and best practices in marine safety, and to take all measures to ensure a safe fishery.