Recreational Fisheries Notice
Fisheries and Oceans Canada
Gulf Region
Striped Bass Recreational Fishery in the Southern Gulf of St. Lawrence in 2024
Moncton, New Brunswick – March 28, 2024 - Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO) announces the management measures for the striped bass recreational fishing in waters adjacent to the Maritime Provinces in the southern Gulf of St. Lawrence for 2024.
Fishing hours and seasons
Tidal waters:
April 15 to June 30: Angling activities can begin two (2) hours before sunrise and must end no later than two (2) hours after sunset of each day.
July 1 to October 31: Angling activities are permitted from 04:00 hrs to 00:00 hrs (midnight) excluding the tidal waters of the Miramichi river (including the southwest and northwest Miramichi rivers) upstream from the Centennial bridge.
Inland waters:
Angling activities can begin two (2) hours before sunrise and must end no later than two (2) hours after sunset of each day including the tidal waters of the Miramichi River (including the southwest and northwest Miramichi rivers) upstream from the Centennial Bridge.
Tidal waters |
|
Province |
Season |
Prince Edward Island |
April 15th to October 31st |
Nova Scotia* |
April 15th to October 31st |
New Brunswick* |
April 15th to October 31st |
Inland waters |
|
Province |
Season |
Prince Edward Island |
April 15th to September 15th |
Nova Scotia* |
May 1st to September 15th |
New Brunswick* |
May 1st to September 15th (except Miramichi River system, from April 15st to October 15th) |
*Waters draining in the Gulf of St. Lawrence
Daily bag and total possession limit
Anglers can retain a maximum of four (4) striped bass per day during the fishing season, and cannot have in their possession more than four (4) striped bass at any given time from April 15th to October 31st.
Legal sizes for retention
The size window for retained striped bass is a minimum length of 50 cm to a maximum length of 65 cm. The length is measured in a straight line from the tip of the nose to the tip of the tail (i.e., total length).
Authorized gear
The use of single barbless hooks is mandatory when using lures, bait and fly fishing in tidal waters. Anglers are allowed to fish in tidal waters with a maximum of five (5) lines and six (6) single barbless hooks per line. In inland waters, anglers are allowed to fish with a maximum of one (1) line and three (3) single barbless hooks.
It is still recommended to use barbless non-offset circle hooks when using bait since this type of hook can reduce fish mortality upon the live release of the fish.
Protection during the spawning period in the Northwest Miramichi
There is a closure of the Northwest Miramichi River spawning ground to all angling activities during the spawning period. The Department will issue a variation order closing all angling for a duration of up to ten (10) days covering an area of approximately 9.8 kilometers of the Northwest Miramichi River below the Red Bank Bridge once concentrations of striped bass are observed spawning.
Legend: The map below shows a close-up view of the closure on the Northwest Miramichi River. The Red Bank-Sunny Corner bridge is visible on the lower left side of the map, and on the right side, the downstream boundary of the angling closure is indicated with a black line drawn between two points located approximately 9.8 km downriver from the bridge. This line is perpendicular to Route 435. The zone that will be closed is marked in red. Coordinates of the two points defining the line are 1) 46°58'00.339"N/ -65°42'58.117"W on the north shore; and 2) 46°57'42.322"N/ -65°42'57.205"W on the south shore (NAD 83).
The Northwest Miramichi River estuary is the only confirmed successful spawning ground for striped bass in the southern Gulf of St. Lawrence. The closure of all angling in the area during the period when striped bass are most concentrated and actively spawning is intended to ensure the best success of spawning activities and the continued health of the striped bass stock in the southern Gulf of St. Lawrence. With the exception of the area described above, the recreational fishery will remain open throughout the Miramichi River system during the striped bass spawning period. A closure notice will be posted on the DFO Gulf Region Recreational Fisheries Internet page when the closure becomes effective.
Crime Stoppers
Anyone wishing to report suspicious fishing activities anonymously is asked to contact the nearest Fisheries and Oceans Canada office or to call Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477.
Please refer to Gulf Variation Order 2024-006 for further details. The Orders Registry is available online at: https://www.inter.dfo-mpo.gc.ca/Gulf/Orders-Registry.
For more information on this fishery, please contact:
Eric LeBlanc
Regional Senior Fisheries Management Officer
Fisheries and Oceans Canada
Moncton, New Brunswick
506-871-6852