Prince Edward Island Fishermen's Assoc.

Please click on the link to view the full Notice to Fishers: http://peifa.org/members/docs/MECTS-4240226-v1-2021_ROCK_CRAB_NOTICE_TO_FISH_HARVESTERS_-_LFA_26A_2021_MANAGEMENT_MEASURES.pdf

Gulf Region

2021 CONSERVATION AND HARVESTING PLAN FOR THE ROCK CRAB FISHERY IN LOBSTER FISHING AREA 26A

Charlottetown (PEI) and Antigonish, (NS) – July 21, 2021

Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO) is announcing the management measures for the rock crab fishery in Lobster Fishing Area 26A (LFA 26A) in 2021. Unless indicated otherwise, existing management measures remain in place. Please refer to your rock crab licence conditions for further details.

Fishing Season

The fishing season in LFA 26A will open at 6:00 a.m. Monday, August 2, 2021. The last day of fishing will be Saturday, November 27, 2021 (inclusively). These season dates comply with the practice of opening the fishery on the first Monday in August until the last Saturday in November.

DFO wishes to remind fish harvesters to take extra care when navigating on the opening day of the fishery as vessels are loaded with gear and traps. Harvesters are encouraged to act diligently in setting their traps and should ensure that vessels are loaded safely by reducing the quantity of gear if necessary.

NEW in 2021

Crew Registry: The inshore regulations require inshore commercial licence holders, and their approved Substitute Operators, to keep records of all the crew members working aboard the vessel on every fishing trip. These records must be maintained by the licence holder for a period of five (5) years. More information can be found at: https://www.dfo-mpo.gc.ca/fisheries- peches/commercial-commerciale/atl-arc/inshore-regulations-reglement-peche-cotiere-eng.html

Management measures in place for the 2021 fishing season

Gear Marking: Gear marking is in place in this fishery. Details of these requirements can be found in your licence conditions and at the following Internet address: https://www.dfo- mpo.gc.ca/fisheries-peches/commercial-commerciale/atl-arc/colour-notice-avis-couleur-eng.

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Management measures to minimize interactions with North Atlantic right whales:
The management measures to protect the right whales are available at the following Internet address: http://dfo-mpo.gc.ca/fisheries-peches/commercial-commerciale/atl-arc/narw- bnan/management-gestion-eng.html

Biodegradable mechanisms: The use of biodegradable mechanisms on all traps, including modified lobster traps, is mandatory. Please refer to your licence conditions for specifications on these biodegradable mechanisms.

Data entry: The licence holder is responsible to enter into an agreement with a Dockside Monitoring Company for data entry of catch and effort information; a condition to this effect is included in all licences.

Logbooks: Crab Logbook/Landing Report are mandatory and must be completed as stipulated in the licence conditions.

Dockside Monitoring Program: All of the catch must be weighed in kilograms at one decimal point on an approved scale.

Number of traps:
Commercial licences – 90 traps. Communal commercial licences – 90 traps.

Catch limitation:
Commercial licences – 23,913 kg. Communal commercial licences – 23,913 kg.

Minimum size: Only male Rock crabs, with a minimum carapace width size of 108 mm, may be retained in the directed fishery.

DFO will continue to apply the exploitation principle that prioritizes the rock crab fishery as follows: by-catch in the lobster fishery, bait for the lobster fishery and then directed rock crab fishery.

FOR MORE INFORMATION:

Kim Lowe
Resource Management Fisheries and Oceans Canada Charlottetown, PEI 902-566-7933Kim.Lowe@dfo-mpo.gc.ca

Barbara MacArthur
Resource Management
Fisheries and Oceans Canada Antigonish, NS
902-863-7076Barbara.MacArthur@dfo-mpo.gc.ca