Prince Edward Island Fishermen's Assoc.

Click on the link for the full notice to fishers: http://peifa.org/members/docs/MECTS-#4077185 - Notice_to_Fishers_PEI_Halibut_2019-.pdf

Fisheries and Oceans Canada Notice to Fish Harvesters

July 19, 2019 EKME: 4077185 2019

Prince Edward Island Atlantic Halibut Fishery Charlottetown, PE –

The Department of Fisheries and Oceans (DFO), Gulf Region, today announces that fishing will be authorized for Prince Edward Island (PEI) groundfish fixed gear fleet, with vessels less than 13.1716 metres (45 feet) in overall length that have registered to fish Atlantic Halibut in 2019.

INDIVIDUAL ALLOCATION: The Atlantic halibut allocation for the PEI fixed gear fleet in 2019 will be 62.075 metric tonnes. Based on the number of registered participants, an individual catch limit of 250 kg round weight will be implemented. To convert dressed (head on, gutted) weight to round weight, multiply dressed weight by 1.14. SEASON: In 2019, the Prince Edward Island Atlantic halibut fishery will be open for thirty-six consecutive hours, during four separate openings or until the quota is caught. The first two openings will occur on July 24th/25th and July 31st/August 01st . The last two openings will be determined at a later date. During open periods, the fishery will occur from 4 a.m. until 4 p.m. the following day. Licences holders are not permitted to leave port until 2 a.m. on the day of an opening and must return to port by 6 p.m. the following day.

When fishing for Atlantic Halibut anywhere in the Gulf of St. Lawrence where a notice of a temporary closure was given due to the presence of North Atlantic Right Whales (NARW), the licence holder shall closely attend their fishing gear at all times and must remove all fishing gear from the water prior to entering port. The licence holder shall also remove all fishing gear from the water as soon as a NARW is observed in the vicinity of the fishing activity when it is safe to do so.

If more than 10% of the quota remains after the fourth opening, a list of eligible licence holders will be created and the quota redistributed based on the initial individual catch limit.

Management measures similar to 2019 include:

•The maximum number of hooks permitted to be fished or on board a vessel at any time is 300.

•Maximum individual by-catch limit of 50kg of cod. All fishing activities must cease once this bycatch limit is reached.

•100% Dockside Monitoring -2- Requirement to report lost and retrieved gear: - As in 2018, the requirement to report lost gear to DFO remains in place.

- NEW requirement – Starting in 2019, licence holders must report the retrieval of any of their own gear previously reported lost to DFO. - The Lost fishing gear form and the Retrieval of previously reported fishing gear form are included in licence conditions and are now available online at: http://www.dfompo.gc.ca/fisheries-peches/commercial-commerciale/reporting-declaration-eng.html. - The appropriate forms must be completed and submitted within 24 hours of entering to port (new timeframe).

Requirement to report interactions with marine mammals:- The Marine Mammal Interaction Form will remain included with the licence conditions and must be completed and submitted by email to: DFO.NAT.InteractionsMMInteractionsMM.NAT.MPO@dfo-mpo.gc.ca unless it is filled out online at: http://www.dfompo.gc.ca/species-especes/mammals-mammiferes/report-rapport/fish-harvester-pecheur-eng.asp. The form must be submitted within 48 hours of the end of a fishing trip. Please refer to the separate notice attached issued on April 12, 2019 for additional information on Management measures to protect North Atlantic Right Whales.

A map illustrating the Lobster Fishing Areas and the dynamic management areas subject to temporary closures (dynamic zone) is provided in Annex 1 for information purposes only. …/2

For more information contact: Ben Moore A/Area Chief, Resource Management Gulf Region Fisheries and Oceans Canada Charlottetown, PEI (902) 370-7094 Daniel Lapierre A/Regional Senior FAM Officer Gulf Region Fisheries and Oceans Canada Moncton, N.B. 506-851-3846 -3- Map showing the foraging areas and the static closure