Prince Edward Island Fishermen's Assoc.

Department of Fisheries and Oceans has issued the following Notice on the Atlantic Mackeral Fisheries Management Decision for 2014:

Click on the link to view the full announcement/notice: www.dfo-mpo.gc.ca/decisions/fm-2014-gp/atl-009-eng.htm

Atlantic Mackerel - Atlantic wide - NAFO Subareas 3 and 4

Dates of seasons
June to November

Total Allowable Catch
TAC of 10,000 tonnes for 2014.

Sharing Arrangements (if applicable)
Fixed Gear and Small Seine harvesters 60%
Large Seine harvesters 40%

(Status Quo from 2013)

Management Measures
A Canadian total allowable catch of 10,000 tonnes for 2014 (reduced from 36,000 tonnes in 2013).

There are flexibilities built into the current sharing arrangement (60% Fixed Gear and Small Seine harvesters / 40% Large Seine harvesters) if required during the 2014 fishing season.

Minimum fish size for commercial mackerel retention is increased to 263mm (from 250mm).

Single or Multi-year Planning
This decision is for this year (2014) only.

Additional Information
In light of concerns expressed by industry at this year’s Atlantic Mackerel Advisory Committee meeting, the Department is forming an Industry and DFO working group to explore means for Industry to assist science in compiling additional commercial fishing data and to look at ways to better collect information in bait fisheries.

Links to other information
Atlantic Mackerel IFMP – Effective 2007