Prince Edward Island Fishermen's Assoc.

Notice to Fish Harvesters
June 20, 2014

2014 ROCK CRAB FISHERY IN LOBSTER FISHING AREA 25

Moncton – The Department of Fisheries and Oceans (DFO), Gulf Region, wishes to advise the
industry that the summer fishery for rock crab in Lobster Fishing Area (LFA) 25 will open at
06:00 a.m. on June 30, 2014, and will close on July 26, 2014. Opening the last Monday in June
is a result of a decision of the LFA 25 Rock Crab Advisory Committee. The season will open the
last Monday in June for the next three years (2014 to 2016).

The fall rock crab fishery will open five calendar days after the closure of the fall lobster fishery
(unless the rock crab opening date would fall on a Sunday in which case it will open on the
Monday) with the season closure being the last Friday of November. Opening and closing dates
for this fishery will be published in a later Notice to Fish Harvesters.
Licence conditions will be valid for both the summer and fall fishery periods.

All other management measures remain as per the previous management plan and include,
amongst others:

Biodegradable Panels: The use of modified biodegradable panels on all traps, including modified
lobster traps, is mandatory. Please refer to your Licence Conditions for
specifications on these panels.
Data entry: Licence holders are responsible for making arrangements with dockside
monitoring companies for data entry of catch and effort information; a
condition to this effect is included in all licences.
Logbooks: Logbooks/landing reports 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 - 100 traps.
First Nations communal commercial licences – 100 traps.

Community licences– 100 traps.
Catch limitation: Commercial licences – 25,000 kg.
Aboriginal communal commercial licences – 35,000 kg.
Community licences – 35,000 kg.

Minimum size: Only male rock crabs, with a minimum carapace width of 102 mm, may be retained.
DFO will continue to apply the principle that prioritizes the rock crab fishery as follows: by-catch in the lobster fishery, bait for the lobster fishery; directed rock crab fishery.

For more information:

Dan McLaughlin
Resource Management
Fisheries and Oceans Canada

Moncton, NB
(506) 851-6234
Diana Fillion
Resource Management

Fisheries and Oceans Canada
Tracadie-Sheila, NB
(506) 395-7740
Chris Mills

Resource Management
Fisheries and Oceans Canada
Charlottetown, PEI
(902) 566-7807

Leroy MacEachern
Resource Management
Fisheries and Oceans Canada
Antigonish, NS
(902) 735-7102