October 28, 2024
Charlottetown, (P.E.I.) and Antigonish, (N.S.) – October 25, 2024 - Fisheries and Oceans
Canada (DFO) is announcing the management measures for Scallop Fishing Area 24 (SFA 24)
for 2024.
The scallop fishery will open at 6:00 a.m. on Friday, November 1st, 2024 and will close at 6:00
p.m. on Saturday, December 14th, 2024. The fishery will be open from 6:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.
daily, and will be closed on Sundays.
DFO wishes to remind fish harvesters to exercise caution when navigating in locations where
dredging operations are on-going.
Furthermore, it is reminded that, during the period where fishing is authorized, it is the
responsibility of the licence holder to take into account the marine safety notices issued, among
others, by Environment and Climate Change Canada and Transport Canada, as well as the
standards and best practices in marine safety, and to take all measures to ensure a safe fishery.
The following management measures from 2023 will remain in effect for the 2024 fishing
season. Further details are available in the scallop licence conditions:
Fishing Gear Reporting System (or Lost Gear Reporting): A new online system was launched in
July 2021 to allow commercial harvesters to conveniently input lost and retrieved gear
information from any smart electronic device. The system is able to capture information such as
descriptions, cause of loss and location of the lost gear. Harvesters can create their account and
begin reporting through the system at this website: Sign in (dfo-mpo.gc.ca)
Discarding Waste: Since 2022, all commercial fisheries in Canada have a new condition of
licence relating to the discharge of garbage from Canadian fishing vessels. The licence
holder/operator is prohibited from discarding in Canadian fisheries waters from their vessel
anything that may be harmful to fish or fish habitat. Refer to the Notice to Fish Harvesters sent
on April 7, 2022 for further details: https://www.dfo-mpo.gc.ca/fisheries-peches/sdc-cps/indexeng.
html
Meat Count: On average, can not exceed 52 meats per 500g.
Logbook: Fish harvesters are required to maintain a record of their estimated catches in the
Scallop Logbook (GLF VERSION 2020) prior to entering port. Logbooks must be returned to
DFO no later than two weeks following the closure of the fishing season.
Ring size: The authorized ring size in the bucket construction is set at 82.6 mm (3 ¼ inches) with
the exception of the first row of buckets where 76.2 mm (3 inches) rings may be used.
Drag size: Maximum cumulative width of 5.08 m (16 feet 8 inches) (outside measurements).
Washers: Two (2) steel washers may be used to join each side of the rings together giving a
maximum of eight (8) steel washers per ring. In addition, one rubber washer may be used
vertically to join two (2) bucket rings together. The maximum outside diameter of rubber
washers must not exceed 50.8 mm (2 inches). Furthermore, chaffing gear on the underside of the
drag will be allowed when the rings are joined only with steel washers.
Offloading requirements: No person shall land (off-load) any other part of the scallop except for
the adductor muscle (no roe or other internal organs of the scallop may be retained).
Mandatory reporting of interactions between vessels or fishing gear and marine mammals: Any
accidental contact between marine mammal and a vessel or fishing gear must be reported.
Buffer zones: All existing buffer zones remain in place for the protection of lobster habitat and
the ecosystem.
FOR MORE INFORMATION:
Kim Lowe
Resource Management
Fisheries and Oceans Canada
Charlottetown, PEI
902-393-1171
Kim.Lowe@dfo-mpo.gc.ca
Nicholas Levangie
Resource Management
Fisheries and Oceans Canada
Antigonish, NS
902-870-7320
Nicholas.Levangie@dfo-mpo.gc.ca
Telephone: (902) 566-4050
Fax: 902-368-3748
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