Notice to Fish Harvesters
2024 SCALLOP CONSERVATION HARVESTING PLAN FOR SCALLOP FISHING AREA 24

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.


Fishing Season :

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.


Management measures in place :

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


 

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Notices

April 27, 2015
SFA 22 Scallop Fishery - Conference call to discuss Opening of 2015 Season
see more

April 24, 2015
DFO Notice - Spring Lobster Fishery - Delay
DFO Notice to Fish Harvesters - April 23, 2015 see more

April 23, 2015
Notice to Fish Harvesters - Snow Crab
see more

April 22, 2015
Spring Herring HFA 16C&E Delay
Spring Herring fishery in HFA 16C&E is postponed due to ice conditions. see more

April 22, 2015
Discussions - Opening date - PEI Spring Lobster Fishery 2015
Proceedings for upcoming discussion on opening date for spring lobster fishery on PEI for 2015: see more

April 17, 2015
Variation Order - Minimum Length - Lobster
see more

March 27, 2015
Variation Order - Shrimp
see more

February 4, 2015
Lobster Symposium 2015
see more

December 11, 2014
GSN-2014-055
see more

October 28, 2014
Variation Order - Scallop Fishing Area 24
see more