Archived – Snow crab temporary allocation for area 16A

Species and Area

Snow crab, area 16A (Northeast of Anticosti Island) – Quebec Region

Area 16A is allowed to the 43 Quebec fish harvesters holding a snow crab fishing license in Area 13. This allocation aims to bring temporary help to core fish harvesters belonging to fleets in difficulty. It is not a permanent alternative to a guaranteed annual income.

Dates of season (subject to change)

The fishing will begin on the 5th of April 2010 at 05h00 and will close on the 12th of July 2010 at 24h00.

Total Allowable Catches

The global allocation for 2010 is established at 425.5 tons, which is a status quo with 2009.

Management Measures

Eligibility Criteria’s

• Be a member of the core group;
• Hold a snow crab license from Quebec in area 13;
• Not hold or have held a regular permit of shrimp since 1995.

Conservation Measures

• Maximum of 22 boats authorized to fish at the same time in area 16A;
• 85 standards traps or 170 Japanese traps;
• Closure of the fishery as soon as the percentage of white crab in catches exceeds 20%;
• The discarding of white crab and adolescent crab is permitted this year, as stipulated on licence conditions;
• The fishing will begin on the 5th of April 2010 at 05h00 and will close on the 12th of July 2010 at 24h00;
• There will be no extensions of the season for other than exceptional circumstances out of the control of the industry or the DFO (ex. late ice);
• Dockside monitoring for 100 % of landings;
• Hail out is mandatory in 2010;
• At-sea observers’ coverage of 10% at the expense of the industry.

Management Measures

• In order to diminish operation costs, allocations transfers and buddying-up of licenses (maximum of 2 fish harvesters) will be authorized. To take advantage of one of these two options, fish harvesters have to get the forms at the DFO's Sept-Iles office;
• Fish harvesters involved in a partnership agreement are authorised to use the following number of traps: 170 standards size traps or 340 Japanese traps. Landings will be accounted for according to the prorata of the individual quotas of the two fish harvesters involved in a partnership agreement;
• The allocation of 425.5 tons will be managed by the DFO;
• The DFO is in charge of identifying and maintaining up to date the list of beneficiaries of crab allocations.

Species at risk

Pursuant to the Species at Risk Act (SARA), all by-catches of spotted wolffish, northern wolffish and leatherback Turtle must be returned to the water and released in the same location they were caught and, if the fish is still alive, with as little harm as possible. Moreover, information regarding interactions with species at risk must be provided in the Species at risk section of the logbook.

Conditions

A delay of two working days is necessary DFO for the emission of the license conditions. Fish harvesters meeting eligibility criteria will have to make formal agreements with the dockside monitoring and at sea observers companies before contacting the DFO for the licence's issue.
Please to take note that DFO office will be closed from April 2nd to April 5th 2010.

Links to other information

Facts on Canadian Species