Snow crab fishing in area 12B

Species and area

Quebec region, Gaspe-Lower-St-Lawrence area
Snow crab fishing in area 12B
8 licences south of Anticosti Island

Season Dates (subject to change)

Fishing season will last a maximum of 14 weeks between March 25 and June 24, 2011.

Total allowable catch (TAC) and harvest sharing agreements (if applicable)

The total allowable catch (TAC) for 2011, under the individual transferable quota program (ITQ), is 271 tons.

Management measures

• Minimum size: minimum shell width, 95 mm.
• A soft shell crab protocol will be implemented.
• Number of traps: 150 standard traps with a mesh inferior or equal to 75 mm and maximum exterior volume of 2.1 m3. One standard trap may be replaced with two conical traps with maximum outside measurement at base of 122 cm maximum diameter.
• Authorization to return soft shell crab and adolescent crab (small claws) to the water.
• Mandatory biodegradable escape mechanisms.

Fishery control measures:

• Mandatory log book
• 10 % observer coverage at sea
• 100% dockside monitoring

Implementation of a quota reconciliation program starting with the 2011 season. Quota overruns incurred during the 2011 season will be deducted by a factor of one-to-one from 2012 individual quotas.