Snow Crab Temporary Allocations for Areas 12c and 15 - Season 2011
Sept-Iles, April 15th 2011
Modified may 3rd, 2011
Species and Area
Snow crab temporary allocations, area 12C and 15 – Quebec region, North-Shore area
Dates of season
For both areas, the season will run from May 4th at 05h00 to August 9th at 24h00 2011;
The fishery could end sooner if the percentage of white crab in catches exceeds 20%;
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);
Total Allowable Catches and Sharing Arrangements (if applicable)
A total volume of 100.23 tons of snow crab in area 12C and 55.275 tons in area 15 is granted for temporary allocations.
A reserve of 4,77 tons will be kept awaiting the decisions of cases that could go before an appeal committee.
As announced at the last advisory meetings of snow crab, the Minister will proceed with the application of quota reconciliation starting this season. Therefore, all individual quota overrun by a licence holder during the 2011 season will be deducted from his 2012 individual quota on a one-for-one basis. It is of the responsibility of the licence holder to respect the allocation he is granted (QIT and QI) while taking into consideration his transfers and landings and to take the necessary arrangements before departing for a fishing expedition to have the necessary quota to cover its presumed harvest.
Management Measures
A maximum of 75 standards traps or 150 Japanese traps per boat is allowed;
Hail out is mandatory;
Presence of at sea observers at a 10 % rate will be at the industry’s expense;
Dockside monitoring of all landings at 100%;
A maximum of 12 boats at a time will be authorized to fish in area 12C and 7 in area 15;
The number of allocations that can be transferred to a single boat will be limited to 20;
No boat will be authorized to change fishing zones prior to harvesting the totality of his allowable catches in the previous zone;
Fish harvesters must obtain the licence condition for the zone they intend to fish in prior to setting their gear in the said zone;
In order to diminish operation costs, allocation transfers or partnership arrangement (Buddy-up system) will be authorized. To take advantage of this option, fish harvesters can get the forms at the DFO office in Sept-Iles. Fish harvesters involved in this partnership agreement (maximum of 2 fish harvesters) are authorised to use the following number of traps:150 standards size traps or 300 Japanese traps. Landings will be accounted for according to the prorata of the individul quotas of the two fish harvesters involved in a partenership agreement.
Species at risk act
Pursuant to the Species at Risk Act (SARA), no person shall kill, harm, harass, capture, take, possess, collect, buy, sell or trade an individual or any part or derivate of a wildlife species designated as extirpated, endangered or threatened.
At the time this Management Plan is promulgated, the Atlantic species targeted by these measures are the following ones : Spotted wolffish, Northern wolffish, Leatherback Turtle and Atlantic Walrus (Northwest Atlantic population). New species could be added to the SARA within the year.
All by-catches of species identified above must be returned to the water and released in the exact capture location and, if the specimen is still alive, with as little harm as possible. In addition, fish harvesters must complete the SARA logbook.
Licence Conditions
Licence conditions may be obtained by contacting any of our Area Offices. Licence conditions are normally issued within two or three working days. Fish harvesters will have to make formal agreements with the dockside monitoring and at-sea observers companies before contacting the DFO for the licence’s issue.
For additional information
Jean Morisset
Acting Chief, Resource Management, Aboriginal Fisheries and Species at Risk
Fisheries and Oceans Canada
North Coast Area
418 962-6314
Clément Beaudoin
Acting Area Chief, Conservation and Protection
Fisheries and Oceans Canada
North Coast Area
418 962-6314
Links to other information
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