Whelk Areas 1,2,3,4,5,6,7,9 - Quebec Region

Species and regions

Whelk areas 1,2,3,4,5,6,7,9 – Quebec Region

Fishing areas:

  • Area 1 : Tadoussac to Pointe-aux-Outardes
  • Area 2 : Pointe-aux-Outardes to Pointe-des-Monts
  • Area 3 : Pointe-des-Monts to Pointe-au-Jambon
  • Area 4 : Pointe-Jambon to Cap Cormoran
  • Area 5 : Cap-Cormoran to Rivière-St-Jean
  • Area 6 : Rivière St-Jean to Baie-de-Grande Hermine
  • Area 7 : Baie-de-Grande Hermine to Rivière-de-l’Étang
  • Area 9 : North Anticosti Island

Dates of seasons (subject to change)

  • Area 1 : (25 weeks):
    • Season 2012 : April 1 to September 23
    • Season 2013 : March 31 to September 22
    • Season 2014 : March to September 21
  • Area 2 : (23 weeks)
    • Season 2012 : April 8 to September 16
    • Season 2013 : April 7 au September 15
    • Season 2014 : April 6 to September 14
  • Area 3 : (30 weeks)
    • Season 2012 : April 18 to November 14
    • Season 2013 : April 17 to November 13
    • Season 2014 : April 16 to November 12
  • Area 4 : (26 weeks)
    • Season 2012 : April 18 to October 17
    • Season 2013 : April 17 to October 16
    • Season 2014 : April 15 to October 15
  • Area 5 : (26 weeks)
    • Season 2012 : April 11 to October 10
    • Season 2013 : April 10 to October 9
    • Season 2014 : April 9 to October 8
  • Area 6 : (26 weeks)
    • Season 2012 : April 11 to October 10
    • Season 2013 : April 10 to October 9
    • Season 2014 : April 9 to October 8
  • Area 7 : (26 weeks)
    • Season 2012 : April 11 to October 10
    • Season 2013 : April 10 to October 9
    • Season 2014 : April 10 to October 9
  • Area 9 : (26 weeks)
    • Season 2012 : April 11 to October 10
    • Season 2013 : April 10 to October 9
    • Season 2014 : April 9 to October 8

Total Allowable Catch (TAC)

  • Area 1 : TAC of 491 t
  • Area 2 : TAC of 109 t

Management Measures

The department is working in collaboration with the industry in order to adapt the management measures to the specifics of each fishing area. Thus, modifications to the management measures presented below could be made during the course of the season.

Number of licences:

  • Area 1 : 11 licences
  • Area 2 : 6 licences
  • Area 3 : 7 licences
  • Area 4 : 29 licences
  • Area 5 : 21 licences
  • Area 6 : 16 licences
  • Area 7 : 7 licences
  • Area 9 : 1 licences

Whelk licence holders in Areas 5, 6 and 7 also have access to Area 9.

Minimum catch size:

70 mm in length.

Number of traps:

The maximum number of traps authorized in each area is 100 traps per fisher, with the following exceptions:

a) Current whelk licence holders, who are authorized to use 150 traps, will retain this privilege (grandfather clause). This grandfather clause will lapse if there is a change in licence holder.

b) Current whelk licence holders who have not registered any catches with DFO since 2000 will be authorized to use a maximum of 50 traps.

Volume of traps:

a) Current whelk licence holders authorized to use 50 or 100 traps may use traps with a maximum external volume of 0.3 m3 (10.6 ft3).

b) Current whelk licence holders authorized to use 150 traps will be able to use traps with a maximum external volume of 0.15 m3 (5.3 ft3).

Tagging:

Each trap must bear a valid tag obtained from the Department of Fisheries and Oceans (DFO).

Hail in:

Hail in to a local monitoring company is mandatory for Areas 1 and 2.

Log book:

The keeping of a log book is mandatory, and it must be sent to the Sept-Îles Fisheries and Oceans Canada office on the Saturday of each week, when there have been fishing activities.

Area closure:

Areas 1 and 2 will be closed when the total allowable catch (TAC) is reached.

Incidental catches:

Incidental catches cannot be retained.

Simultaneous fisheries:

Simultaneous fishing and landing of whelk and common crab are authorized.

Multi-year committee:

Three-year management plan; the next advisory committee meeting will be held in 2015.

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 Gulf of St.-Lawrence and the Atlantic species targeted by these measures are the following ones : Spotted wolffish, Northern wolffish, Leatherback Turtle and Striped Bass (St. Lawrence Estuary population). New species could be added in the course of 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 fish is still alive, with as little harm as possible. In addition, information regarding interactions with species at risk must be recorded in the Species at risk section of the logbook.

Licence Conditions

For obtaining licence conditions, please contact our area offices. Two working days are required to issue a licence condition. Moreover, when applicable, every fisherman should reach a formal agreement with dockside monitoring companies before contacting the DFO for licence issuance.

For additional information

Jean Morisset
Chief, Resource Management, Aboriginal Fisheries and Species at Risk
Fisheries and Oceans Canada
North Shore Area
418 962-6314

Andrew Rowsell
Area chief, Conservation and Protection
Fisheries and Oceans Canada
North Shore Area
418 962-6314