Snow Crab Area 12F

Species and Area

Snow crab fishing area F is located in the Gulf of St-Lawrence northeast of the Magdalen Islands.

Dates of season (subject to change)

The targeted opening date for the fishery is April 13 at 00:01 AM (Atlantic Daylight Time), if meteorological conditions are favourable. The fishery will close on July 16, 2012 at 24:00 (Atlantic Daylight Time).

Total Allowable Catches and Sharing Arrangements

The Total Allowable Catch (TAC) is 706.4 tonnes in 2012. According to the TAC sharing arrangement in place in Area 12F, the excess of a threshold of 544 tonnes, 162.4 tonnes, is shared on a ratio of 60%-40% as follows:

  • 97.44t to the traditional fleet, for a global quota of 641.44 t split in accordance with the historical shares for Quebec (68.75%) and for Nova Scotia (31.25%).
  • 44.66t to harvesters that are eligible for the Quebec temporary allocation program; and
  • 20.30t to multi species organizations in Nova Scotia (Gulf) representing Independent Core fish harvesters.

Management Measures

  • 20% At-sea observer coverage
  • The maximum number of traps authorised for the temporary allocations will be as follows:
    • Less than or equal to 11.3 tons (25 000 lbs): 35 traps
    • Between 11.3 tons and 18.1 tons (40 000 lbs): 50 traps
    • Equal to or superior to 18.1 tons: 75 traps
  • 75 mm maximum mesh size
  • Release of adolescent and soft-shell crab allowed
  • Vessel Monitoring System (VMS)
  • 100% dockside monitoring
  • Soft-shell protocol by sector and by zone
  • Two licence holders from Area 12F will be allowed to fish on one boat with 200% of the number of traps normally permitted.
  • One Area 12F licence holder from Québec will be allowed, on request and following certain conditions, to use the boat of an Area 12 licence holder from Québec to fish in Area 12F.
  • The fishery remains prohibited in a buffer zone that separate Areas 12F and 19.

Administrative Guidelines (ITQ Program)

Administrative guidelines approved by DFO in November 2011 remains valid. These guidelines describe, among others, the rules regarding temporary and permanent transfers of ITQ. These guidelines are available from DFO and/or fleet representatives of the two regions (Quebec and Gulf).

Quota reconciliation

As announced in 2011, the Department will apply quota reconciliation to quotas in 2012 and subsequent years. Therefore, all individual quota overrun during a given season by a licence holder will be deducted from his or her individual quota the following year on a one-for-one basis. The licence holder is responsible for adhering to the quantity he or she is allocated (ITQ and IQ) by taking into account his or her transfers and landings and making the necessary arrangements before leaving on a fishing expedition to have the necessary quota to cover the presumed harvest.

Species at Risk

As indicated in Section 73 of the Species at Risk Act, the following species must be returned to the water immediately and, when the fish is alive, in a manner that causes it the least harm: Spotted wolffish, Northern wolffish, Leatherback Turtle and Striped Bass (St. Lawrence Estuary population).