Newfoundland and Labrador Recreational Groundfish Fishery Survey

This survey is your opportunity to let Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO) know what you think about the Newfoundland and Labrador Recreational Groundfish Fishery, locally known as the ‘food fishery’.

On June 18, 2025, DFO announced that it would seek public input about the Newfoundland and Labrador food fishery, in the Fall of 2025. Your participation in this survey will help inform the rules for this fishery in 2026.

This survey is administered on behalf of the Minister by the Fisheries Management branch in the Newfoundland and Labrador Region. Your participation is confidential, voluntary, and will remain anonymous.

The survey will take about 15 minutes to complete.

Who is the focus of this consultation

The Government of Canada is engaging with food fishers and the general public to gather information related to the Newfoundland and Labrador food fishery. The survey is not specific to any group of people from any nationality. All are welcome to participate in the survey.

Key questions for consideration

Groundfish, especially cod, plays an important role in the lives of Newfoundlanders and Labradorians. It has been, and remains, an economically important and culturally significant part of the province. DFO has a responsibility to sustainably manage fisheries while supporting economic growth and protecting the marine environment.

Since 2016, the Newfoundland and Labrador food Fishery is managed using several management rules including:

• 39 day season (open Saturday, Sunday, and Monday during the summer, and a 9 day period in the fall)
• daily personal bag limit (5 groundfish per day)
• boat limit (15 groundfish per boat when 3 or more people are fishing)

Currently, there is no requirement to have a fishing licence, place a tag on your catch, or to report catch in this fishery.

Management measures focus on the 3 primary cod stocks caught in Newfoundland and Labrador’s Food Fishery. A stock is a group of the same species that are found in a specific area. A short educational video about cod is available (Primary Cod Stocks in the Newfoundland and Labrador Food Fishery) and a summary of each stock is below:

Northern Cod in NAFO Divisions 2J3KL

• Location: This stock stretches from the eastern side of the Avalon Peninsula, along Newfoundland’s northeast coast, and up to the east coast of Labrador.
• Stock Status: Perhaps the most familiar to many, this stock has shown stability since 2017. It is currently in better condition than previously anticipated, with population levels among the highest observed in decades. The commercial moratorium ended for Northern Cod in 2024. However, significant growth is not expected in the near term.
• Recreational Catch: In 2024, the estimated catch was approximately 2,700 tonnes. 

Cod in NAFO Division 3Ps:

• Location: This cod stock is found along much of the south coast of Newfoundland, starting from the southwest side of the Avalon Peninsula.
• Stock Status:  This stock is in the Critical Zone and faces environmental pressures like rising ocean temperatures and limited food for juveniles. These stressors slow growth and suppress population numbers. A small commercial fishery of 1,251 tonnes for 2025–26 continues, but this stock is expected to remain in the Critical Zone over the coming years.

• Recreational Catch: In 2024, the estimated catch was 225 tonnes.

Cod in NAFO Divisions 3Pn4RS:

• Location: Northern Gulf cod is found from the tip of Newfoundland’s Northern Peninsula, down along the island’s west coast, and along Quebec’s lower north shore.
• Stock Status: This cod stock is in the Critical Zone and has been under a commercial moratorium since 2022. While there has been no commercial harvest for several years, the recreational fishery has remained open during this time.
• Recreational Catch: In 2024, the estimated catch was from 250 to 600 tonnes.

Join in: How to participate

Share your ideas through this online survey

Participate in the online survey. (You won’t need to sign up for an account.)

Send us an email

Send an email to recgroundfishnl@dfo-mpo.gc.ca with your ideas or comments to make yourself heard.

Participate by mail

Send a letter with your ideas and input to the address in contact information below.

Related information

• 2025 Newfoundland and Labrador Recreational Groundfish Fishery
• NAFO Divisions 2J3KL Northern Cod (Gadus morhua) Stock Assessment to 2025
• NAFO Subdivision 3Ps Atlantic Cod Stock Assessment in 2024
• Northern Gulf of St. Lawrence (3Pn,4RS) Atlantic Cod Stock Assessment in 2024

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