2019 Snow Crab Fishery, Newfoundland and Labrador

Snow Crab fishery in Newfoundland and Labrador (Areas 2HJ, 3KLNO, 3Ps, and 4R3Pn)

The following table contains three columns. The first column lists each NAFO Division. The second column lists the Crab Fishing Area. The third column lists the 2018 season dates.

FISHING SEASON (subject to change)
NAFO Division Crab Fishing Area 2019 Season Dates
2HJ 2H, 2J North TBD
2J south All fleets TBD
3K 3A April 14 – July 15
3BC, 3D. 4 April 14 – June 30
3B April 21 – June 30
3C April 29 – June 30
3LNO 8Bx south April 8 – July 15
Most Fleets April 8 – July 31
3Ps All fleets April 8 – June 30
4R3Pn All fleets April 8 – June 15

TOTAL ALLOWABLE CATCH

The Total Allowable Catch (TAC) for Newfoundland and Labrador Region in 2019 is 26,894 tonnes, an overall quota level decrease of 9% from 2018, which includes no change in 2HJ, a 1% decrease in 3K, a 16% decrease in 3LNO (26% in the areas outside the 200 mile limit, and 15% in areas inside the 200 mile limit), a 48% increase in the 3Ps quota, a 39% reduction in 4R3Pn, and includes the quota for the Collaborative Post-Season Trap Survey (Use of Fish).

The following table contains two columns. The first column lists the area. The second column lists the quota in tonnes. The last row identifies the total allowable catch.

TOTAL ALLOWABLE CATCH
AREA Quota (t)*
2GHJ 1,865
3K 5,856
3LNO 15,818
3Ps 2,649
4R3Pn 306
CPS Trap Survey 400
TOTAL 26,894

*numbers may not add due to rounding

The following table contains five columns. The first column lists the Crab Fishing Area. The second column lists the area description. The third column lists the inshore quota(s). The fourth column lists the fulltime - large supplementary quotas. The fifth column lists the communal quota. 

DIVISION 2GHJ 2019 QUOTAS (t)
Area Description Inshore Fulltime & Supplementary Communal
2GH North of 56o 00’ N - - 100
2J north North of 54o 40’ N to 56o 00’ N  -  - 310
2J south South of 54° 40’ N 290 1165  -

The 2GHJ TAC is 1,865 tonnes.

The following table contains four columns. The first column lists the Crab Fishing Area. The second column lists the area description. The third column lists the inshore quota(s). The fourth column lists the fulltime - large supplementary quotas.

DIVISION 3K 2019 QUOTAS (t)
Area Description Inshore Fulltime &
Supplementary
3A Canada Bay 292  -
3B White Bay 302  -
3C Green Bay 406  -
3BC Inshore 3K 166  -
3D Fogo/Twillingate 770  -
4 Offshore 17 3903

The 3K TAC is 5,856 tonnes.

The following table contains six columns. The first column lists the Crab Fishing Area. The second column lists the area description. The third column lists the inshore quota(s). The fourth column lists the small supplementary or commercial quotas. The fifth column lists the fulltime - large supplementary quotas. The sixth column lists the greater than 65 foot quotas.

DIVISIONS 3LNO 2019 QUOTAS (t)
Area Description Inshore Small
Supplementary
Fulltime & Supplementary > 65'
5A Bonavista Bay 596  -  -  -
6A Trinity Bay 861  -  -  -
6B Conception Bay 525  -  -  -
6C Eastern Avalon (inside 25) 475  -  -  -
8A Southern Shore (inside 25) 309  -  -  -
9A St. Mary’s Bay 200  -  -  -
8B Southern Avalon (offshore)  - 403  -  -
8Bx Southern Avalon  - 45  -  -
8Bx North Northern portion of Southern Avalon  - 141  -  -
8Bx South Southern portion of Southern Avalon  - 195  -  -
NS Nearshore  - 2,818  -  -
MS Midshore  - 2,581 1,071  -
MS/EX Mid-shore extended  -  - 2,570  -
3L EX Between 170 and 200 miles  -  - 1,799  -
3L 200 3L Outside 200 miles  -  - 552  -
3N 200 3N Outside 200 miles  -  - 496  -
3NO 200 3NO Outside 200 miles  -  -  - 181

The 3LNO TAC is 15,818 tonnes.
The following table contains four columns. The first column lists the Crab Fishing Area. The second column lists the area description. The third column lists the inshore quota(s). The fourth column lists the small supplementary quota(s).

SUB-DIVISION 3Ps 2019 QUOTAS (t)

Area Description Inshore Small
Supplementary
10A Placentia Bay north of 46o30’N 1,008  -
10B Placentia Bay south of 46o30’N  - 1,347
11S CFA 11 south of 46o30’N 90 99
11E CFA 11 east of Western Head 79  -
11W CFA 11 west of Western Head 26  -

The 3Ps TAC is 2,649 tonnes.

The following table contains four columns. The first column lists the Crab Fishing Area. The second column lists the area description. The third column lists the inshore quota(s). The fourth column lists the commercial quotas.

DIVISION 4R3Pn 2019 QUOTAS (t)
Area Description Inshore Commercial
12 Outside of 8 mile - Group 1  - 10
12 Outside of 8 mile - Group 2  - 77
12 Outside of 8 mile - Group 3  - 18
12 Bay of Islands  - 20
12 Bay St. George  - 8
12A Lapoile Bay 2  -
12B Cape Ray to Johnson’s Cove 4  -
12C Johnson’s Cove to Cape St. George 53  -
12D Cape St. George to Bear Head 19  -
12E Bear Head to Cape St. Gregory 17  -
12F Inner Bay of Islands 17  -
12G Cape St. Gregory to Broom Point 49  -
12H Broom Point to Table Point 12  -

The 4R3Pn TAC is 306 tonnes.
The Collaborative Post-Season Trap Survey (Use of Fish) TAC is 400 tonnes.
The overall TAC is 26,894 tonnes.

Management measures

The proposed management approach for 2019 includes the continuation of early and shortened fishing seasons, 6.4m limit of floating rope on the water, the soft-shell protocol, introducing a steam time of 6 hours for inshore fleets and 72 hours for all offshore fleets, decreasing quota levels in Divisions 3K, 3LNO and 4R3Pn, maintaining status quo in 2HJ and increasing quotas in Subdivision 3Ps.

Some fleets will be ready to fish on April 8. An early opening in these areas is essential to providing the best opportunity to avoid high incidence of soft-shell during the fishery and to spread the landings over a longer period of time. Areas 3N outside 200 miles, 12B, 12D, 12H and Outside 8 mile (4R3Pn) will transition from an individual quota to a harvesting cap management regime. In addition, grid based soft-shell protocols are continued in all areas. Areas closed as a result of soft-shell Crab will remain closed for the remainder of the year. Grids closed for soft-shell crab in Shrimp Fishing Areas 4, 5 or 6 will also be closed to Shrimp harvesting for 60 days. All season closure dates are subject to modification if there is a high incidence of soft-shell Crab encountered in the fishery. An individual quota (IQ) does not guarantee that all Crab will be landed.

Division 2HJ

  • The overall quota of Snow crab in 2GHJ will remain unchanged in 2019 at 1,865 tonnes.

Division 3K
The overall quota of Snow crab in 3LNO will be decreased by 1% in 2019 to 5,856 tonnes from 5,932 tonnes in 2018.

  • Harvest levels in 3B will be decreased by 20% in 2019.
  • The harvest levels for other areas in 3K will remain unchanged in 2019.

Division 3LNO
The overall quota of Snow crab in 3LNO will be decreased by 16% in 2019 to 15,818 tonnes from 18,839 tonnes in 2018.

  • Harvest levels in Midshore, Midshore extended and 3L extended will remain unchanged in 2019
  • Harvest levels in areas 5A, 6A and 8B will be decreased by 10% in 2019.
  • Harvest levels in area 8BX and 3L 200 will be decreased by 20% in 2019.
  • Harvest levels in area Nearshore will be decreased by 25% in 2019.
  • Harvest levels in areas 8Bx north, 8Bx south, 9A, 3N 200 and 3NO200 will be decreased by 30% in 2019.
  • Harvest levels in area 8A will be decrease by 40% in 2018.
  • Harvest levels in areas 6B and 6C will be decreased by 50% in 2019.

Subdivision 3Ps
The overall quota for Snow crab in Sub- division 3Ps will be increased by 48% in 2019.

  • Harvest levels in areas 10A, 10B, 11S, and 11W will be increased by 50% in 2019.
  • Harvest levels for area 11E will remain unchanged in 2019.

Division 4R and Subdivision 3Pn
The overall quota for Snow crab in division 4R and sub-division 3Pn will be decreased by 39% in 2019.

  • Harvest levels in areas 12C, 12E, 12F, and 12G will be decreased by 25% in 2019.
  • Harvest levels in areas Outside of 8 miles, 12A, 12B, 12D, and 12H will be decreased by 50% in 2019.

Links to other information

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