Unit 1 Redfish Management Plan 2026-27
Ottawa – June 10, 2026 – The Department of Fisheries and Oceans (DFO) is announcing the management plan for the commercial redfish fishery in Unit 1 for the 2026-27 fishing season.
A Total Allowable Catch (TAC) of 60,000 tonnes (t) is established for a one-year period from May 15, 2026 to May 14, 2027.
In making this decision, the Minister considered the best available science, as well as the importance of supporting economic opportunities in a developing fishery. This includes increasing flexibility in management measures and improving access through the reserve allocation. This approach supports the sustainable use of the resource while balancing fishing opportunities among the different fleets of Atlantic Canada and Quebec.
Reserve allocation
A total of 9,000 t is deducted from the TAC and set aside as a reserve. Of this amount:
- 6,000 t, including the 3,000 t made available on May 15, 2026 on an interim basis, are available for fishing between May 15 and December 31, 2026.
- 3,000 t will be set aside for fishing between January 1 and May 14, 2027, aligned with the opening of NAFO Subdivisions 3Pn and 4Vn. Any portion of the first tranche of 6,000 t of the reserve not allocated by December 31, 2026 will be carried forward and made available for the remainder of the season.
To access the reserve, harvesters must have fished at least 75% of their primary allocation(s). Indigenous communities and organizations are exempt from this requirement. All requests for access to the reserve are subject to DFO approval.
See “How to apply for reserve allocation” below for application details.
No experimental allocation is planned for 2026-2027, reflecting the transition to full commercial access following the removal of the spring redfish spawning closure.
Allocation
The remaining 51,000 t is distributed according to the existing allocation key:
| Fleet | Share (in percentages) | Allocation (tonnes) |
|---|---|---|
| Offshore mobile gear fleet sector (vessels >100') | 58.69 | 29,931.9 |
| Inshore mobile gear (MG) fleet sector (vessels <65') | 14.84 | 7,568.4 |
| Midshore MG fleet sector (vessels 65-100') | 5.72 | 2,917.2 |
| Inshore fixed gear (bycatch) | 0.75 | 382.5 |
| Estuary and Gulf of St. Lawrence (EGSL) Shrimp Harvesters | 10.00 | 5,100.0 |
| Indigenous communities and organizations | 10.00 | 5,100.0 |
| Reserve allocation | - | 9,000.0 |
| Total | - | 60,000.0 |
Fleet shares
Allocations for the offshore fleet (vessels >100') and the midshore sub-fleet managed under groundfish enterprise allocations (EA) is distributed in accordance with existing EA for groundfish vessels in those fleet.
The allocation for the inshore fleet (vessels less than 65’) is distributed as follows. Recognizing that some DFO administrative regions straddle multiple provincial boundaries, the shares to each region are also indicated in brackets.
| Fleet | Share (in percentages) | Allocation (tonnes) |
|---|---|---|
| Newfoundland and Labrador | 41.23 | 3,120.3 |
| Nova Scotia | 4.25 | 321.7 |
| Gulf (Nova Scotia) | (3.31) | (250.6) |
| Maritimes (Nova Scotia) | (0.94) | (71.1) |
| New Brunswick | 7.29 | 551.5 |
| Gulf (New Brunswick) | (5.67) | (429.6) |
| Maritimes (New Brunswick) | (1.61) | (122.0) |
| Prince Edward Island | 3.37 | 255.3 |
| Quebec | 43.86 | 3,319.5 |
The allocation for the midshore fleet (vessels 65’ to 100’) is as follows:
| Fleet | Share (in percentages) | Allocation (tonnes) |
|---|---|---|
| Crab vessels | 4.49 | 131 |
| Shrimp vessels | 39.15 | 1,142 |
| Groundfish enterprise allocation (EA) vessels | 56.36 | 1,644 |
The allocation for the Estuary and Gulf of St. Lawrence (EGSL) shrimp harvesters is distributed as follows:
| Fleet | Share (in percentages) | Allocation (tonnes) |
|---|---|---|
| Quebec | 42.00 | 2,142 |
| Newfoundland and Labrador | 37.00 | 1,887 |
| New Brunswick | 21.00 | 1,071 |
In accordance with the approach established in May 2024 for the 2024-25 and 2025-26 fishing seasons, the allocation for Indigenous communities and organizations will be managed on an inter-regional competitive basis.
Bycatch caps
The Department will use the established bycatch caps for certain Gulf of St. Lawrence stocks subject to rebuilding plans to guide management of the Unit 1 redfish fishery. These bycatch caps for the Unit 1 redfish fishery is being distributed proportionately to the allocation key and the 9,000 t reserve allocation, as follows:
| Fleet | 3Pn4RS Cod (t) | 4T White hake (t) | 4TVn Cod (t) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Offshore fleet (vessels > 100’) | 10.0 | 9.0 | 6.8 |
| Inshore MG fleet (vessels < 65’) | 2.5 | 2.3 | 1.7 |
| Midshore MG fleet (vessels 65-100’) | 1.0 | 0.9 | 0.7 |
| EGSL shrimp harvesters | 1.7 | 1.5 | 1.2 |
| Indigenous communities and organizations | 1.7 | 1.5 | 1.2 |
| Reserve allocation | 3.0 | 2.7 | 2.0 |
| Total | 20.0 | 18.0 | 13.5 |
The department will monitor bycatch. Once a fleet reaches the caps indicated above, the department will assess whether additional bycatch allowance can be re-allocated. Otherwise, the fishery could be closed to that fleet for the remainder of the fishing season. DFO will apply a flexible, risk-based approach to ensuring bycatch caps established in rebuilding plan are respected.
Management measures
The 2026-27 management plan includes adjustments to certain management measures to increase flexibility and improve access, while maintaining strong monitoring and conservation measures.
Fishing season
- 4RST open May 15 - May 14 (year-round)
- 3Pn and 4Vn open January 1 - May 14
- Temporary removal of the spring redfish spawning closure
Area restrictions (no change from 2025-26)
When fishing in NAFO divisions 4RST:
- Fishing is prohibited West of 65° longitude W
- Fishing is prohibited East of 59°longitude W, as well as in a portion of NAFO Division 4T sector North of the Gaspé coast, unless an at-sea observer (ASO) is on-board the vessel
- Fishing is prohibited in a NAFO division 4T sector along the south edge of the Laurentian Channel to protect juvenile groundfish, as specified in Conservation Harvesting Plans (CHPs)
- Fishing prohibited in established coral and sponge conservation closures areas
Depth restriction
- Fishing is prohibited at depths of less than 183 metres (100 fathoms) in all areas of Unit 1 at all times of year.
- For the purposes of enforcing this restriction, a polygon has been defined to delineate areas less than 183 metres where fishing is prohibited. The coordinates are included in Licence Conditions.
Gear type (no change from 2025-26)
- All types of otter trawl with a minimum mesh size of 90mm
Bycatch protocol (no change from 2025-26)
- Bycatch limit of 1% per trip for each of white hake, American plaice, and winter flounder in NAFO division 4T
- Bycatch limit of 1% per trip for cod and Greenland halibut in all Unit 1
- Bycatch limit of 2% per trip for Atlantic halibut in all Unit 1
At-sea Observer (ASO) coverage
- 100% ASO coverage required at all times of the year for vessels larger than 100 feet
- For vessels smaller than 100 feet:
- 25% ASO coverage required from June 15 to December 31
- 100% ASO coverage required from January 1 to March 31
- 50% ASO coverage required from April 1 to June 14
Dockside monitoring (no change from 2025-26)
- 100% dockside monitoring
Reporting requirements (no change from 2025-26)
- Daily catch reporting required for offshore and midshore EA fleets
Vessel Monitoring System (VMS) (no change from 2025-26)
- VMS required onboard and operational on all vessels fishing
- VMS reporting 4 times per hour (every 15 minutes)
Electronic Logbooks (ELOGS) (no change from 2025-26)
- Mandatory use of a qualified ELOGS application for all inshore licence holders and midshore licence holders not under EA
Electronic camera monitoring
- Voluntary participation in an industry-funded electronic camera monitoring pilot project
- Requirements outlined in participant agreements and Licence Conditions
All management measures are available in the Conservation Harvesting Plans applicable to each fleet, which will be available shortly.
How to apply for the reserve allocation
You can submit your application by using our online form.
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