Pelagics
Mackerel
A person may engage in recreational fishing for mackerel with a handline or by angling without a licence.
Mackerel
Photo Credit: Gilbert van Ryckevorsel
Season dates
Open season April 1 to December 31 in tidal waters.
Areas
All tidal waters.
Licensing
No licence required.
Gear restrictions
Handline and angling are permitted.
Each angler is allowed to fish in tidal waters with a maximum of one (1) line to which no more than three (3) hooks are attached.
Limits
- The daily and total possession limit is 20 Atlantic mackerel per person when fishing recreationally.
- As of 2025, there is no minimum legal size. Any size of mackerel may be retained.
New management measures
New management measures are in place in 2025 and 2026 to limit the dead discard of mackerel measuring under 26.8 cm. The post-release mortality of mackerel is quite high and so reducing the minimum size will allow harvesters to fish and retain 20 mackerel without contributing to mortality well in excess of this amount. These changes will also support the rebuilding of the stock of Atlantic mackerel and will have overall positive impacts on the future sustainability of the resource.
Please consult the Orders Registry for additional information.
Shark
Recreational shark fishing is conducted individual anglers and approved at-sea shark charter services. All persons fishing for shark recreationally require a licence (see below). Although Blue shark is the most common shark in Atlantic Canada, porbeagle are common in the Bay of Fundy. Landings are limited to participants in organized derbies and are restricted by the size and total number allowed. White shark is protected under the Species at Risk Act (SARA and cannot be fished for. If hooked it must be released immediately.
Blue Shark
Season dates
- April 1 – December 31; mainly summer activity
Limits
- Catch and release only
Areas
NAFO areas 4VWX and 5Z
Licensing
- A DFO licence is required for shark anglers and available through the National Online Licensing System.
Summary document
- Pursuant to section 61 of the Fisheries Act, the licence holder is required to provide yearly information regarding the total fishing activity by trip in the Recreational shark fishery summary document – available for download and printing below.
- Recreational shark fishery summary document:
Submitting the summary document
- Submit the completed summary document to one of the Qualified dockside monitoring companies in the Maritimes Region, which include:
- Atlantic Catch Data
- Barrington Catch Monitoring Centre Association
- Baywatch Dockside Monitoring Limited
Bluefin Tuna
Bluefin Tuna
Photo Credit: Greg Croft, DFO
Season dates
July 15 – December 31; mainly summer activity. Catch and release only.
Limits
- Individuals are not eligible for a recreational Bluefin tuna licence.
- Only commercial Bluefin tuna licenced fishermen may conduct charters since post-release mortality is estimated for all trips and deducted from the Canadian Bluefin tuna quota.
- Each charter is licenced under a DFO licence issued to the charter fisherman and covers all individuals on board the vessel.
- Catch and release only for charter participants
- Tournaments are also licenced under a DFO licence, issued in the name of the tournament and covering all participants in the tournament.
- Tournaments have been provided with a portion of the Canadian quota and therefore may land some Bluefin tuna
- Limited landing at tournaments
Areas
NAFO areas 4VsWX and 5Z
Licensing
- Tournament licences are available and organizers should contact DFO.MAR-FM-GP.MPO@dfo-mpo.gc.ca to make licensing arrangements.
- All participants in the tournaments are covered by a licence provided to the tournament organizers.
- A DFO licence is required for charters and is available to commercial Bluefin tuna licenced fishermen through the National Online Licensing System.
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