Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO) has set a total allowable catch (TAC) of 60,000 tonnes for the Unit 1 commercial redfish fishery for the 2025-2026 season, which opened on June 24.
The fishery was under a moratorium from 1995 until it was reopened in 2024 following what the DFO described as a significant rebound in the stock’s population.
Of the total quota, 50,000 tonnes will be allocated based on a previously announced approach, with the offshore fleet receiving 58.7 per cent, inshore harvesters receiving 14.8 per cent and midshore harvesters receiving 5.7 per cent.
DFO added that 10 per cent of the total TAC will be allocated to indigenous communities, and another 10 per cent will go to Estuary and Gulf of St. Lawrence shrimp harvesters affected by declining shrimp stocks.
The plan includes provisions for an additional 7,000 tonnes for fleets that meet certain thresholds and 3,000 tonnes for experimental fishing projects.
In response to stakeholder concerns from the previous season, the DFO has adjusted several management measures. Fishing with all types of otter trawl, including bottom trawl, will now be authorised, and at-sea observer requirements have been reduced, though 100 per cent coverage is still required from January 1 to March 31.