2018 Snow Crab fishery, Newfoundland and Labrador
Snow Crab fishery in Newfoundland and Labrador (Areas 2HJ, 3KLNO, 3Ps, and 4R3Pn)
Fishing season (subject to change)
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.
| NAFO division | Crab fishing area | 2018 Season dates |
|---|---|---|
| 2HJ | 2H, 2J North | TBD |
| 2J south | All fleets | TBD |
| 3K | 3A | April 14 - July 15 |
| 3BC, 4 | April 14 - June 30 | |
| 3D | April 16 - June 30 | |
| 3B | April 22 - June 30 | |
| 3C | April 30 - June 30 | |
| 3LNO | most areas | April 9 - July 31 |
| 8Bx south | April 9 - July 15 | |
| 3Ps | 10A, 10B, 11S | April 9 - June 15 |
| 11E, 11W | April 9 - May 31 | |
| 4R3Pn | All fleets | April 9 - June 15 |
Total Allowable Catch
The Total Allowable Catch (TAC) for Newfoundland and Labrador Region in 2018 is 29,390 tonnes, an overall quota level decrease of approximately 17% from 2017, which includes 2% increase in 3K, a 24% decrease in 3LNO (30% in the areas outside the 200 mile limit, and 24% in areas inside the 200 mile limit), a 19% increase in the 3Ps quota, and a 50% reduction in 4R3Pn. Quotas in 2HJ will remain at 2017 levels. This includes the amount 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.
| Area | Quota (t) * |
|---|---|
| 2HJ | 1,865 |
| 3K | 5,932 |
| 3LNO | 18,840 |
| 3Ps | 1,792 |
| 4R3Pn | 501 |
| CPS Trap Survey | 460 |
| Total | 29,390 |
| * 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.
| Area | Description | Inshore | Fulltime & Supplementary | Communal |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2H | North of 56° 00’ N | - | - | 100 |
| 2J north | North of 54° 40’ N to 56° 00’ N | - | - | 310 |
| 2J south | South of 54° 40’ N | 290 | 1165 | - |
| The 2HJ 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.
| Area | Description | Inshore | Fulltime & Supplementary | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3A | Canada Bay | 292 | - | |
| 3B | White Bay | 378 | - | |
| 3C | Green Bay | 406 | - | |
| 3BC | Inshore 3K | 166 | - | |
| 3D | Fogo/Twillingate | 770 | - | |
| 4 | Offshore | 17 | 3903 | |
| The 3K TAC is 5,932 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.
| Area | Description | Inshore | Small Supplementary | Fulltime & Supplementary | > 65' |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5A | Bonavista Bay | 662 | - | - | - |
| 6A | Trinity Bay | 957 | - | - | - |
| 6B | Conception Bay | 1050 | - | - | - |
| 6C | Eastern Avalon (inside 25) | 950 | - | - | - |
| 8A | Southern Shore (inside 25) | 515 | - | - | - |
| 9A | St. Mary’s Bay | 286 | - | - | - |
| 8B | Southern Avalon (offshore) | - | 448 | - | - |
| 8Bx | Southern Avalon | - | 56 | - | - |
| 8Bx North | Northern portion of Southern Avalon | - | 202 | - | - |
| 8Bx South | Southern portion of Southern Avalon | - | 279 | - | - |
| NS | Nearshore | - | 3757 | - | - |
| MS | Midshore | - | 2581 | 1072 | - |
| MS/EX | Mid-shore extended | - | - | 2570 | - |
| 3L EX | Between 170 and 200 miles | - | - | 1799 | - |
| 3L 200 | 3L Outside 200 miles | - | - | 690 | - |
| 3N 200 | 3N Outside 200 miles | - | - | 708 | - |
| 3NO 200 | 3NO Outside 200 miles | - | - | - | 258 |
| The 3LNO TAC is 18,840 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).
| Area | Description | Inshore | Small Supplementary | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10A | Placentia Bay north of 46° 430’N | 672 | - | |
| 10B | Placentia Bay south of 46° 30’N | - | 898 | |
| 11S | CFA 11 south of 46° 30’N | 60 | 66 | |
| 11E | CFA 11 east of Western Head | 79 | - | |
| 11W | CFA 11 west of Western Head | 17 | - | |
| The 3Ps TAC is 1,792 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.
| Area | Description | Inshore | Commercial | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 12 | Outside of 8 mile - Group 1 | - | 19 | |
| 12 | Outside of 8 mile - Group 2 | - | 154 | |
| 12 | Outside of 8 mile - Group 3 | - | 37 | |
| 12 | Bay of Islands | - | 26 | |
| 12 | Bay St. George | - | 10 | |
| 12A | Lapoile Bay | 4 | ||
| 12B | Cape Ray to Johnson’s Cove | 9 | - | |
| 12C | Johnson’s Cove to Cape St. George | 70 | - | |
| 12D | Cape St. George to Bear Head | 38 | - | |
| 12E | Bear Head to Cape St. Gregory | 22 | - | |
| 12F | Inner Bay of Islands | 22 | - | |
| 12G | Cape St. Gregory to Broom Point | 65 | - | |
| 12H | Broom Point to Table Point | 25 | - | |
| The 4R3Pn TAC is 501 tonnes. | ||||
The Collaborative Post-Season Trap Survey (Use of Fish) TAC is 460 tonnes.
The overall TAC is 29,390 tonnes.
Management measures
The management approach for 2018 includes the continuation of early and shortened fishing seasons, no fall fishery in 3K, continued implementation of the soft-shell protocol, 6.4 meters for amount of floating rope on the water, the same as approved in Quebec Region, limit fishing in 3L200 and 3N200 on separate trips, reinstating 3Ps Supplementary fleet’s access to Fishing Area 11S, increasing trap amounts in 10A to 200 traps, maintaining quota levels in 2HJ, a quota increase in two areas of Division 3K, and most areas of Subdivision 3Ps, and quota reductions in all areas of Divisions 3LNO and 4R3Pn.
Some fleets will be ready to fish immediately. 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. 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 harvest levels for 2HJ will remain unchanged in 2018.
Division 3K
The overall Snow crab quota in Division 3K will increase by 2% in 2018 to 5,932 tonnes from 5,794 tonnes in 2017.
- Harvest level in area 3C will be increased by 20% in 2018.
- Harvest level in area 3D will be increased by 10% in 2018.
- The harvest levels in areas 3A, 3B, 3BC and 4 will remain unchanged in 2018.
Division 3LNO
The overall quota of Snow crab in 3LNO will be decreased by 24% in 2018 to 18,840 tonnes from 24,787 tonnes in 2017.
- Harvest levels in Midshore, Midshore extended and 3L extended will be decreased by 15% in 2018.
- Harvest levels in area 6A will be decreased by 20% in 2018.
- Harvest levels in areas 5A, 6B, 6C, 8A, 8B, 8Bx, 8Bx north, 8Bx south, Nearshore, and outside 200 miles will be decreased by 30% in 2018.
- Harvest levels in area 9A will be decrease by 40% in 2018.
Subdivision 3Ps
The overall quota for Snow crab in Sub- division 3Ps will be increased by 19% in 2018.
- Harvest levels in areas 10A, 10B, 11S, and 11W will be increased by 20% in 2018.
- The harvest levels for area 11E will remain unchanged in 2018.
Division 4R and Subdivision 3Pn
The overall quota for Snow crab in division 4R and sub-division 3Pn will be decreased by 50% in 2018.
- Harvest levels in all areas will be decreased by 50% in 2018.
Links to other information
- Date modified: