Fisheries and Oceans

Notice to Fish Harvesters

May 5, 2017 EKME # 3774275

2017-2019 GASPEREAU FISHERY MANAGEMENT PLAN EASTERN AREA

Tracadie, (NB) – Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO), Gulf Region, is releasing today the 2017- 2019 Gaspereau Fishery Management Plan for the Eastern New Brunswick area.

2017-2019 Fishing seasons opening dates: Opening dates for the commercial gaspereau fishery for 2017, 2018 and 2019 are described in the enclosed Annex 1. Unless there are exceptional circumstances, any request to modify the fishing season will not be considered.

Fishing gear: Only trap nets or gill nets are authorized to fish for gaspereau. All fishing gear used in the commercial gaspereau fishery have to be identified with the name of the licence holder, or the licence number for the Aboriginal Organizations.

Incidental catch: Gaspereau fish harvesters may retain shad that is incidentally caught with gaspereau fishing gear. All other species of fish (striped bass included) incidentally caught must be forthwith returned to the waters, from which they were taken, immediately as they are put in the vessel.

Freeze on the reissuance of licence: In the Eastern New Brunswick (ENB) area, a freeze on splitting the amount of gear is in place for reissuance of gaspereau licences. At the last ENB Gaspereau Advisory Committee meeting held on March 29, 2017, members unanimously proposed a change to the existing freeze that would authorize a licence holder having gear valid for several watercourses to split his amount of gear to reissue all the gear valid for one watercourse to another existing gaspereau licence holder. The Department is currently evaluating that proposition. If a change is to be made to the existing freeze, it will be announced to the industry by a Notice to Fish Harvesters.

FOR INFORMATION:

Diana Fillion Resource Management Fisheries and Oceans Canada Tracadie, NB [email protected] (506) 395-7740

ANNEX 1 2017, 2018, and 2019 GASPEREAU FISHING SEASONS EASTERN NEW BRUNSWICK AREA

Water courses Open season Closed Tidal waters of that portion of New Brunswick that borders on the Gulf of St. 2017 : from 6:00 p.m. on May 28 to 6:00 p.m. on June 25 Lawrence and not referred to in the waters set out below 2018 : from 6:00 p.m. on May 27 to 6:00 p.m. on June 24 No closure 2019 : from 6:00 p.m. on May 26 to 6:00 p.m. on June 23 Tidal waters of Lamèque Island, Miscou Island and the Bay, 2017 : from 12:00 p.m. on May 28 to 12:00 p.m. on June 25 Gloucester County 2018 : from 12:00 p.m. on May 28 to 12:00 p.m. on June 25 No closure 2019 : from 12:00 p.m. on May 28 to 12:00 p.m. on June 25 Tidal waters of the , Gloucester County 2017 : from 12:00 p.m. on May 24 to 12:00 p.m. on July 4 Closed every weekend from 12:00 pm each Saturday to 6:00 pm on the following 2018 : from 12:00 p.m. on May 23 to 12:00 p.m. on July 3 Sunday. 2019 : from 12:00 p.m. on May 22 to 12:00 p.m. on July 2 Tidal waters of the Big Tracadie River and Portage River, (tributary of the Closed from 12:00 p.m. on Saturday to 6:00 p.m. on the following Sunday during Big Tracadie River), Gloucester County 2017 : from 12:00 p.m. on June 1 to 12:00 p.m. on July 6 the following weekends: 2018 : from 12:00 p.m. on June 1 to 12:00 p.m. on July 6 2017 : weekends of June 3-4 and June 10-11 2019 : from 12:00 p.m. on June 1 to 12:00 p.m. on July 6 2018 : weekends of June 2-3 and June 9-10 2019 : weekends of June 1-2 and June 8-9 Tidal waters of the Little Tracadie River, Gloucester County 2017 : from 6:00 p.m. on May 31 to 6:00 p.m. on June 28

2018 : from 6:00 p.m. on May 31 to 6:00 p.m. on June 28 No closure

2019 : from 6:00 p.m. on May 31 to 6:00 p.m. on June 28

Tidal waters of the Tabusintac River, Northumberland County Closed from 12:00 p.m. on Saturday to 6:00 p.m. on the following Sunday during 2017 : from 6:00 p.m. on June 3 to 6:00 p.m. on July 8 the following weekends: 2018 : from 6:00 p.m. on June 2 to 6:00 p.m. on July 7 2017 : weekends of June 3-4 and June 10-11 2019 : from 6:00 p.m. on June 1 to 6:00 p.m. on July 6 2018 : weekends of June 2-3 and June 9-10 2019 : weekends of June 1-2 and June 8-9 Tidal waters of , , Black River, French River, 2017 : from 6:00 p.m. on May 28 to 6:00 p.m. on June 25 and Bay du Vin River, Northumberland County 2018 : from 6:00 p.m. on May 28 to 6:00 p.m. on June 25 No closure 2019 : from 6:00 p.m. on May 28 to 6:00 p.m. on June 25 Tidal waters of the Eel River and Portage River (tributary of the Eel River), Closed from 12:00 p.m. on Saturday to 6:00 p.m. on the following Sunday during Northumberland County 2017 : from 6:00 p.m. on May 28 to 6:00 p.m. on July 2 the following weekends: 2018 : from 6:00 p.m. on May 28 to 6:00 p.m. on July 2 2017 : weekends of June 3-4 and June 10-11 2019 : from 6:00 p.m. on May 28 to 6:00 p.m. on July 2 2018 : weekends of June 2-3 and June 9-10 2019 : weekends of June 1-2 and June 8-9 Tidal waters of the Northwest Miramichi and Southwest Miramichi Rivers, 2017 : from 6:00 p.m. on June 1 to 6:00 p.m. on June 29 Northumberland County 2018 : from 6:00 p.m. on June 1 to 6:00 p.m. on June 29 No closure

2019 : from 6:00 p.m. on June 1 to 6:00 p.m. on June 29

Tidal waters of the River, Westmorland County 2017 : from 12:00 p.m. on June 3 to 12:00 p.m.on July 1 2018 : from 12:00 p.m. on June 3 to 12:00 p.m.on July 1 No closure 2019 : from 12:00 p.m. on June 3 to 12:00 p.m.on July 1 Tidal waters of the River, Kent County 2017 : from 12:00 p.m. on June 2 to 12:00 p.m. on June 30 2018 : from 12:00 p.m. on June 2 to 12:00 p.m. on June 30 No closure 2019 : from 12:00 p.m. on June 2 to 12:00 p.m. on June 30 Tidal waters of Harbour, , Saint-Charles (Aldouane) River, and , Kent 2017 : from 6:00 p.m. on June 1 to 6:00 p.m. on June 29 County 2018 : from 6:00 p.m. on June 1 to 6:00 p.m. on June 29 No closure 2019 : from 6:00 p.m. on June 1 to 6:00 p.m. on June 29

Tidal waters of Cocagne Bay and Cocagne River, Kent County Closed from 12:00 p.m. on Saturday to 6:00 p.m. on the following Sunday during 2017 : from 12:00 p.m. on June 1 to 12:00 p.m. on July 6 the following weekends: 2018 : from 12:00 p.m. on June 1 to 12:00 p.m. on July 6 2017 : weekends of June 3-4 and June 10-11 2019 : from 12:00 p.m. on June 1 to 12:00 p.m. on July 6 2018 : weekends of June 2-3 and June 9-10 2019 : weekends of June 1-2 and June 8-9 Tidal waters of Aboujagane and Kouchibouguac Rivers, Westmorland 2017 : from 12:00 p.m. on June 1 to 12:00 p.m. on June 29 County 2018 : from 12:00 p.m. on June 1 to 12:00 p.m. on June 29 No closure 2019 : from 12:00 p.m. on June 1 to 12:00 p.m. on June 29 Tidal waters of the Little Bouctouche River, Kent County, and also tidal waters of the Scoudouc River, Westmorland County 2017 : from 12:00 p.m. on June 5 to 12:00 p.m. on July 3 2018 : from 12:00 p.m. on June 5 to 12:00 p.m. on July 3 No closure 2019 : from 12:00 p.m. on June 5 to 12:00 p.m. on July 3