DETAILS OF LICENCE ISSUANCE FOR THE EXPLORATORY SPIDER CRAB FISHERY

DFO will make available a total of twenty (20) exploratory spider crab licences to eligible fishers to operate in an inshore zone which will be roughly within twelve (12) miles of the coast. Ten (10) licences will be issued in the Baie des Chaleurs and ten (10) licences in the Shediac Valley.

The inshore exploratory spider crab fishery in 1996 will take place only during the closed lobster season. Conservation and management measures, such as a prohibition on by-catch of lobsters and of female crabs, trap limits, catch monitoring and an industry-paid sampling program will apply. Licence holders will also be required to participate fully in an approved Dockside Monitoring Program (DMP).

Applicants will only be eligible for a licence in the vicinity of their homeport as registered in 1995.

Applicants will be required to demonstrate that they meet the criteria for CORE fishery as of the application deadline of July 12, 1996.

Once applications have been screened, selection of licence holders and establishment of eligibility lists will be done. If the number of eligible applicants exceeds the number of licences available, the selection will be done by public draw(s). These draws will be held on July 23, 1996 at Fisheries and Oceans' Area Office in Tracadie-Sheila

Application forms are available from the DFO's Licensing Centre in Tracadie-Sheila,(506) 3957727 or 1-800-655-8222 (toll free), and should be submitted to the Centre when completed.

All applications must be received at the Licensing Centre by 4:00 p.m. July 12, 1996.