New provisions of the regulations Amending the Atlantic Fishery Regulations, 1985

The new general provisions listed below are designed to be flexible. For example, DFO can issue an order to amend the minimum legal size (length) set out in the regulations for the different species, just as it can amend the quotas set for the recreational fishery, increasing or decreasing them in keeping with resource availability.

Species	Minimum Legal Size (length)	Recreational Fishery Daily Quota	Commercial Licence Fees
Soft-Shell Clam	51 mm	300 soft-shell clams	30 $
Mussel	40 mm	300 mussels	30 $
Surf Clam	76 mm	300 surf clams	30 $
Oyster	76 mm	40 oysters	30 $
Atlantic Razor Clam	100 mm	300 Atlantic razor clams	30 $
A five-gallon (22.73-litre) pail can hold about 300 soft-shell clams. With a plate that can hold about 30 of these clams, a single harvester can gather enough clams to make a meal for about 10 people. A 15-gallon (68.19-litre) pail can hold about 300 small surf clams (or quahaugs) measuring 3 inches in length (76 mm). The 15-gallon pail of surf clams will fill roughly 24 pots weighing one pound each. In a single day, a harvester can gather enough clams to fill 24 pots that can be put aside for winter.

The regulations stipulate that recreational shellfish harvesting must be done by hand or with hand-held tools. Furthermore, they provide for close times, established by area, species and fishing method. DFO can issue an order to amend the close times. Licences setting out various conditions are now compulsory for commercial harvesting of the shellfish species concerned.

The new regulations will be phased in gradually. DFO fishery officers will patrol shellfish areas and inform harvesters and the general public about the new rules.

To consult the details of the new regulation, you can consult the Canada Gazette