ATLANTIC RECREATIONAL FISHING LICENCE PROGRAM
(GROUNDFISH) 2003
REMEMBER TO FISH RESPONSIBLY
Table of Contents
- The Atlantic Recreational Licence Program - Groundfish requires
individuals to have a licence to fish recreationally for groundfish.
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- Fisheries and Oceans Canada's (DFO) mandate includes protecting and
conserving marine and freshwater habitat, establishing fishery management
plans, developing conservation and protection policies and implementing
programs to provide for the sustainable use of Canada's marine resources.
- Increased participation in the Atlantic recreational fishery over the past
number of years, coupled with the importance of ensuring conservation of
target species, has led to a need for more effective management of marine
recreational fisheries and a better understanding of its impact on fish
stocks.
- The Program will allow DFO to gather timely and accurate catch and effort
data on the marine recreational fisheryto be used by DFO resource managers and
scientists as part of the evaluation of fish stocks and development of
effective management and conservation strategies.
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- Fishing is only permitted during the open season. Season dates are
announced in advance and can vary by fishing area for conservation reasons.
- Fishing is permitted one hour before sunrise until one hour after sunset.
- Fishing for the day must cease once the daily bag limit is reached.
- Fishing for the season ends for the licence holder once all the tags
issued with the licence have been used.
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- Fishing is permitted only in NAFO area 3Ps.
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- Persons 16 years of age and older require an individual licence to
participate in the recreational groundfish fishery.
- Those under 16 and capable of fishing independently, also have the option
to purchase a licence.
- Fishers under 16 may fish without a licence if accompanied by an adult in
possession of a valid licence. All fish caught in this situation count against
the licence holder's daily bag limit and the licence holder must tag all cod
caught.
- Non-residents are eligible to purchase a licence. No guides are required
to fish with a licence.
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- Licences are available at all Canada Post outlets located in 3Ps, as well
as St. John's, Cornerbrook, Clarenville, and Grand Falls - Windsor at a cost
of $10.
- A licence is valid only if signed by the licencee. While fishing,
licencees must have the licence in their possession along with at least one
unused tag issued with the licence.
- Persons must present official identification when purchasing a licence
(e.g. Passport, Drivers Licence, Birth Certificate, Medicare card).
- Only one licence may be obtained by an individual in a calendar year.
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- Tags have to be immediately affixed, through the gills and mouth, to all
Atlantic cod caught and properly sealed such that the tag cannot be reopened
or removed. Groundfish other than Atlantic cod do not need to be tagged,
however, all groundfish retained count towards the daily bag limit.
- Tags cannot be reused or affixed to fish taken by means other than
permitted by the licence.
- The licence and accompanying tags are non-transferable and must be fished
by the licencee.
- Licencees can only use the tags issued with their individual licence.
- Tags have been modified to break if tampered with. Tags which are broken
or have been tampered with nay not be used. For this reason, fishers should
not carry their catch by the tag.
- Used tags should be retained with the cod after processing and until it
has been consumed. At that time tags should be properly disposed of, and not
discarded at wharves, beaches or landing sites.
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- Only handline and angling gear is permitted. Handlines include baited
hooks, feathered hooks and artificial lures.
- Angling includes fishing with a hook and line held in the hand, or with a
hook, line and rod with the rod held in the hand. Casting and trolling is
permitted.
- A maximum of six hooks per line may be used.
- The use of fishing lures while angling, including those with a gang hook
attached (treble hooks), is permitted providing they do not weigh in excess of
five ounces/125 grams.
- The use of Jiggers is prohibited. For the purposes of this fishery, a
jigger is defined as "Any implement for use while angling or hand-lining
designed to catch fish with more than a single hook, made of metal or lead and
weighing greater than five ounces/125 grams (including dressing). It includes
the Norwegian treble-hook jigger, the traditional double-hook Norwegian
capelin-style lead jigger and multi-hook fishing lures (unless they have been
modified to a single hook).
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- No licencee can catch and retain more than 10 groundfish of all species in
total per day. The limit may vary per area or change during the season.
Persons fishing and staying overnight before returning home can have more than
one day's catch in their possession, provided the catch limit on any day has
not been exceeded, the fish are properly logged and that all Atlantic cod are
tagged. In the case of processing at the overnight site, the used tag should
be retained with the cod until it is consumed.
- The total number of Atlantic cod caught cannot exceed the number of tags
issued with the licence.
- All groundfish caught must be retained except as noted in the conditions
of licence (no discarding/highgrading of cod).
- There are no seasonal limits for any other groundfish retained, however
the total daily bag limit must not be exceeded.
- All Atlantic Halibut (other species) caught must be released immediately.
The retention of Atlantic Halibut is prohibited.
- All non-groundfish species caught incidentally must be released
immediately into the water, with the exception of mackerel, capelin and squid.
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- The amount of fish retained per boat is restricted by the number of
licencees on board and their respective bag limits Each licence holder must
fish their own licence and use their own tags.
- Fishing from a commercial vessel while it is engaged in commercial fishing
activity, including transit to and from the fishing grounds is prohibited.
- Fishing can also take place from wharves or the shoreline.
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- The sale of fish caught recreationally is prohibited.
- All fish caught must be able to be counted, and retained in an
identifiable form while at sea.
- While fish caught may be bled and gutted at sea, further processing is
prohibited including skinning and filleting. Cooking at-sea/on the beach
during fishing activities is permitted if the Atlantic cod has been tagged,
the overall bag limit is adhered to and all catch has been properly logged,
including the cooked fish. The head of the cooked fish should be retained with
tag affixed for inspection while returning to port.
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- The information gathered from log sheets will be used by DFO resource
managers and scientists.
- Daily completion of the log sheet attached to the licence after each day
of fishing is mandatory, whether fish are caught or not.
- The completed log must be returned to the address shown on the log once
fishing activity has ceased for the season. The latest date to return the
completed log to DFO is 10 days following the closure of the fishery.
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- Fishery officers will conduct ongoing aerial, at-sea and dockside
monitoring and inspections.
- Must provide true and accurate information pertaining to fishing activity
and catches upon request.
- To assist in determining levels of effort, catch rates and quantities
throughout the season, fishery officers may record the logged information
during routine at-sea and dockside inspections.
- In the event that a participant is not in compliance with the regulations,
the fishery officer will initiate enforcement action.
- Failing to abide by rules governing this fishery may result in enforcement
action, including seizure of vehicles, boats and fishing gear. Penalties upon
conviction may include forfeiture of equipment, licence prohibitions, monetary
fines and jail terms.
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All boaters born after April 1, 1983, operating a boat equipped with a motor
and used for recreational purposes NOW require proof of operator competency
onboard.
As of September 15, 2002, any person operating a boat under 4 meters in
length that is equipped with a motor will be required to have proof of operator
competency onboard.
In addition, children under the age of 12 are not permitted to operate a boat
with a motor greater than 10 horsepower (7.5KW) unless accompanied and directly
supervised by a person 16 years of age or older.
Youth who are 12 years and older but less than 16 years of age are not
permitted to operate a boat with a motor greater than 40 horsepower (30KW)
unless accompanied and directly supervised by a person 16 years of age or older.
No one under the age of 16 is permitted to operate a personal watercraft (PWC)
regardless of supervision.
Proof of competency can take one of three forms:
- Proof of having taken a boating safety course in Canada prior to April 1,
1999.
- A Pleasure Craft Operator Competency Card (PCOC) from a Canadian Coast
Guard accredited course provider following a test. The Canadian Coast Guard
recommends that boaters take an accredited boating safety course prior to
taking the test.
- A completed rental-boat safety checklist (for power-driven rental boats).
For more information about mandatory safety equipment and how to obtain proof
of operator competency refer to:
- Safety Boating Guide;
- Canadian Coast Guard Office of Boating Safety Website
www.ccg-gcc.gc.ca
- For information on boating safety, please call the toll free Infoline:
1-800-230-3693 in Newfoundland and Labrador. NOTE: This is not a toll-free
number for recreational fishery inquiries or questions.
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Newfoundland and Labrador
| Bay Roberts |
(709) 786-3960 |
| Placentia |
(709) 227-5911 |
| Marystown |
(709) 279-7850 |
| Clarenville |
(709) 466-8272 |
| Twillingate |
(709) 884-2411 |
| Springdale |
(709) 673-3218 |
| Stephenville |
(709) 643-8000 |
| Rocky Harbour |
(709) 458-3082 |
| St. Anthony |
(709) 454-3866 |
| Happy Valley-Goose Bay |
(709) 896-2924 |
| Communications Branch (General Inquiries) |
- (709) 772-0410
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This pamphlet is not a legal document and does not contain all
the details of the current fishing regulations. It is an abbreviated guide
designed to help you interpret the rules.
For more detail, consult a fishery officer or a DFO office
listed in this pamphlet.
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Science Branch DFO Newfoundland Region has released several thousand tagged
cod in recent years. Fishers are encouraged in the tags together with recapture
information immediately after capture. Most tags have the value of the reward
printed on them as well as a serial number and return address.
The Above rewards will be payed for each tag provided the serial number
indicates the tag was released by DFO Science, Newfoundland Region. If possible
state exact date, specific location of capture (latitude and longitude if
possible), depth, length (cm), weight (kg) and gear used. Include a return
address.
Cod with tags of other colours (orange fluorescent red) may also be caught;
these may have been released by scientists from other regions and should be sent
to the address printed on the tag itself. Rewards will not be paid for tags from
other programs but the may offer a reward or lottery prize instead.
Return tags immediately to:
Cod Tag Rewards
Dpeartment of Fisheries and Oceans
P.O. Box 5667
St. John's NF A1C 5X1
"Don't let poachers steal your resources!''
Call Crime Stoppers anytime - 24 hours In Newfoundland
call 1 800 222 TIPS (8477) Poaching...It's a Crime!
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