The Newfoundland and Labrador summer food fishery will this year open on July 23 and run until August 14.
The fall fishery will run for a much shorter period from September 24 to October 2.
The recreational groundfish fishery will occur in all NAFO areas around Newfoundland and Labrador, which includes 2GH, 2J3KL, 3Ps, 3Pn and 4R.
Two exceptions are the Eastport and Gilbert Bay Marine Protected Areas (MPA) where recreational groundfish fishing will not be permitted.
Recreational fishers are limited to five groundfish per day (including cod). However, the maximum boat limit when three or more people are fishing is 15 groundfish. This includes tour boats.
The recreational fishery is open to both residents and non-residents and there is no requirement for licences or tags.
Retention of Atlantic halibut and Spotted and Northern wolffish is prohibited. Sculpins and cunners may be released. All other groundfish caught must be retained. High-grading of groundfish is not permitted.
All fish caught must be retained in an identifiable state. Fish may be bled, gutted, and split while at sea, but further processing such as filleting and skinning at sea is not permitted.
Only angling gear and handlines with a maximum of three hooks are permitted. Handlines include artificial lures, baited hooks and feathered hooks. Artificial lures with treble hooks weighing less than five ounces or 142 grams are acceptable. Traditional jiggers are not permitted unless they are modified and have only one single hook.
There are provisions in this year's recreational fishery that allow a disabled person to designate a person to catch their daily limit of groundfish. Information is available at DFO licencing centres.
Fishery officers will monitor this fishery closely, both at sea and at dockside, to ensure regulations are followed. Complaints will be investigated and charges laid where appropriate.
The sale of groundfish caught in the recreational fishery is strictly prohibited.
Commercial fishing vessels are not permitted to participate in recreational fishing activity on any trip where there is any commercial fishing activity.
For safety reasons, fishing is only permitted from one hour before sunrise until one hour after sunset. The public is reminded to follow safe boating practices and be aware of local weather and sea conditions before leaving port during the upcoming fishing season.
My comment is that I think that the food fishery Is not set up for a man that does shift work during the last food fishery I was working 18 days of the fishery and when I did get home it was blowing to hard to participate in the fishery. The fall fishery will be the same for me and thousands of other people because I will only be home for two days to fish. My point is that there should be another way of doing the fishery because it puts lives at risk. Lots of people will take a risk in windy conditions to get there fish because of the 2or3days we get to get our winter fish. In saying this I hope more people will make more comments to change this system to to better our chances of having our recreational fishery in a safe and smart manner.