3Ps Cod Buddy-Up Proposal

    3Ps licence holders are asked to vote on a COD BUDDY-UP proposal. If the majority votes in favour, the proposal will be submitted to DFO for consideration. You must vote for one of two options: 

    YES, I support the 3Ps Cod Buddy-Up Proposal 

    NO, I do NOT support the 3Ps Cod Buddy-Up Proposal 

    Voting opens Wednesday, April 1, 2026 at 6:00PM NL time and will close Thursday, April 9 at 11:59PM. 

    This vote does not guarantee any recommendations will be accepted, as the department makes the final decision on whether to implement a policy change.  If you have questions on the 3Ps cod buddy-up vote, please contact your Member Representative Crystal Lynn Gorman at (709)690-8803 or clgorman@ffaw.ca

    PROPOSAL BEING VOTED ON:

    Rationale

    Harvesters in 3Ps are increasingly seeking the ability to buddy up in the cod fishery. The drivers behind this request are consistent with those identified in other NAFO areas, particularly 2J3KL, and reflect economic, safety, and labour realities that have intensified in recent years.

    It is no longer economically feasible for many harvesters to operate and maintain a second vessel solely for cod. This is especially true given the modest individual cod allocations in 3Ps, rising operating costs, and ongoing labour shortages. Many enterprises have already consolidated their investments into a single, well-equipped vessel through existing buddy-up arrangements in other fisheries, particularly crab.

    The principle of buddy-up is well established in Newfoundland and Labrador fisheries management and is not inconsistent with the owner-operator or fleet separation policies entrenched in the Fisheries Act. Buddy-up arrangements remain strictly between independent licence holders and simply provide flexibility to ensure enterprises remain viable, safe, and competitive.

    Recent precedent strongly supports the case for extending buddy-up to 3Ps cod. In Area 10A crab, buddy-up allowances were historically capped at 200 pots and were recently increased to 300 pots following a fleet vote. Similarly, in the 3Ps supplementary crab fleet, single-enterprise allocations of 400 pots and combined allocations of 600 pots have now been matched by a successful vote approving 600 pots under a buddy-up arrangement. These decisions demonstrate DFO’s and industry’s recognition that buddy-up must evolve alongside modern harvesting realities.

    Many 3Ps harvesters have built their businesses around a single primary vessel that has been upgraded with safety equipment, navigation technology, ice capacity, etc. Requiring these enterprises to activate or maintain a second, often inferior vessel for cod undermines safety, product quality, and economic efficiency. In cases of partnerships, spouses, or family enterprises, only one licence holder can have cod landings on a vessel registered in a single name, despite shared ownership. A cod buddy-up would resolve this inequity.

    Product quality is also a key consideration. While high-quality cod can be landed from vessels of various sizes, proper handling requires adequate deck space, bleeding systems, and ice storage. Without a cod buddy-up option, some harvesters are forced to fish cod from vessels that are not optimally equipped, simply because their primary vessel is committed under another licence. This limits quality, value, and future market opportunities.

    Safety remains paramount. Buddy-up in crab has enabled harvesters to invest in safer, more capable vessels. Extending buddy-up to 3Ps cod would allow harvesters to fish cod from these same vessels, rather than smaller or less suitable alternatives. As cod seasons potentially expand later into the year with increasing TACs, access to better-equipped vessels will become even more critical.

    Current Buddy-Up Policy Context

    Under DFO’s Fisheries Licensing Policy, buddy-up is defined as a DFO-authorized temporary arrangement allowing a maximum of two licence holders with valid licences for the same species, fishing area, and gear type to operate from the same vessel, subject to species-specific rules.

    Buddy-up currently exists in multiple fisheries with the province. The successful expansion of buddy-up allowances in crab, particularly within 3Ps, provides a clear and relevant precedent for extending this flexibility to the 3Ps cod fishery.

    Proposed Policy Components for 3Ps Cod Buddy-Up

    • Application of Existing Policy
      All relevant provisions of Section 16A of the Fisheries Licensing Policy (NL Region) would apply.
    • Onboard Requirement
      Each licence holder in an approved 3Ps cod buddy-up arrangement must be onboard the designated vessel while cod is being harvested. This maintains the integrity of the owner-operator principle.
    • No Substitute Operators
      As per Section 16.8, licence holders participating in a cod buddy-up arrangement may not use substitute operators for the duration of the agreement.
    • Eligibility
      Any harvester holding a valid 3Ps groundfish licence with cod access would be eligible to participate in a buddy-up arrangement.
    • Area Consistency
      Harvesters may buddy up with any other eligible harvester within 3Ps, provided both have selected the same fishing options and hold compatible conditions of licence.
    • Vessel Sub-Fleets
      Buddy-up would be permitted across vessel size categories (small, large, or extra-large vessels, as applicable), consistent with existing buddy-up frameworks in other fisheries.
    • Gear Type
      Both licence holders must fish the same gear type at any given time. Gear type may change over the season (e.g., gillnets to longline), provided both harvesters fish the same gear concurrently.
    • Gear Limits
      Gear limits would be determined at the vessel level, based on the combined catch limit of the buddy-up arrangement, consistent with conservation objectives and existing CHP rules.

    Additional Policy Components – 3Ps Cod Buddy-Up

    • Eligibility of Enterprise Types
      Combined enterprises and enterprises holding a single individual quota or share are eligible to participate in a 3Ps cod buddy-up arrangement.

    Consistent with recent voting outcomes in 3Ps crab fisheries-where combined enterprises have been permitted to buddy up at higher effort levels-a maximum number of 6 shares shall be permitted in a 3Ps cod buddy-up arrangement.
    (Note: The exact maximum number of shares to be determined through a vote of 3Ps cod licence holders.)

    Application Across 3Ps Cod Fleet
    This policy would apply to all eligible 3Ps cod licence holders, regardless of enterprise structure, provided all other buddy-up conditions are met.

    At the conclusion of the season, the program will be reviewed by DFO and industry representatives to assess:

    • Impacts on conservation and MAH uptake;
    • Distribution of landings and processing capacity;
    • Safety and operational outcomes; and
    • Whether adjustments are required for future years.

    Conclusion

    • The introduction of a buddy-up option for 3Ps cod is a logical, measured, and precedent-based evolution of fisheries management. It aligns with existing policy, mirrors successful models in 2J3KL and crab fisheries, enhances safety and product quality, addresses labour shortages, and improves the economic viability of independent inshore enterprises.
    • Given recent approvals to expand buddy-up allowances in 3Ps crab fisheries, extending buddy-up to 3Ps cod represents a consistent and equitable application of policy that reflects current harvesting realities.