Lost Gear Reporting & Ghost Gear Call for Proposals is OPEN
November 3, 2022
FISHERIES AND OCEANS CANADA NOTICE TO FISH HARVESTERS nf.22.274B
Nov. 3, 2022
Lost Gear Reporting & Ghost Gear Call for Proposals is OPEN
In response to the recent devastating impacts of Hurricane Fiona in Atlantic Canada and Eastern Quebec, Fisheries and Oceans Canada will be providing up to 28.4 million dollars through the Ghost Gear Fund to support for projects in the areas directly affected by Hurricane Fiona. The call for proposals is now open and application information can be found on the Ghost Gear Fund website. The funding will be available for projects focusing work on areas directly affected by Hurricane Fiona from April 1, 2023 to March 31, 2024. Interested proponents will be required to submit an application by December 28, 2022 23:59 PST to be considered. This funding is in addition to the 1.5M announced recently which has been allocated through Ghost Gear Fund partners for immediate actions this fall in response to Hurricane Fiona.
Fisheries and Oceans Canada is reminding harvesters that the reporting of lost gear is mandatory in all commercial fisheries, as outlined in commercial fishing license conditions, and should be done online through the Fishing Gear Reporting System. PDF versions of the lost and retrieved fishing gear forms are still available, if required. All commercial harvesters in Atlantic Canada are reminded to report gear that was lost as a result of Hurricane Fiona, including gear that was lost from areas of storage on land. This reporting enables the Department to identify hotspots for lost gear, prioritize areas for retrieval and also facilitates the return of usable gear to harvesters.
If harvesters require help navigating the Fishing Gear Reporting System, they are encouraged to reach out to the Department for assistance at DFO.LostandRetrievedGear-EnginsPerdusRecupere.MPO@dfo-mpo.gc.ca.
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For information, contact:
Beth Ann Hawco
Regional Ghost Gear Coordinator
beth.hawco@dfo-mpo.gc.ca