Notice to Fish Harvesters - Expression of Interest - Sea Urchin Temporary Licences - nf.26.228

FISHERIES AND OCEANS CANADA

NOTICE TO FISH HARVESTERS

nf.26.228B

Sep. 21, 2026

Expression of Interest – Sea Urchin Temporary Licences

Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO) advises that new temporary licences are available for the Sea urchin fishery in Newfoundland and Labrador. Independent Core Enterprise holders and Newfoundland and Labrador Indigenous groups are eligible to apply.

Temporary licences are available in the following Sea Urchin Fishing Areas:

NAFO Division 2J – Area 2

NAFO Division 3K – Area 3

NAFO Division 3L – Areas 7, 8, and 9

NAFO Sub-Division 3Ps – Areas 10 and 11

NAFO Sub-Division 3Pn – Area 12

NAFO Division 4R – Areas 13 and 14

Application & Draw Process:

Eligible licence holders interested in applying for a temporary licence must submit an expression of interest application by 1700 hours, September 30, 2026. If the number of eligible applications exceeds the number of available temporary licences for each Sea Urchin Fishing Area, DFO will conduct a random draw to select recipients and establish an eligibility list. Only eligible applicants will be entered into the draw.

Applications received after the deadline will not be eligible

To submit an Expression of Interest, please email Terri.Healey@dfo-mpo.gc.ca

And include the following information in your email:

Name:

FIN:

Address:

Phone #:

E-mail address:

VRN#:

Selected Area: (Must be the area of your homeport).

A valid e-mail address must be provided, as all future correspondence will be issued through email.

Harvesters who previously held a Sea Urchin temporary licence and had recorded landings from the 2020 to 2025 fishing seasons do not need to reapply. Their names will automatically be included in the 2026 temporary licence process.

Those who receive a temporary licence will be required to demonstrate landings within the first two years (2026 and 2027), after which they will have their licences extended for three additional years to 2030. Those who do not meet landing requirements will not have their licence renewed, and that licence will be offered to the next harvester on the eligibility list.

Notices to Fish Harvesters for all commercial fisheries are available online in the Fishery Notices section of the DFO Newfoundland and Labrador Region webpage at: https://www.nfl.dfo-mpo.gc.ca/en.

If you would like to have all “Notices to Fish Harvesters” for commercial fisheries sent directly to you by email, please contact: NLPRI@dfo-mpo.gc.ca

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For information, contact:
Terri Healey
Resource Manager
Tel.: (709)685-3998
E-mail: Terri.Healey@dfo-mpo.gc.ca

Martin Henri
Senior Resource Manager
Resource Management and Indigenous Fisheries
Tel: (709) 693-4744
Email : martin.henri@dfo-mpo.gc.ca