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Notice to Fish Harvesters - Seal Fishery Re-Opening - April 6, 2026 - nf.26.052

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Notice to Fish Harvesters – Seal Fishery Re-Opening – April 6, 2026 – nf.26.052
March 30, 2026

FISHERIES AND OCEANS CANADA

NOTICE TO FISH HARVESTERS

nf.26.052B

2026-025

Mar. 30, 2026

Seal Fishery Re-Opening – April 6, 2026

DFO advises Newfoundland and Labrador Seal harvesters that the Commercial and Personal Use Seal fishery will re-open in Sealing Areas 4 to 23 and Sealing Areas 25 to 27 at 0600 hours on April 6, 2026.

Commercial Seal harvesters based in the Front have access to the Gulf and commercial Seal harvesters based in the Gulf have access to the Front.

Commercial Seal harvesters are advised to check with their buyers to confirm a market for their Seals before going Sealing.

Seal harvesters are reminded that licences and licence conditions are available through DFO’s National Online Licencing System.

Additionally, all Commercial and Personal Use Sealers are reminded that landings must be hailed in daily, as per licence conditions.

NOTE: the Ringed seal fishery in Sealing Area 4 remains closed. A public notice will be issued for this fishery at a later date.

The Regional Director General, Fisheries and Oceans Canada, Newfoundland and Labrador Regions gives notice that Variation Order 2026-014 has been revoked, and Variation Order 2026-025 comes into effect on March 31, 2026.

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 to you directly by email, please contact: NLPRI@dfo-mpo.gc.ca.

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For information, contact:
Chelsea O’Driscoll
Senior Resource Manager
Resource Management and Indigenous Fisheries
Chelsea.ODriscoll@dfo-mpo.gc.ca
709-685-2942

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Dr. Erin Carruthers

Dr. Erin Carruthers is the Science Director and Senior Fisheries Scientist with the Fish, Food and Allied Workers Union (FFAW-Unifor), which is the labour union that represents the owner-operator fleet in Newfoundland and Labrador. The FFAW is committed to research and management that supports healthy oceans, fisheries, and coastal communities. Dr. Carruthers received her Ph. D. in Biology from Memorial University in 2011 followed by a postdoctoral fellowship with the Centre for Fisheries Ecosystems Research. Before coming to Newfoundland, Erin worked as a Research Biologist with Fisheries and Oceans Canada at the St. Andrews Biological Station. Her current research program is co-constructed with fish harvesters and includes research on coastal fishing communities, collaborative longline and trap surveys, and best practices for the avoidance, handling and release of unwanted catch.