Talks continue on catch limits before moratorium lifts on East Coast redfish fishery

In this Thursday, Jan. 7, 2016 photo redfish are displayed at the Portland Fish Exchange in Portland, Maine. THE CANADIAN PRESS/AP-Robert F. Bukaty

HALIFAX -

The federal Fisheries Department says it is still collecting feedback on how to reopen the redfish fishery this spring in the Gulf of St. Lawrence, after collapsing stocks led to a decades-long moratorium.

The department says in a news release that it wrapped up four days of meetings with the industry-government redfish advisory committee in Halifax on Thursday.

Participants included representatives from Indigenous groups, industry, provincial governments and environmental organizations.

The discussions focused on the total allowable catch limits, conservation and other management measures.

The department says fishery participants have until March 18 to submit additional comments before it makes decisions on such things as catch limits.

In January, federal Fisheries Minister Diane Lebouthillier said the moratorium in place since 1995 would end this year, with an initial minimum total catch quota of at least 25,000 tonnes.

"We have a difficult task at hand -- collectively, we need to find a way to open this fishery in about three months in a manner that is safe, sustainable, and begins to deliver some economic return to harvesters and their communities," the department said.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published March 8, 2024.