The total allowable catch (TAC) for the Atlantic herring fall fishery in the Southern Gulf of St. Lawrence (sGSL) has been increased by 82 per cent to 15,500 tonnes for 2026 and 2027, up from 8,500 tonnes in 2025.
“This increase reflects the improved health of the stock, as the latest peer-reviewed stock assessment shows fall spawning herring is now in the healthy zone. As part of this decision, DFO (Department of Fisheries and Oceans) is also establishing a new allocation framework that distributes the TAC by sector rather than by fixed historical shares, so that fishing opportunities better align with herring abundance across the region,” said DFO when making the announcement.
Under the new allocation framework, the fall herring TAC will be distributed as follows: 6,500 tonnes in the north sector (areas 16AB), 3,000 tonnes in the central sector (areas 16CE) and 6,000 tonnes in the south sector (areas 16DFG).
“The new framework replaces the historical fixed sharing arrangement to mitigate the risk of overexploitation in some areas and improve fishing opportunities in others. The TAC distribution for the inshore and mobile fleets remains the same,” reported DFO.
Gillnet is the primary fishing method for herring in the southern Gulf of St. Lawrence, said Christine Lyons, DFO communications advisor. A total of 239 licence holders participated in the commercial and bait fisheries in 2025.
According to preliminary statistics from DFO, the total landings reported in the 2025 sGSL commercial and bait fisheries by the fixed gear fleet were 6,551 t. The landed value was estimated at $7 million. The mobile gear fleet (purse seine) was not active.
Opening dates for the fall herring fishery in the sGSL will vary from mid-August to mid-September, said Lyons, adding the sGSL herring spring fishery remains closed and the closure will be revisited before the 2027 season.
Increases in the Southern Gulf of St. Lawrence herring TAC and the Atlantic mackerel bait fishery TAC were both announced on July 3 by Fisheries Minister Joanne Thompson.
“Our government is committed to maintaining strong, resilient and sustainable Canadian fisheries. These decisions for Atlantic mackerel and Southern Gulf of St. Lawrence herring will support fish harvesters in eastern Canada at a time of increased uncertainty and unprecedented shifts in the global economy,” said Thompson.
Atlantic herring in eastern Canada is composed of two genetically distinct stocks that spawn in spring and fall. DFO’s 2026 Atlantic herring stock assessment showed that the spawning stock biomass of fall spawning herring was in the healthy zone in 2025.
As for the 4WX southwestern Nova Scotia/Bay of Fundy (BoF) Atlantic herring fishery, which is a separate stock from the sGSL, the TAC was increased from 16,000 tonnes (t) to 20,000 t for the 2025 and 2026 fishing seasons.
“This decision was made after considering all available information, including scientific data, which showed that there had been an increase in our survey estimate of the spawning stock biomass (that is, the total weight of all fish that have reached reproductive maturity). However, the stock remains in the critical zone of the precautionary approach framework, below the limit reference point (LRP). The LRP separates the critical and cautious zones in our precautionary approach framework. Maintaining the health of the SWNS/BoF Atlantic herring fishery is a priority. Stock status will continue to be monitored and the Department will adjust the TAC accordingly in subsequent fishing seasons,” said Lyons.
According to preliminary statistics from DFO, in 2025, 19,174 t valued at $14.57 million was landed in the southwestern Nova Scotia/Bay of Fundy Atlantic herring fishery. The purse seine fleet caught 17,666 t with a landed value of $13.43 million, while the fixed gear fleet landed 1,508 t valued at $1.15 million.
The statistics do not cover the weir fishery in Southwest New Brunswick or the smaller gillnet fisheries in coastal Nova Scotia, both of which fall outside of the main SWNS/BoF fishery and are not covered by that scientific assessment or TAC, Lyons added.
There were 130 active licences in 2025 for the SWNS/BoF Atlantic herring fishery, including 90 gillnet, eight purse seine, six trap net/brush weir and 26 bait (herring/mackerel).
