Federal Fisheries Minister Joanne Thompson recently announced that the 2026 total allowable catch (TAC) for the Newfoundland and Labrador snow crab fishery will be 61,004 tonnes, representing a three per cent decrease from 2025.
The 2026 TAC will be the third highest on record. 2025 was the second highest on record. Snow crab is one of Canada’s most lucrative fisheries, representing over $700 million to the Newfoundland and Labrador economy in 2025.
Two of the five harvesting areas will see increases in quota this year, including a four per cent increase in 3LNO and a 19 per cent increase in 4R3Pn.
At the same time, three harvesting areas will experience overall decreases, including a 18 per cent decrease in area 3K (26 per cent reduction in the offshore management area in 3K, with the inshore areas of 3A, 3B, 3C, 3D and 3BC being rolled over), as well as a 30 per cent decrease in area 3Ps and a 20 per cent decrease in area 2HJ.
Following careful consideration and extensive consultations with Indigenous partners, industry, and stakeholders, Fisheries and Oceans Canada has implemented moderate reductions in 3K, 2HJ and 3Ps. These decisions take into account the importance of fisheries to our rural communities, supporting the harvesting and processing jobs families rely on, while also using the latest science, and considering the long-term sustainability of the resource for future generations.
Additionally, Fisheries and Oceans Canada will begin a comprehensive review of the snow crab precautionary approach framework in consultation with industry, Indigenous partners, and stakeholders. One of the key objectives of that review will be to enhance stability in TAC levels from year-to-year. In recent years, TACs have fluctuated significantly, with both sharp increases and decreases, year-over-year. The intent moving forward, working collaboratively with stakeholders and partners, will be to sustainably manage the stock in a way that smooths out some of these peaks and valleys, to provide greater predictability and stability to harvesters, plant workers and ultimately the market for N.L. snow crab.
The 2026 management approach reflects a balanced decision that supports current economic realities while safeguarding the long-term health of the stock for future generations.
“In making this year’s snow crab decision, we carefully weighed the best available science, input from stakeholders and partners, as well as the economic realities facing industry. The crab fishery supports jobs and local economies across rural Newfoundland and Labrador, and we fully recognize its importance to harvesters, families and communities. We know that the large fluctuations in quotas create real challenges for those who rely on this fishery. That’s why the Department will continue to work with stakeholders and partners to review the Precautionary Approach Framework, with the goal of bringing greater predictability and stability for harvesters and processors from one season to the next,” Thompson said.
Management measures
Divison 2HJ
The overall quota of snow crab in 2HJ will decrease by 20 per cent in 2026 to 837 tonnes, down from 1,047 tonnes in 2025.
- 2J North, 2J South — Decrease by 20 per cent
- 2H — Decrease by 20 per cent
Divison 3K
The overall quota of snow crab in 3K will decrease by 18 per cent in 2026 to 6,260 tonnes, down from 7,643 tonnes in 2025.
- 3A, 3B, 3C, 3D, 3BC — Unchanged
- Area 4 — Decrease by 26 per cent
Division 3LNO
The overall quota of snow crab in 3LNO will increase by four per cent in 2026 for a total of 47,141 tonnes, up from 45,333 tonnes in 2025.
- 3NO 200, 3N 200 — Increase by 25 per cent
- 5A — Increase by 15 per cent
- 6A — Increase by 20 per cent
- 6B — Increase by 18 per cent
- 6C, NS — Increase by 10 per cent
- 8A, 9A, 8BX North, MS, MS/EX, 3L EX and 3L 200 — Unchanged
- 8B — Decrease by 12 per cent
- 8BX — Decrease by 38 per cent
- 8BX South — Decrease by 50 per cent
Subdivision 3Ps
The overall quota for snow crab in Subdivision 3Ps will be decreased by 30 per cent in 2026 to 5,243 tonnes, down from 7,506 tonnes in 2025.
- 10A, 11E, 11W — Decrease by 20 per cent
- 11S — Decrease by 25 per cent
- 10B — Decrease by 41 per cent
Division 4R and Subdivision 3Pn
The overall quota for snow crab in division 4R and subdivision 3Pn will be increased by 19 per cent in 2026 to 1,073 tonnes, up from 903 tonnes in 2025.
- Outside 8 Miles, Bay St. George, 12C, 12D, 12G — Increase by 25 per cent
- 12B — Increase by 10 per cent
- Bay of Islands — Unchanged
- 12A, 12E, 12F, 12H — Unchanged
In an effort to ensure the overall amount of crab allocated to harvesters does not exceed the quotas allocated, there may be some variance between the individual harvest level increases noted above and the total quota increases by Crab Management Area.
Other measures
Management measures for 2026 include 6.4-metre limit of floating rope and trip and weekly limit requirements.
Areas 11E, 11W, 12A, 12B, 12D and 12H will continue to operate under a harvesting cap management regime.
In addition, grid based soft-shell protocols are continued in all areas. Areas closed as a result of soft-shell crab will remain closed for the remainder of the year. Grids closed for soft-shell crab in Shrimp Fishing Areas 4, 5 or 6 will also be closed to shrimp harvesting for 60 days. All season closure dates are subject to modification if there is a high incidence of soft-shell crab encountered in the fishery.
