The total allowable catch (TAC) for snow crab for areas 12, 12E, 12F and 19 in the southern Gulf of St. Lawrence (sGSL) has been reduced by 2,066.59 tonnes in 2026.
The TAC for the 2026 sGSL snow crab fishery has been set at 16,267.90 tonnes, compared to 18,334.49 tonnes in 2025.
“Applying the harvest decision rules in accordance to the Precautionary Approach for setting the TAC, the estimated commercial biomass from the 2025 survey results in an exploitation rate of 34.82 per cent,” said DFO in the Notice to Harvesters on March 27.
For Area 12, the TAC is set at 12,868.10 tonnes, a reduction of 1,851 tonnes from last year. For Area 12E, the TAC is set at 243.56 tonnes, a reduction of 11.79 tonnes. For Area 12F, the TAC is set at 1,124.85 tonnes, an increase of 50.54 tonnes. For Area 19, the TAC is set at 581.38 tonnes, a reduction of 253.56 tonnes.
According to the 2025 stock assessment report for southern Gulf of St. Lawrence snow crab, the biomass of commercial-sized snow crab has been decreasing for the past three years. In 2025, it was down 10 per cent from 2024. The decline is due to lower numbers of small snow crab growing to commercial size. Specifically, the commercial biomass from the 2025 survey is estimated at 46,720 tonnes, down from 51,786 tonnes in 2024, and 67,731 tonnes in 2023, said Krista Peterson, DFO communications.
“The quantity of snow crab growing to commercial size is expected to increase in the next few years, based on increases in the numbers of smaller snow crab that will grow to commercial size, as observed in our annual trawl survey. Like other snow crab populations around the world, snow crab in the southern Gulf of St. Lawrence cycle through periods of high and low abundance roughly every 10 years. The sGSL snow crab stock is currently at a low point in its population cycle. Numbers of commercial-sized male snow crab, mature females and small snow crab are all currently below average. Despite the current low, the sGSL snow crab stock status indicator remains in the healthy zone of the Precautionary Approach Framework. The last period of low abundance, more pronounced than the current one, dates to 2010 and 2011. Such fluctuations are considered normal for this species. Snow crab prefer very cold waters and could be vulnerable to rising water temperatures. However, the overall impacts of climate change on the sGSL snow crab population are not fully understood. Commercial-sized snow crab remained at high levels from 2018 to 2022, driven by a steady influx of young snow crab growing to commercial size. Only male snow crab with a legal harvesting size of 95 mm carapace width can be kept by harvesters during the fishery,” said Peterson.
In 2025, total southern Gulf of St. Lawrence landings for snow crab fishing areas 12, 12E, 12F and 19 were approximately 18,478 tonnes, with a preliminary estimated value of $297.1 million CAD. There were 417 active vessels in the 2025 season.
A quota of 450 tonnes of snow crab has been set aside to assist with the financing of the annual scientific trawl survey. “This survey is part of the DFO-Industry joint project to fund science support for effective management of the sGSL snow crab stock. This allocation will be taken off the top of the 2026 TAC, prior to the initial distribution of the quota. A joint project agreement is in place with snow crab fish harvesters’ associations. These associations will guide the management and the transfer of the necessary funds to carry out DFO’s scientific survey and support research activities. The Association des Crabiers Acadiens (ACA) is designated to ensure the management of the associated quota. The ACA will be communicating with the various stakeholder groups representing the sGSL industry, including First Nations and the new access fleets, to offer them the option to acquire a share of this allocation for the purpose of funding the 2026 scientific survey,” said DFO.
The opening date for the sGSL snow crab fishery wasn’t announced before press deadlines, but the season usually opens in early April.
As for North Atlantic right whales, the seasonal closure protocol will come into effect on June 1 in the Gulf of St. Lawrence. Before June 1, North Atlantic right whale detections will trigger dynamic closures only. Otherwise, closure protocols remain unchanged in 2026.
“From the opening of the 2025 snow crab season on April 5, 2025, until June 30, 2025, North Atlantic right whale detections in the Gulf of St. Lawrence resulted in 81 temporary grid closures and 40 season-long grid closures. Most closures occurred in June,” said Peterson.
DFO has made changes to conditions of licence in 2026 related to lost and retrieved fishing gear. Lost and retrieved gear reporting will be phased out of Electronic Logbook (ELOG) applications. The Fishing Gear Reporting System (FGRS) is now the primary and authoritative system for reporting lost and retrieved fishing gear.
