Minister of Fisheries, Oceans and the Canadian Coast Guard Joanne Thompson (St. John’s East, N.L.) announced the 2026 elver fishing season will open around April 1 with an increased total allowable catch (TAC). This season, licence holders can harvest up to 12,180 kilograms (kg) of elver, an increase of 22 per cent from the previous … Read more
On Feb. 17, 2026, in Richmond Provincial Court, Jichuan Shi, a charter fishing operator, was found guilty of the offense of possessing illegally caught fish contrary to Section 33 of the federal Fisheries Act and was fined $5,000. The conviction stems from a May 30, 2025, routine patrol by DFO fishery officers in Steveston Harbour, Richmond, B.C., … Read more
Minister of Fisheries, Oceans and the Canadian Coast Guard Joanne Thompson (St. John’s East, N.L.) led Canada’s delegation to this year’s Seafood Expo North America in Boston, Massachusetts. The Seafood Expo ran from March 15-17 and provided an important opportunity for industry to build relationships and highlight the strong economic ties between Canada and the United … Read more
Minister of Fisheries, Oceans and the Canadian Coast Guard Joanne Thompson (St. John’s East, N.L.) announced four projects to advance the Canada’s National Strategy to Ensure the Future of Atlantic Salmon vision of creating the conditions for Atlantic salmon to thrive. Fisheries and Oceans Canada is supporting four projects with the following partners: The Atlantic … Read more
Minister of Fisheries, Oceans and the Canadian Coast Guard Joanne Thompson (St. John’s East, N.L.) announced that the Government of Canada is entering negotiations for a five-year renewal of the fisheries funds, ensuring Canada’s fish and seafood sector has the long-term support it needs to compete across markets and win on the world stage. The … Read more
A total of three judgements in Campbell River Provincial Court were issued between Nov. 24, 2025 and Jan. 29, 2026, concluding three separate trials involving Sufeng Weng, Yuxuan Wang and Genjing Dai. The men were fishing together when various offences under Canada’s Fisheries Act, Fishery (General) Regulations, the British Columbia Sport Fishing Regulations (BCSFR) occurred. On Jan. 29, 2026, … Read more
On Jan. 22, 2026, in Nanaimo Provincial Court, Chao Jan Yu and Li Hua Chen were convicted of multiple offences under Canada’s Fisheries Act. Yu was fined a total of $6,500 dollars ($2,500 for obstructing a fishery officer carrying out his duties; $2,000 for retaining more than the daily limit of 75 clams; and $2,000 for … Read more
Minister of Fisheries, Oceans and the Canadian Coast Guard Joanne Thompson (St. John’s East, N.L.) launched the new aquatic invasive species survey map. This new, interactive online tool provides an overview of aquatic invasive species detections across the country. Thompson also announced $1 million in funding under the Aquatic Invasive Species Prevention Fund (AISPF) for eight … Read more
Minister of Fisheries, Oceans and the Canadian Coast Guard Joanne Thompson (St. John’s East, N.L.) announced policy initiatives underway to make fisheries stronger and regulations less burdensome for harvesters. Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO) is moving forward with these initiatives to modernize fisheries, cut red tape, improve efficiency, clarify regulatory requirements, and support compliance: DFO … Read more
Minister of Fisheries, Oceans and the Canadian Coast Guard Joanne Thompson (St. John’s East, N.L.) launched Canada’s Whalesafe Fishing Gear Strategy – a five-year plan to help protect whales and promote sustainable fisheries. The strategy will guide our work with harvesters to implement safe and innovative fishing gear technology in fisheries across Canada where it … Read more
