Pre-assessment made available

Participants confirmed

Workplan made public

Ropeless gear and smart bouy trials remain underway; During the 2023 season, 10 additional fishermen were authorized to use gear on demand, bringing the total number of participating fishermen to 31 and total of 200 buoys were used in open areas and 30 buoys were used in closed areas with trap ropes on demand. 

The Snow Crab Advisory Committee met to discuss the Species at Risk program updates; a policy framework to improve protection and recovery is currently under development. 

The North Atlantic Right Whale Advisory Committee met to discuss updates from the 2023 season and issues to focus on for 2024. 

The FIP continues to implement grid closures in an effort to protect the North Atlantic Right Whale. 

DFO hosted the Whalesafe Gear Trial Results Symposium where partners shared the results of lower breaking-strength and on-demand gear trials; ghost gear/gear loss, safety, cost/availability, and reasonable timelines for implementation remain concerns. 

A presentation summarizing the results of the weak rope trial was made available. While there have been several advancements since 2018, additional work and testing are required to make further progress.

In 2023, the number of fishermen allowed to use gear upon request was expanded and seven fishermen with sufficient quotas used their gear in closed areas, resulting in 18 fishing trips and 107,400 pounds of snow crab.

In June 2022, a mandatory restricted area was enforced based on DFO's fixed-gear fishing closure protocol with 85% of the area closed to fishing.

The FIP continues to monitor and surveil NARW conservation enforcement; disentanglement support by DFO was provided for 6 NARW and 30 NARW-related occurrences were reported, resulting in warnings and/or charges issued.

A training session to create awareness and share data occurred in November 2022.

An update on the sustainable lobster fishery was provided at the Newfoundland seal regional consultation meeting; management measures were discussed, including DFO's Ghost Gear Fund, which has removed 7, 560 units of gear since July 2020.

DFO's Whalesafe Gear Adoption Fund (WSGF) has committed to providing up to $20 million towards the purchase, testing and refinement of whalesafe gear with the goal of making gear innovations fully operational by 2023, and to support the advancement of rope-on-demand gear technology.

The FIP is utilizing DFO's interactive NARW detection map. Fishers will fill out a separate form to record any interactions. 

Throughout the 2022 fishing season, 150 traps were equipped with Smart Buoys; monitoring of the traps was conducted by the owner of the gear.

In the 2022 fishing season, 19 fishers received 55 ropeless traps each to fish in closed areas; over 1000 ropeless traps were used extensively in the fishing season. Over 450,000 lbs of snow crab were caught with ropeless gear across 78 fishing trips. 

A weak rope trial was conducted at sea in which four weakened buoy lines were tested during normal snow crab fishing; a draft report has been made available.

A report on gear testing currently underway is published - as a technical brief for the industry

Fisheries and Oceans Canada issued the snow crab fishery a fishing license in conjunction with a list of conditions to abide by according to their designated fishing areas

North Atlantic Advisory Committee held virtual meeting at the end of November 2021 to discuss protection measures implemented over the past year and into 2022 and beyond

FIP consortium annual meeting held meeting where updates on gear modifications, market interest, policy and other developments discussed  

The first Scientific Advisory Committee meeting was held virtually. Participants discussed ongoing projects utilizing ropeless and weak rope technology

North Atlantic Right Whale observations recorded and mapped between April 2021 and the end of June 2021

DFO has launched a Fishing Gear Reporting System and FIP has begun reporting data via the Global Ghost Gear Initiative