#TECM2609274A2026 French Snow Crab Fishing Rules for Saint-Pierre and Miquelon Waters
AI-generated summary for informational purposes only. Not legal advice. See the original source for the authoritative text.
This rule sets the 2026 fishing limits and gear requirements for professional snow crab fishing in French waters off Saint-Pierre and Miquelon. The total catch is capped at 262 tonnes, and the entire quota goes to local fishers in Saint-Pierre and Miquelon. It also sets the season from April 1 to December 31, 2026, limits the gear that can be used, bans female crab landings, sets a minimum size of 95 mm, and requires weekly catch reports and advance notice before departure. Fishing businesses and vessel operators must make sure their pots, markings, and logbooks meet the new rules, or risk penalties under fisheries law.
AI-generated summary. May contain errors. Refer to official sources for legal decisions.
Key Changes
- Sets a 2026 catch cap of 262 tonnes for snow crab in the Saint-Pierre and Miquelon zone, reserved entirely for local fishers
- Limits the season to April 1 through December 31, 2026, and requires advance departure notice plus weekly fishing logs
- Tightens gear and catch rules: only approved single-entry pots, minimum 95 mm size, no female crab landings, and mandatory gear marking
Obligations
What this law requires
Authorized snow crab fishers in Saint-Pierre-et-Miquelon waters may only land up to the 2026 TAC of 262 tonnes, which is entirely allocated to fishers from Saint-Pierre-et-Miquelon.
Authorized snow crab fishers in Saint-Pierre-et-Miquelon must use only single-entry crab traps for the 2026 snow crab fishery.
Professional snow crab fishers may take only the 2026 TAC of 262 tonnes in the French waters of sub-division 3Ps off Saint-Pierre-et-Miquelon; the entire quota is reserved for fishers from Saint-Pierre-et-Miquelon.
Operators may set crab pots only from 1 April 2026 at 06:00 local time and must stop the fishery no later than 31 December 2026.
Fishers must respect the trap limits: either up to 80 type A traps (inner lower ring diameter max 2.14 m) or up to 300 type B traps (inner lower ring diameter max 1.53 m), including the permitted A/B combinations set out in the table; type B trap lines must contain a fixed set of 20 traps.