2024 NL Recreational Groundfish Dates and Regulations

2024 Recreational Food Fishery Dates Announced! OPEN A Total Of 39 Days.

Summer Season:

Saturday, June 29, 2024 to Monday, July 01, 2024

Saturday, July 06, 2024 to Monday, July 08, 2024

Saturday, July 13, 2024 to Monday, July 15, 2024

Saturday, July 20, 2024 to Monday, July 22, 2024

Saturday, July 27, 2024 to Monday, July 29, 2024

Saturday, August 03, 2024 to Monday, August 05, 2024

Saturday, August 10, 2024 to Monday, August 12, 2024

Saturday, August 17, 2024 to Monday, August 19, 2024

Saturday, August 24, 2024 to Monday, August 26, 2024

Saturday, August 31, 2024 to Monday, September 02, 2024

Fall Season:

Saturday, September 21, 2024 to Sunday, September 29, 2024.

Retention limits.

Recreational fishers are limited to 5 groundfish per day (including cod).

The maximum boat limit when three or more people are fishing is 15 groundfish.

Management measures and regulations.

The recreational fishery is open to both residents and non-residents.

Retention of Atlantic halibut, Spotted and Northern wolffish, and any species of shark is prohibited. Sculpins and cunners may be released. All other groundfish caught must be retained and are part of the daily bag limit.

High-grading of groundfish is not permitted and no fish are permitted to be wasted.

All fish caught must be retained in a readily identifiable state. Fish may be bled, gutted, and split while at sea, but further processing such as, skinning, cutting into sections, packing or otherwise at sea is not permitted, as such further processing makes determination of species, number and size of the fish problematic.

Only angling gear and handlines with a maximum of three hooks are permitted. Handlines include artificial lures, baited hooks, and feathered hooks. Artificial lures with treble hooks weighing less than five ounces or 142 grams are acceptable. Traditional jiggers are not permitted unless they are modified and have only one single hook.

For safety reasons, fishing is only permitted from one hour before sunrise until one hour after sunset.