On Thursday, Minister of Fisheries, Oceans and the Canadian Coast Guard, Diane Lebouthillier, and Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Fisheries, Oceans and the Canadian Coast Guard, Mike Kelloway, announced the opening of a 470-tonne Atlantic mackerel personal-use bait fishery this spring.

This is along with the continued closure of the Atlantic mackerel commercial fishery in Atlantic Canada and Quebec for the 2024 season.

The Atlantic mackerel bait fishery will be released in two equal parts. A move the government says will ensure different regions have equitable access to Atlantic mackerel as the stock migrates through the waters of Atlantic Canada and Quebec.

Fish caught under a bait licence are intended for personal use and are not permitted to be sold, traded or bartered.