Conservation, Monitoring, and Stewardship
2026-Recreational Fisheries Notice
Atlantic Salmon Recreational Fishery
Moncton, New Brunswick – April 9, 2026 – Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO) announces conservation measures for the Atlantic salmon recreational fishery in the Gulf Region for the 2026 fishing season.
Catch and release for the recreational Atlantic salmon fishery will continue. As such, anglers are required to release all Atlantic salmon during the angling season. In addition, a barbless artificial fly must be used to fish for Atlantic salmon.
The conservation measures for the Atlantic salmon recreational fishery in the Gulf Region are as follows:
-Catch and release limit of 5 salmon per day during the spring fishery (April 15 to May 15) and a catch and release limit of 2 salmon per day on the Miramichi and Restigouche Rivers and 4 on other open rivers in New Brunswick for the remainder of the fishing season.
-Barbless artificial fly only.
For information on the seasons by rivers for these New Brunswick Salmon Fishing Areas, please consult the Government of New Brunswick 2026 Angling Regulations Guidebook.
Warm water protocols
A Warm Water Protocol is in effect in four rivers of the Gulf Region: the Miramichi, Restigouche and Nepisiguit rivers in New Brunswick and Margaree River in Cape Breton, Nova Scotia. A Warm Water Protocol is a tool developed by the Department, in collaboration with provincial governments and local partners, such as fishing associations, conservation groups and watershed management committees, to implement angling restrictions when the water warms up.
Before going fishing in one of the above-mentioned rivers, whether for salmon, striped bass, trout, etc., it is important to check if there are any restrictions. Closure and re-opening notices are found on the DFO Gulf Region recreational fisheries page, in the salmon section.
To report any suspicious fishing activity, please contact the nearest Fisheries and Oceans Canada office or call Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477.
Striped Bass Recreational Fishery
Moncton, New Brunswick – April 14, 2026 - Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO) announces the management measures for striped bass recreational fishing in waters adjacent to the Maritime Provinces in the southern Gulf of St. Lawrence for 2026.
Fishing hours and seasons
Tidal waters:
April 15 to June 30: Angling activities can begin two (2) hours before sunrise and must end no later than two (2) hours after sunset of each day.
July 1 to October 31: Angling activities are permitted from 04:00 hrs to 00:00 hrs (midnight) excluding the tidal waters of the Miramichi river (including the southwest and northwest Miramichi rivers) upstream from the Centennial bridge.
Inland waters:
Angling activities can begin two (2) hours before sunrise and must end no later than two (2) hours after sunset of each day including the tidal waters of the Miramichi River (including the southwest and northwest Miramichi rivers) upstream from the Centennial Bridge.
Daily bag and total possession limit
Anglers can retain a maximum of four (4) striped bass per day during the fishing season, and cannot have in their possession more than four (4) striped bass at any given time from April 15th to October 31st.
Legal sizes for retention
The size window for retained striped bass is a minimum length of 50 cm to a maximum length of 65 cm. The length is measured in a straight line from the tip of the nose to the tip of the tail (i.e., total length).
Authorized fishing gear
The use of single barbless hooks is mandatory when using lures, bait and fly fishing in tidal waters. Anglers are allowed to fish in tidal waters with a maximum of five (5) lines and six (6) single barbless hooks per line. In inland waters, anglers are allowed to fish with a maximum of one (1) line and three (3) single barbless hooks.
It is still recommended to use barbless non-offset circle hooks when using bait since this type of hook can reduce fish mortality upon the live release of the fish.
Protection during the spawning period in the Northwest Miramichi
There is a closure of the Northwest Miramichi River spawning ground to all angling activities during the spawning period. The Department will issue a variation order closing all angling for a duration of up to ten (10) days covering an area of approximately 9.8 kilometers of the Northwest Miramichi River below the Red Bank Bridge once concentrations of striped bass are observed spawning.
Anyone wishing to report suspicious fishing activities anonymously is asked to contact the nearest Fisheries and Oceans Canada office or to call Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477.
For more information on this fishery, please contact:
Eric LeBlanc
Regional Senior Fisheries Management Officer
Fisheries and Oceans Canada
Moncton, New Brunswick
eric.leblanc@dfo-mpo.gc.ca