Newfoundland and Labrador Recreational Groundfish Fishery Survey

Atlantic Cod

The Newfoundland and Labrador groundfish food fishery is a keystone component of the province’s deep cultural connection with fishing and the sea.

Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO) recently announced that the agency is asking Newfoundlanders and Labradorians to share their views on the future of the province’s cod food fishery. The survey results will guide the management decision for the 2026 season and beyond.

The online survey is open until January 9, 2026, to get feedback on how the fishery should be managed moving forward.

The survey asks for input on key topics such as:

• Length of the fishing season;
• Limits for individuals and boats; and
• Management approaches for the food fishery considering the three distinct cod stocks in Newfoundland and Labrador.

Written feedback can also be emailed to DFO (recgroundfishnl@dfo-mpo.gc.ca).

Newfoundland and Labrador Food Fishery Facts

The Newfoundland and Labrador Food Fishery allows residents and visitors to catch limited amounts of groundfish (including cod) for personal use only, during the established season, with no requirement for a licence.

Management measures for the 2025 season allowed participants to keep up to 5 fish per person per day (maximum 15 per boat). 

The management approach for recreation groundfish fisheries in Canada varies by region, based on target species, stock status and availability, and the level of participation.

In Atlantic Canada, for example, some parts of Quebec and New Brunswick have 37-39 day seasons and daily limits up to 5 cod and/or white hake, while in parts of Nova Scotia cod may only be fished from the third Saturday in June to early September, compared to the current Newfoundland and Labrador schedule, which runs until the end of September.

There are three distinct cod stocks primarily fished in the Newfoundland and Labrador Recreational Groundfish Fishery: Northern cod (NAFO Divisions 2J3KL), 3Ps cod (NAFO Division 3Ps), and Northern Gulf of St. Lawrence cod (NAFO Division 3Pn4RS).

The total landed value of the Northern cod commercial fishery in 2024 was approximately $37.5 million benefiting harvesters, crew members, plant workers, and Indigenous groups in coastal communities throughout Newfoundland and Labrador.

Since 2022, the 3Pn4RS commercial cod fishery has been under moratorium, with limited Food Social Ceremonial (FSC) and recreational access due to its critical stock status.  

There is a limited commercial fishery for cod in 3Ps with a Total Allowable Catch of 1,251 tonnes in 2025-26.

source: Fisheries and Oceans Canada 

2020 Saltwater Recreational Fishing Statistics

Striped Bass

U.S. anglers took nearly 200 million trips in 2020, according to Fisheries of the United States, 2020, from NOAA Fisheries.

U.S. recreational anglers caught an estimated billion fish in 2020, releasing 65 percent of those caught.

The total recreational harvest was estimated at 344 million fish with a combined weight of more than 353 million pounds.

The top U.S. species ranked by pounds harvested were striped bass, bluefish, red snapper, Spanish mackerel, spotted seatrout, and dolphinfish.

The Atlantic Coast accounted for 68 percent of marine recreational trips and 68 percent of the overall catch. The Gulf Coast accounted for 29 percent of trips and 30 percent of catch. Alaska, Hawaii, and the Pacific Coast collectively accounted for 3 percent of trips and 2 percent of catch.

Fisheries of the United States is the annual National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) yearbook of fishery statistics for the United States for 2020. The report has been produced in its various forms for more than 100 years.

The report provides data on U.S. recreational catch and commercial fisheries landings and value as well as other aspects of U.S. commercial fishing.

source: Fisheries of the United States, 2020

Related Information

2019 USA Marine Recreational Fishing Catch Statistics

2019 USA Marine Recreational Fishing Catch Statistics

Red Drum

The 2019 U.S. marine recreational finfish catch, including fish kept and fish released (discarded) on the Atlantic, Gulf, and Pacific coasts (including Alaska and Hawaii), was an estimated 950 million fish. 

The catch required anglers to take an estimated 187 million fishing trips (Alaska trip data not available for 2019). 

The 2019 total harvest (fish kept or released dead) of saltwater fish by recreational anglers was estimated at 341 million fish weighing 350 million pounds.

Top Recreational and Commercial Finfish Species

Atlantic

1 Striped Bass
2 Bluefish
3 Scup
4 Dolphinfish
5 Black Sea Bass
6 Spotted Sea Trout
7 Summer flounder (fluke)
8 Tautog
9 Catfish
10 King and Cero Mackerel

Gulf Coast

1 Red snapper
2 Spanish Mackerel
3 Red Drum
4 Spotted Sea Trout
5 Sardine
6 Snappers
7 Mullets
8 King and Cero Mackerel
9 Little Tunny
10 Dolphinfish

Mid Atlantic Striped Bass EEZ Enforcement

Each winter along the Mid Atlantic Coast, the U.S. Coast Guard maintains a presence on the water to enforce laws pertaining to recreational fishing for Atlantic striped bass and guard against illegal poaching.

During the period from fall through spring, Mid Atlantic anglers venture into Atlantic waters to catch striped bass, but some anglers are unaware that they can only legally fish up to three nautical miles from shore for them, and that anything beyond that is against the law and will net them a fine.

"Being that striped bass are a sport fish, they’re highly sought after and the three-nautical mile line is the threshold to preserve the species," said Petty Officer 1st Class Sherman Baldwin, senior fisheries officer at Coast Guard Station Barnegat Light New Jersey. "Large Atlantic striped bass breeding fish tend to stay outside of that three mile line from shore, and by creating this line that prevents taking, targeting or possessing striped bass over the years, we’ve allowed the species to regain ground since regulations were put in place in the 1980’s."

During a Living Marine Resources patrol as it’s known in the Coast Guard, members not only ensure fishermen aren’t targeting striped bass outside of the three-mile line, but they’ll also inspect safety gear to ensure that they have the right safety gear aboard in the event of a maritime accident or emergency, said Baldwin.

The three-mile line protecting the striped bass population was put into place by the Atlantic Striped Bass Conservation Act, which made it illegal to fish for striped bass in federal waters was passed by Congress in 1984 under 50 CFR 697.7(b) to counteract the severe population decline of striped bass at that time.

For more information on the three-mile line and striped bass regulations, visit: https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/species/atlantic-striped-bass, and state wildlife conservation agency websites.

2016 NOAA USA Recreational Fishing Statistics (saltwater)

striped bass

According to this year's NOAA Fisheries' Fisheries of the United States report, U.S. recreational saltwater anglers caught an estimated 371.6 million fish in 2016.

The total catch includes fish kept and fish released (discarded) on the Atlantic, Gulf, and Pacific coasts (including Alaska, Hawaii and Puerto Rico).

The harvest (fish kept or released dead) was estimated at 144.6 million fish weighing 181.6 million pounds.

2016 Top Saltwater Fish Species by Pounds Harvested

Striped bass: 20 million pounds - 1.6 million fish
Dolphinfish 11 million pounds - 1.2 million fish
Bluefish 10 million pounds - 4.6 million fish
Yellowfin tuna 9 million pounds - 0.3 million fish
Sharks 3 million pounds - 0.2 million fish

Saltwater anglers took approximately 63.1 million fishing trips, according to the report.

Fisheries of the United States is an annual yearbook of U.S. fisheries statistics.

For more information, visit:
https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/resource/document/fisheries-united-states-2016-report


source: NOAA Fisheries