RIVIERE-AU-RENARD, Que. — Nearly three decades after a moratorium was put in place, commercial redfish fishing is set to resume in Quebec and Atlantic Canada.

Fisheries Minister Diane Lebouthillier made the announcement today in Quebec’s Gaspé region.

In 1995, a moratorium was imposed on the fishery due to low redfish stocks in the Gulf of St. Lawrence.

While the minister was not able to provide a breakdown by province, Nova Scotia will get the largest portion of the overall quota — set at at least 25,000 tonnes during a first phase of two years.

Lebouthillier also announced she intends to extend the Quebec and Atlantic fisheries funds to 2026 with a priority on projects related to reviving the redfish fishery.

The minister said there is approximately $8 million of federal money in the fund for Quebec and $22 million in the fund for the Atlantic, to which provincial contributions are added.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Jan. 26, 2024.

The Canadian Press