Atlantic salmon sport fishing: Regulations for the 2025 season

QUÉBEC, March 13, 2025/ CNW/ – The Ministère de l’Environnement, de la Lutte contre les changements climatiques, de la Faune et des Parcs (MELCCFP) is notifying anglers of the Atlantic salmon fishing guidelines that will be in result in 2025 for the Bas-Saint-Laurent, Saguenay– Lac-Saint-Jean, Capitale-Nationale, Côte-Nord (consisting of Île d’Anticosti), and Gaspésie– Îles-de-la-Madeleine areas (fishing zones 1, 2, 3, 7, 18, 19, 20, 21, 27, and 28).

This statement follows the assessment procedure carried out by the MELCCFP in reaction to the intents revealed in fall 2024 (news release) (in French just) and the awaited low return of big salmon for 2025.

We notify anglers that:

• The catch and release of all Atlantic salmon captured throughout sport fishing will be obligatory, other than for those captured in the Rivière Moisie, Rivière Saint-Jean (Côte-Nord), and Rivière Natashquan, along with in all rivers of the Basse-Côte-Nord, where the retention of one little salmon daily per angler will be allowed;
• The everyday catch and release limitation is set at 2 salmon daily, other than for those captured in the rivers of the Lower North Coast east of the Rivière Kegaska, where the catch and release limitation will be 3 salmon daily;
• Other than for particular exceptions, salmon fishing will be forbidden in watercourses that do not have the status of a salmon river, along with in the Rivière Saguenay, the Rivière Saint-Laurent, its estuary, and the Golfe du Saint-Laurent;
• No modifications have actually been made to the guidelines relevant to the rivers of Nord-du-Québec;
• For rivers where catch and release of all salmon captured throughout sport fishing will be obligatory, the possibility of enabling minimal retention of little salmon throughout the season will be evaluated following an analysis of the salmon performs at completion of July, if population abundance allows. Nevertheless, rivers categorized in the vital zone under the Strategy de gestion du saumon atlantique 2016 du MELCCFP (in French just) of the MELCCFP will not be qualified for this possibility.

Secret highlights:

• The statement of the sport fishing guidelines for the 2025 season follows the low returns of little salmon observed in 2023, along with returns well second-rate in 2024, for both little and big salmon. Population tracking in Québec has actually exposed this down pattern, and the information gathered support a preventive method to sport fishing guidelines for the upcoming season.
• Over the previous 2 years, numerous in-season changes have actually been made to sport fishing guidelines in reaction to low salmon returns. Preventive procedures were likewise executed before the 2024 fishing season to restrict the harvesting of big salmon in particular rivers, as MELCCFP specialists had actually anticipated their low abundance.

Public cooperation

The MELCCFP motivates the general public to continue their cooperation by reporting any poaching activity or any action that jeopardizes the security of wildlife, its environments, or the natural surroundings to SOS Poaching– Wildlife Emergency Situation by calling the toll-free number 1-800-463-2191 or through Web. This service is totally free and private.

Associated links:

SOURCE Ministère de l’Environnement, de la Lutte contre les changements climatiques, de la Faune et des Parcs

View initial material: http://www.newswire.ca/en/releases/archive/March2025/13/c6068.html