Effective April 1, 2013, Atlantic Canada licence holders have been required, in areas where tags are mandatory, to assume full responsibility for both the cost and acquisition of commercial gear tags. As a result, licence holders are required to obtain gear tags from a Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO) approved tag supplier of their choice that services their fishing area. To guide the process, DFO developed the Protocol for Gear Tagging in Atlantic Commercial Fisheries (The Protocol) available at www.dfo-mpo.gc.ca/fm-gp/sdc-cps/protocol-eng.htm. The current Protocol will be effective April 1, 2022 to March 31, 2023. The Protocol sets out application procedures, tags specifications, the process for issuing tags to licence holders and submitting the information to DFO, and audit processes in place to ensure the reliability of the tagging process.
It is important to note that, as per the current tag colour rotational cycle, an updated version of the Protocol will be available online well before de the beginning of the fishing season to provide details on any change that has been made. To address urgent operational needs, the Protocol could be amended by DFO at any time.
In advance of the upcoming fishing season, DFO is soliciting the interest of companies, fishing organizations and Aboriginal groups to apply to become approved tag suppliers. DFO will review proposed applications in their ability to meet the criteria outlined in the Protocol. As set out in the Protocol, Tagging Plans must demonstrate that tags meet departmental standards, confirm the integrity of the distribution system and provide for audits by Fishery Officers. To ensure the integrity of the tagging system, DFO will not approve Tagging Plans submitted by applicants where approval will result in a conflict of interest between an approved tag supplier and licence holders. Details on how to complete a Tagging Plan is included in the Protocol.
