Atlantic halibut fishery: Federal Fisheries Department announces deal with France [Video]

OTTAWA –

Months of negotiations have resulted in an agreement between Canada and France allowing fishers from a tiny archipelago near Newfoundland a portion of the annual Atlantic halibut catch, officials announced Monday.

Fishers from the French territory of St-Pierre-Miquelon will be allowed three per cent of the total allowable catch, which is set each year by Canada, the federal Fisheries Department said in a statement.

The department has been working with France to reach such an agreement since 2016, the department said.

“I am confident that we’ve reached an equitable agreement that will ensure the long-term health of the Atlantic halibut stock while supporting the economies and coastal communities of both Canada and France,” Fisheries Minister Diane Lebouthillie said.

Most of the Atlantic halibut stock is found in eastern Canadian fishing waters, though a small percentage lives within the French maritime zone off the coast of St-Pierre-Miquelon, about 25 kilometres from …