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2w ago

Nova Scotia to Lift Decades-Long Seafood Licensing Moratoriums

Applications for new buyer and processor licences will open in August 2025 for most species, with lobster and snow crab licences following in January 2026.

A fishing crew from Nova Scotia hauls in a pot of snow crab in 2020. Applications for lobster and snow crab buyer and processor licences will be accepted as of Jan. 2, 2026.
Nova Scotia is lifting two moratoriums, including the temporary moratorium on all new licences for fish buyers and processors implemented in 2019.
Nova Scotia will lift two long-standing moratoriums on new seafood buyer and processor licences starting Aug. 1. The move aims to boost the economy and diversify markets for seafood.
Fisheries Minister Kent Smith announces that the province will lift the moratorium on fish buyer and fish processing licensing, during a news conference in Halifax on Tuesday.

Overview

  • Nova Scotia will end its 1994 groundfish and 2018 general seafood licensing moratoriums, opening the sector to new entrants.
  • The phased approach begins August 1, 2025, for most species, with lobster and snow crab licences available starting January 2, 2026.
  • The move aims to diversify seafood products and markets, bolstering Nova Scotia's economy and seafood export industry, which accounted for 36% of exports in 2024.
  • Applicants must be registered to do business in Nova Scotia and submit comprehensive business plans, but there are no residency or nationality restrictions on ownership.
  • Fisheries Minister Kent Smith emphasized that strict regulatory conditions will remain in place to ensure accountability and compliance in the industry.