2024-2025 Official Tourist Guide of the Îles de la Madeleine

Profile of the Region – Features of the Region

Groundfish Groundfish, considered the mainstay of the Islands’ fishing industry until the beginning of the 90s, were destroyed by overfishing. A moratorium has been imposed on cod fishing so that the stocks can rege nerate to the point where the commercial fishery can be reinstated. Other groundfish species like Atlantic halibut, is all commercially fished around the Islands. Recreational fishing Recreational fishing is regulated. For information about the opening dates and conditions, you must contact the Fisheries and Oceans local office at 418-986-2095. Various interpretive activities are offered as a fishing trip. If, in the worst case, it does not bite, the ride itself will allow you to discover the Islands from the sea. You will find certified companies that offer this type of excursion in the Live the St. Lawrence River, Sea Excursions section, p. 54.

Blue Mussel Blue mussels have been farmed on the Îles de la Madeleine since 1984. The farmed mussel has many obvious advantages in quality compared to the wild mussel. Suspended while it grows, the mussel contains no sand or grit, it grows faster and provides two to three times more meat than the wild mussel.

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Fish Herring

This pelagic species was once used almost exclusively as a mash or bait in lobster traps. For a very long time it was the mainstay of the Madelinot fishery, and was exported, salted or smoked, in huge quan tities. In the 70s, a drastic decrease in the stocks led to the destruction of most of the smokehouses in the archipelago. An example of these exceptional buildings of another age still exists near the port of Pointe-Basse in Havre aux-Maisons. This smokehouse has been renovated to revive this important activity. You will find there the Smoking ÉCONOMUSÉE® (p. 86). Mackerel Mackerel is a pelagic species found in large schools off the Islands at the end of the summer. You can fish mackerel by hand line from all the Islands’ ports.

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