Question Period Note: Unit 1 Redfish

Unit 1 Redfish

The Unit 1 Redfish fishery in the Gulf of St. Lawrence has been under moratorium since 1995, though the stock shows signs of recovery and may soon support a commercial fishery.

DFO is currently undertaking consultations with Indigenous groups and other stakeholders on an access and allocation regime for this fishery.

Consultations- Access to Redfish
Our government understands the importance of the fishing industry to the Atlantic provinces and Quebec.

Given changes that have occurred since the moratorium in 1995, the Department is currently consulting with Indigenous groups and other stakeholders on whether the access and allocation key at the time of the moratorium requires any modifications.

We are committed to taking the time necessary to collect views before moving ahead with any potential commercial fishery in the Gulf of Saint Lawrence for Redfish.

Commercial Fishery
The biomass of Redfish in the Gulf of Saint Lawrence has increased in recent years, and a commercial fishery may be possible in the future.

DFO has been working with the Redfish Advisory Committee, Indigenous peoples, scientists, stakeholders, provinces and non-governmental stakeholders to consider the possibility of a post-moratorium commercial fishery in the Gulf of Saint Lawrence.

While conservation of the stock and its continued recovery are paramount, some other challenges to a potential post-moratorium fishery include current market conditions, smaller redfish size, and conservation concerns of bycatch species.

• There are two species of redfish, Sebastes mentella and Sebastes fasciatus, managed as one biological stock.
• The one stock is managed in two management units, Unit 1 in the Gulf of St. Lawrence and Unit 2 in the Laurentian Channel.
• Unit 1 has been under a commercial moratorium since 1995. An annual 2,000t index fishery has been in place since 1999. The index fishery allows for the continued collection of fishing and biological data.
• Redfish species in the Gulf of St. Lawrence have been experiencing significant growth in biomass as a result of three strong recruitment year classes, born in 2011, 2012, and 2013.
• The 2018 Management Strategy Evaluation and the 2020 Stock Assessment put Sebastes mentella in the healthy zone, and Sebastes fasciatus in the cautious zone, up from previous designations of critical zone in Unit 1 where it had been for approximately two decades.
• In 2018 the Minister approved a two year experimental fishery for the purpose of testing gear to minimize capture of undersized redfish (<22cm) and bycatch, and to collect data on redfish species identification and reproduction.
• The experimental fishery was continued in 2020 and 2021. Catches have remained below 650t each year of the experimental fishery.
• For the 2021 experimental season, 13 proposals were accepted from across Atlantic Canada and Quebec.
• The results from the experimental projects aims to inform management strategies for a future commercial redfish fishery.
• A new redfish stock assessment is planned for February 2022. The Department anticipates both stocks will be in the healthy zone.

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