Question Period Note: Atlantic Mackerel Management

• Fishery management decisions are informed by scientific evidence and made in full consultation with stakeholders.
• The February 2021 stock assessment determined that the Atlantic mackerel stock biomass is at a new, historic low and fishing mortality has a significant influence on stock status.
• We recognize the economic importance of the mackerel fishery to harvesters in Atlantic Canada and Quebec and I am committed to managing this fishery to ensure the long term sustainability of the stock for future generations.

2021 TOTAL ALLOWABLE CATCH

• The significant reduction in total allowable catch is a necessary step towards rebuilding the stock where the biomass is at a new historical low.
• Reducing commercial fishing pressure will help support stock growth over time, while also supporting the many harvesters and communities in Atlantic Canada and Quebec who rely on mackerel for income.
• In order to allow all fleets to have access to the resource and to take into account the temporal migration of mackerel through Canadian waters, the total allowable catch will be divided into two equal parts, now and in late summer.
ATLANTIC MACKEREL RECREATIONAL FISHERY REGULATORY AMMENDMENT
• Fisheries and Oceans Canada is committed to supporting the health of the fish stock and the associated recreational and commercial mackerel fisheries over time.
• New regulations on the recreational mackerel fishery come into force on May 26, 2021 which will close recreational mackerel fishing every year from January 1 to March 31; set a daily limit of 20 Atlantic mackerel per person when fishing recreationally; and increase the minimum size for possession to 26.8 cm for both commercial and recreational fishing to help protect juvenile fish.
• These amendments support the Government of Canada’s efforts to rebuild the stock of Atlantic mackerel and contribute to conservation objectives. This regulatory change has overall positive benefits for the future sustainability of this fishery.

• Atlantic mackerel is an important forage species and plays a critical role in the marine ecosystem. It occupies central positions in aquatic food webs and variations in abundance can affect both predators and prey.
• Atlantic Mackerel is a popular and important commercial, recreational and bait fishery, used to provide bait for other fisheries such as lobster, snow crab, various groundfish, and tuna throughout the Atlantic regions.
• The most recent Atlantic mackerel stock assessment took place in February and early March 2021. The spawning stock biomass is the lowest ever observed and has been in or near the Critical Zone for the past decade, according to the Precautionary Approach.
• The exploitation rate is above the reference level and the fishery is now mostly targeting young fish aged 2-5 years old, whereas mackerel can live up to 20 years old. There have been no signs of any notable recruitment events in recent years.
• In recent years, Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO) has initiated a number of management measures to support Atlantic mackerel stock rebuilding including,a 20 per cent reduction in total allowable catch (TAC) in 2019; enhanced measures to protect spawners’ improvements in catch monitoring and reporting; and, introduced new regulatory amendments, targeted for publication on May 26, 2021, that will set close times and catch limits to the recreational fishery, as well as size limits for both commercial and recreational fishing to help protect juvenile fish.
• DFO also published the Atlantic mackerel Rebuilding Plan in 2020 with a short-term objective of maintaining a positive growth in spawning stock biomass. Based on recent science, this objective for rebuilding the stock is not being met.
• The Atlantic Mackerel Advisory Committee, comprised of Indigenous groups, harvesters, processors, environmental non-government organizations, scientists and the provinces, met on March 30, 2021 where departmental officials were clear that a variety of actions could be considered to help rebuild the mackerel stock.
• On May 21, 2021, the Minister set commercial TAC at 4,000 tonnes. In order to allow all fleets to have access to the resource and to take into account the temporal migration of mackerel through Canadian waters, the TAC is divided into two equal parts. The first one announced now is be available at the opening of the fishery. The second will be available later this summer to allow fleets that have access to the resource later in the season to maintain a fishing opportunity.
• A TAC of 4,000 tonnes provides a sixty four per cent chance of stock growth, while also supporting the many harvesters and communities in Atlantic Canada and Quebec who rely on mackerel for income. The significant reduction in TAC is a necessary step towards rebuilding the stock.
• On Sunday, May 16, 2021 a variation order was issued to temporarily close the commercial Atlantic mackerel fishery in the Maritimes Region until the Minister took a decision on the management measures for the 2021 season. Most commercial fisheries for Atlantic mackerel had yet to commence for 2021, however, a number of fisheries in the Maritimes Region are open year-round or opened April 1st. The Department closed such fisheries until a management approach for 2021, including a total allowable catch, was determined. This fishery was re-opened on May 21, 2021 following the Minister’s decision on TAC.

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