Question Period Note: Unit 1 Redfish & Gulf Shrimp

Unit 1 Redfish & Gulf Shrimp

• The Unit 1 Redfish fishery in the Gulf of St. Lawrence is under moratorium, though the stock shows signs of strong recovery.
• Along with a small index fishery, there is currently a small experimental fishery in place to allow harvesters the opportunity to test different gear types and to collect data on redfish biology and distribution as well as information on bycatch of other species.
• DFO will continue to work with the Redfish Advisory Committee to develop a sustainable harvest strategy for a future commercial redfish fishery in Unit 1.

Gulf Shrimp
• DFO is aware that the decline of Gulf Shrimp catches in recent years has been difficult for harvesters and the broader industry.
• The Department is committed to working with industry and Indigenous groups to address the challenges facing this fishery, including the impacts of climate and ecosystem changes, as well as predator-prey relations.

Redfish
Background
• 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, however, it has had an annual 2,000t index fishery since that time. 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 to 2013.
• The 2018 Management Strategy Evaluation 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. However, small fish continue to make up a large portion of the stock given redfish is a slow growing species.
• 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.
• Unit 1 redfish harvest levels have been set at 4,500t annually (for the 2018 and 2019 seasons) for the combined index fishery (2,000t) and experimental fishery (2,500t).
• For the 2019 experimental season, 13 proposals were accepted.
• The results from the experimental projects aims to inform management strategies for a future commercial redfish fishery.
Gulf shrimp
Background
• The 2019 rollover of the Total Allowable Catch is based on the full stock assessment conducted in 2018, and was supported by industry and First Nations harvesters during a meeting on March 28th.
• Adopting a two year Total Allowable Catch for the 2018/19 and 2019/20 fishing seasons is considered an interim measure, and was assessed by DFO Science in 2014 as meeting the conservation objectives of the stock.
• The Department has established a Gulf Shrimp Working Group, tasked with addressing the challenges in this fishery. Membership of the working group includes industry and Indigenous groups. Short term objectives include undertaking a review of the Precautionary Approach framework for the fishery, and exploring how some of the exceptional circumstances in the fishery could be better addressed (e.g. warming waters and impacts of predation from the rapidly increasing redfish stock). In the medium term, the industry is asking the Department to review licence costs, current allocations to certain associations that are not active in the fishery, and access for shrimpers to the upcoming redfish fishery.

Access to Redfish
• The Government understands the importance of the fishing industry to the Atlantic provinces and Quebec.
• The biomass of Unit 1 Redfish has increased significantly in recent years and a commercial fishery is expected in the future.
• Currently, the extensive presence of small fish, below the minimal commercially harvestable size, prevents the immediate lifting of the moratorium.
• We look forward to the results of the experimental fishing work that is underway in Unit 1 in helping us move forward appropriately in collaboration with industry and Indigenous interests.