Question Period Note: Atlantic Mackerel Management

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.

This was a difficult decision that has economic impacts on commercial harvesters and their communities, but the science is clear that stronger actions need to be taken to rebuild the Atlantic mackerel stock.

I am hopeful that the recent management decisions will lead to growth in the stock over the next two years.

I recognize that many harvesters depend on this fishery, and we will continue working with them and fishing groups across the Atlantic over the next two years to ensure the best outcome for the stock and all involved.

• 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 an 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 TAC in 2019; enhanced measures to protect spawners; improvements in catch monitoring and reporting; and, introduced new regulatory amendments that set close times and catch limits for 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 regions 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 2,000 tonnes was available at the opening of the fishery. The fishery closed on July 24 when Atlantic mackerel landings reached 2,000 tonnes. The second one was released on August 15 to allow regions that have access to the resource later in the season to maintain a fishing opportunity.
• A TAC of 4,000 tonnes provides a -64 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.

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