Research Document - 2012/128
Summary of the pelagic fish projects carried out within the framework of the Larocque Scientific Program between 2008 and 2012
By F. Grégoire
Abstract
Historically, Fisheries and Oceans Canada helped Industry stakeholders enter collaborative projects of mutual benefit by offsetting their costs with finances generated through the allocation of fish. However in 2006, it was determined that under the Fisheries Act the Minister did not have this authority. In 2007, Larocque Relief Funding was given to continue this level of support to fund critical science and management activities (e.g., to gather scientific information used in the assessment of key commercial fish and invertebrate stocks to ensure conservation and economic sustainability). Several pelagic fish projects were funded in Quebec region with Larocque Relief Funding. The species chosen were capelin (Mallotus villosus) in the Estuary and Gulf of St. Lawrence, Atlantic herring (Clupea harengus harengus) on the North Shore of Quebec and the west coast of Newfoundland, and Atlantic mackerel (Scomber scombrus) on the East Coast of Canada.
The research projects have helped to answer some important questions concerning the abundance and distribution of Atlantic mackerel, to resume the acoustic survey of Atlantic herring on the west coast of Newfoundland, to initiate a new acoustic survey on the Atlantic herring of the Lower North Shore of Quebec, to expand our knowledge of capelin spawning dynamics, and finally to enhance the overall scientific advice.
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