Science Response 2014/037

Status of Atlantic Salmon in Salmon Fishing Areas (SFAs) 19-21 and 23

Context

The Committee on the Status of Endangered Wildlife in Canada (COSEWIC) identified four large groups of Atlantic Salmon, referred to as Designatable Units (DUs), in the Maritimes Region: the Outer Bay of Fundy (OBoF; corresponding to the western part of Salmon Fishing Area or SFA, 23), the Nova Scotia Southern Upland (SU; SFAs 20, 21 and part of 22), the inner Bay of Fundy (iBoF; part of SFAs 22 and 23), and Eastern Cape Breton (ECB; SFA 19) (see Appendix 1).

Abundance of Atlantic Salmon in the Maritimes Region has been in decline for more than two decades. Populations in many rivers are extirpated and iBoF salmon are listed as Endangered under the Species at Risk Act (SARA). In November 2010, COSEWIC assessed the OBoF, SU, and ECB population assemblages as Endangered. DFO is currently undergoing the process of developing a SARA listing recommendation for these DUs. Scientific Recovery Potential Assessments have been completed and DFO is in the final stages of consultations with stakeholders, partners, Aboriginal organizations and the public on the potential listing of the SU and ECB DUs. Consultations on the potential listing of the OBoF DU are planned for the summer of 2014. The Region will use the feedback from these consultations, the outcomes of the scientific advisory process and socio-economic analyses to inform a recommendation to the Minister about whether the species should be listed under SARA or not.

Science advice on the status of Atlantic Salmon in SFAs 19-21 and 23 for 2013 was requested by Fisheries and Aquaculture Management. This advice is used to inform Aboriginal communities, clients, and the provinces of Nova Scotia and New Brunswick of the status of the salmon resource in advance of developing harvest agreements and recreational fishing plans for 2014. Given that this request was for an update of previous advice using established methods (e.g., DFO 2013), it was decided to use the Science Response Process. DFO Science plans to provide annual updated advice on the status of Atlantic Salmon stocks within the Maritimes Region over the next five years via this process.

This Science Response Report results from the Science Response Process of March 11, 2014, on the Status of Atlantic Salmon in Salmon Fishing Areas (SFAs) 19-21 and 23 (OBoF DU only).

Complete document (PDF, 517 KB)

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