Science Response 2021/032
Stock Status Update 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 (Salmo salar), referred to as Designatable Units (DUs), in the Maritimes Region: Eastern Cape Breton (ECB; corresponding to Salmon Fishing Area [SFA] 19), Nova Scotia Southern Upland (SU; SFAs 20, 21 and part of 22), Outer Bay of Fundy (OBoF; corresponding to the western part of SFA 23), and Inner Bay of Fundy (IBoF; part of SFAs 22 and 23) (see Appendix).
Abundance of Atlantic Salmon (hereafter referred to as 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 ECB, SU and OBoF population assemblages as Endangered. Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO) has completed scientific Recovery Potential Assessments (RPAs), socio-economic analyses, and public consultations for these DUs to inform the decision on whether or not they will be listed under SARA.
Science advice on the status of Salmon in SFAs 19-21 and 23 for 2020 was requested by Fisheries Management. This advice is used to inform Aboriginal communities, Fisheries Management, 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 2021. The objective of the request was to assess the status of Salmon stocks in SFAs 19, 20, 21, and 23 up to the end of 2020 using the following indicators:
- adult abundance relative to reference levels;
- juveniles densities; and
- smolt production estimates
Given that this request is for an update of previous advice using established methods (DFO 2020 and references therein), the Science Response Process was used.
As a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, certain fieldwork activities were restricted in 2020. Limited data are available for index rivers in SFAs 20, 21, and 23; however, assessments of Salmon stock status and trends were not able to be completed for these areas and are not contained within this report. For ECB, due to the timing of activities and the value of this information to Fisheries Management for decision-making on Indigenous Food, Social, and Ceremonial (FSC) allocations, all usual field activities were conducted and data are available to provide an update on the status of Salmon on index rivers in SFA 19.
This Science Response Report results from the Regional Science Response Process of March 4, 2021, on the Stock Status Update of Atlantic Salmon in Salmon Fishing Areas (SFAs) 19-21 and 23.
Accessibility Notice
This document is available in PDF format. If the document is not accessible to you, please contact the Secretariat to obtain another appropriate format, such as regular print, large print, Braille or audio version.
- Date modified: