Terms of Reference

Meeting of the Quebec Regional Advisory Process on ice sportfishing season in the Saguenay River

October 7, 2009, 9h am

Maurice Lamontagne Institute

850, route de la mer, Mont-Joli, Qc

Chairperson: Serge Gosselin

Background

The winter sport fishery in the Saguenay Fjord is unique in Quebec by its magnitude and the variety of species captured. The main species are redfish, Atlantic cod and Greenland halibut. The fishery is currently managed by fishing season and daily catch limits.

The status of this fishery was last assessed in October 2007. This review will provide scientific advice related to the conservation and management of fisheries resources harvested during the ice sportfishing season in the Saguenay River.

Objectives

1. Define the context and issues related to ice sportfishing in the Saguenay River.
2. Review available indicators of population status for Cod, Redfish and Greenland halibut. This review will be based on :

• Presentation of the fishery descriptors from 1995 to 2009 :
• • Landings
  • Effort
  • Catch rates

• Biological characteristics of the populations :
• • Length frequency distributions
  • Condition indices
  • Length-weight relationships

• Catch rates obtained from research surveys data from 2000 to 2009.

Products

• CSAS Science Advisory Report
• CSAS Proceedings summarizing the discussion

Participation

• DFO Science and Fisheries Management
• Industry representatives
• Non-DFO Reviewers
• Provincial Advisors