Terms of Reference

Assessment of the Green Sea Urchin Fishery in the Estuary and Northern Gulf of St. Lawrence in 2011

Regional Peer Review – Quebec Region

June 7, 2012
Mont-Joli, QC

Chairperson: Charley Cyr

Context

The Green Sea Urchin fishery began in the Estuary and northern Gulf of St. Lawrence in 1991, but did not develop consistently in all regions. Landings can sometimes be quite high and spread over a long period or even cease after only a few years.

The Quebec Region coastline is divided into 14 fishing areas to which access is limited to a restricted number of fishers and divers. The effort is also controlled by the number of dive fishing days in Area 9.1, a fishing season in the other areas, prohibition of towed gear, limits on the number of traps, and a legal size of 50 mm. The fishery is mostly conducted from March to May and from September to December when gonad yield and quality are highest.

The last assessment of this fishery dates back to 2008 and mainly targeted Area 9 on Quebec’s North Shore, from which the vast majority of catches came. The Fisheries and Aquaculture Management Branch requested a Science Advisory Report on these stocks for the 2012 to 2014 fishing seasons. The purpose of the review is to determine whether changes in the status of the resource require adjustments to the management plan in accordance with the chosen conservation approach.

Objectives

To develop a Science Advisory Report for the management of Green Sea Urchin stocks in the Estuary and the northern Gulf of St. Lawrence for the 2012 fall fishing season and the 2013 and 2014 fishing seasons. Greater emphasis will be placed on Green Sea Urchin populations at the mouth of the Saguenay Fjord and near Île Blanche. The advisory report will include:

• a description of the biology of the Green Sea Urchin and its distribution in Quebec’s inshore waters;
• an assessment of the status of Sea Urchin populations in the areas for which data are available in the form of:
  • commercial fishery statistics;
  • effort and catches per unit effort;
  • size structures of the Sea Urchins landed;
• results of a research survey at the mouth of the Saguenay Fjord;
• results of a research survey around Île Blanche;
• identification and prioritization of research projects to be considered for the future;
• perspectives and/or recommendations on management measures for the fall of 2012 and for all of 2013 and 2014.

Expected publications

• Science Advisory Report
• Proceedings
• Research document

Participants

• Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO) experts from the Science and Fisheries Management sectors
• Province of Quebec
• Aboriginal communities
• Industry