Terms of Reference

Assessment of the Saguenay Fjord Winter Sport Fishery

Regional Peer Review – Quebec Region

November 22, 2012
Mont-Joli, QC

Chairperson: Serge Gosselin

Context

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 through a fishing season and daily catch limits.

The status of this fishery was last assessed in November 2010. This review will provide scientific advice related to the conservation and management of fisheries resources harvested during the ice sport fishing season in the Saguenay Fjord.

Objectives

1. Define the context and issues related to ice sport fishing 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 2012 examining separately fishing activities within the Marine Park and outside the Park:
  • Landings
  • Effort
  • Catch rates
    
    
• Biological characteristics of the populations:
  • Length frequency distributions
  • Condition indices
  • Length-weight relationships
    
    
• Catch rates from gillnet research surveys conducted from 2000 to 2012.
  • Catch rates
  • Length frequency distributions
  • Condition indices
  • Length-weight relationships

Expected publications

• Science Advisory Report
• Proceedings
• Research document

Participants

• Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO) experts from the Science and Fisheries Management sectors
• Non-DFO Reviewers
• Provincial Advisors
• Industry