Terms of Reference

Assessment of Arctic Char in the Sylvia Grinnell River, Nunavut, 2009-2011

Regional Peer Review – Central and Arctic Region

March 18, 2013
Winnipeg, MB (teleconference/WebEx)

Chairperson: Margaret Treble

Context

The Sylvia Grinnell River, located in close proximity to Iqaluit, Nunavut, is a traditional fishing site for Inuit. There was a commercial fishery on the river from 1947 to 1951 and again from 1959 to 1966 both of which ended because of declining catch-per-unit-effort. Since the closure of the commercial fishery, harvesting has been limited to recreational and subsistence fisheries. Gallagher and Dick (2010) conducted research to evaluate trends in population characteristics and subsistence harvest of Arctic Char from the Sylvia Grinnell River. They assessed the status of the stock in 2002 and 2004 and compared population characteristics with historic data. They reported that the stock had not regained population characteristics typical of the pre-commercial harvest period, and that although there were signs of improvement since 1976–1977 the level of recovery was low.

In 2007 and 2008, there were reports of large numbers of snagged and discarded Arctic Char at the "Falls Area" of the Sylvia Grinnell River. The Amarok Hunters and Trappers Association (HTA) in Iqaluit asked Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO) to report on potential impacts to the Arctic Char stock as a result of snagging. In the DFO response to this request, it was noted that data on the population of Arctic Char in the Sylvia Grinnell River were limited and there were insufficient data to conclude that the practice of snagging fish poses a “conservation concern” for the stock (DFO 2008). However, snagging is indiscriminate and can catch small, less desirable fish resulting in a high percentage of discards and these small pre-spawning fish are important for the recovery of the population. DFO concluded that although banning snagging would reduce the fishing pressure on pre-spawners, there would be a greater benefit for the population if the area below the falls was closed to all fishing in August.

A mark-recapture study was undertaken, beginning in 2009, to provide a current abundance estimate for the Sylvia Grinnell Arctic Char stock. DFO Resource Management has requested an assessment of the status of this stock including an abundance estimate, determination of sustainable harvest levels and whether the current (and recent) removal rate of this fishery (including the snagged and discarded char) would affect the recovery and sustainable harvest of the Sylvia Grinnell River Arctic Char.

Objectives

The objectives of this meeting are to:

1. evaluate the abundance estimate derived from the recent mark-recapture study;
2. evaluate the estimate of total harvest including subsistence (gillnetting and snagging) and recreational (angling) harvests;
3. advise on sustainable harvest levels; and
4. compare the sustainable harvest levels with current harvest from gillnetting, angling, and snagging to determine their impacts on stock abundance.

Expected Publications

• Science Advisory Report
• Proceedings
• Research Document

Participation

• Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO) Science and Resource Management programs
• Academics
• Amorak Hunters and Trappers Association

References

DFO. 2008. Assessment of the impact of snagging on the Sylvia Grinnell River Arctic char population. DFO. Can. Sci. Advis. Sec. Sci. Resp. 2008/016.

Gallagher, C.P., and Dick, T.A. 2010. Historical and current population characteristics and subsistence harvest of Arctic Char from the Sylvia Grinnell River, Nunavut, Canada. N. Am. J. Fish. Manag. 30:126–141.