Terms of Reference

Stock Assessment of Razor Clam in Quebec's Inshore Waters

Regional Peer Review –Quebec Region

May 23, 2013
Mont-Joli, Quebec

Chairperson: Charley Cyr

Context

In Quebec, the razor clam (Ensis directus) commercial fishery is practiced in coastal waters in the Magdalen Islands and the North Shore, either with a hydraulic dredge or a dredge with a conveyor. It is a complementary fishery; the fishing effort is low and it varies from year to year. In the Magdalen Islands, dredge fishing Area 5 is divided into three sub-areas. On the North Shore, the fishery is practiced exclusively in sub-area 2.4 (Île Saint-Charles area). The commercial fishery is regulated by the number of licenses, a fishing season and a minimum legal catch size of 100 mm. A landings quota is also in place on the North Shore and in sub-areas 5A1 and 5A2 of the Magdalen Islands. Recreational harvesting of the razor clam in the Magdalen Islands can be done using manual tools, on foot or while diving, but no data are available for this fishery.

This will be the first assessment of the razor clam resource. At the request of the Fisheries Management, resource assessment should be done every three years. The objective of the review is to determine whether changes that have occurred in the stock status require adjustments to management plans based on the conservation approach used.

Objectives

Provide scientific advice on the status of Magdalen Islands and North Shore Atlantic razor clam stocks in order to adjust the fishery management terms and conditions for the 2013–2015 seasons. This advice shall include:

• a description of the species' biology and its known distribution in Quebec’s coastal waters;
• a description of the fishery, including management measures specific to the fishing sub-areas, landings and fishing effort;
• an analysis of catch per unit effort from the commercial fishery;
• an analysis of data from the commercial dockside sampling program;
• an analysis of bycatches from the dredge commercial fishery in the Magdalen Islands in 2012;
• an analysis of the consequences of increasing the width of the dredge in the Magdalen Islands;
• identification and prioritization of research projects to be considered for the future;
• perspectives and/or recommendations on management measures for the 2013–2015 fishing seasons, including the preferred management method in the Magdalen Islands (redefinition of sub-areas and the associated quotas).

Expected Publications

• CSAS Science Advisory Report on the razor clam in Quebec;
• CSAS Proceedings summarizing discussions.

Participation

• Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO) experts from the Science and Ecosystem and Fisheries Management sectors
• Fishing industry
• Provincial representatives