Terms of Reference

Status of emerging fisheries species in the southern Gulf of St. Lawrence: hagfish

Regional Peer Review – Gulf Region

December 18, 2015
Moncton, New Brunswick

Chairperson: Hugues Benoît

Context

Hagfish (Myxine glutinosa) was first fished in eastern Canada in 1989 in the Scotian Shelf area (NAFO Div. 4X). Landings of hagfish in eastern Canada reached a maximum to date of greater than 3,600 t with over half the landings reported from NAFO Div. 4W. The fishery for hagfish in the southern Gulf of St. Lawrence started in 2011 with the issuance under Section 7 of the Fisheries Act of four Exploratory Licences. The purpose of these exploratory licences is to determine if the stock can sustain a commercially viable operation and to collect additional biological data (see DFO New Emerging Fisheries Policy (revised 2008)). The exploratory licences are for the Gulf Nova Scotia portion of NAFO Div. 4T and have a number of conditions of licence. A hagfish conservation harvesting plan for the Gulf Nova Scotia sector was developed.

DFO Fisheries and Aquaculture Management (FAM) asked for an assessment of the status of hagfish in the southern Gulf of St. Lawrence to assist in the decisions required regarding the continuation of the exploratory status of the hagfish fishery in the southern Gulf of St. Lawrence.

Objective

The science review will consider the following questions:

• Overview of the biology and ecology of hagfish,
• Summary of the distribution, the relative abundance, and the characteristics (size distribution, size/age at maturity) of hagfish within and at the boundary areas of the southern Gulf of St. Lawrence
• Overview of fishery activities and characteristics of the hagfish exploratory fishery undertaken to date in the southern Gulf of St. Lawrence,
• Review of hagfish fisheries in other regions of Canada and approaches used to manage the fisheries
• Identification of knowledge gaps and recommended research to address these gaps.

Expected Publications

• Science Advisory Report
• Proceedings
• Research Document

Participation

• Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO) (Ecosystems and Oceans Science, Ecosystems and Fisheries Management)
• Invited experts
• Fishing industry