Terms of Reference

National Marine Mammal Peer Review Committee (NMMPRC): Update for the Eastern Hudson Bay Beluga Proportions Harvested

National Science Response Process - National Capital Region

June 3, 2016
Teleconference

Chairperson: Garry Stenson

Context

The Eastern Hudson Bay (EHB) Beluga stock is harvested by Inuit from northern Quebec (Nunavik) and by hunters living in the hamlet of Sanikiluaq on the Belcher Islands (Nunavut). The subsistence harvest in Nunavik is managed under a three-year management plan (2014-2017) via a series of seasonal and regional closures and a limit on the Total Allowable Take (TAT). There is no TAT in Sanikiluaq, but the municipality has agreed to a voluntary seasonal closure from 15 July to 15 September.

The Nunavik Marine Region Wildlife Board (NMRWB) established a TAT of 162 Eastern Hudson Bay (EHB) Belugas to be taken over three years (2014-2017). As part of the plan accepted by the Minister it was assumed that the Sanikiluaq hunt would not remove more than 18 EHB animals.

Makivik Corporation has submitted a proposal to modify the existing TAT for EHB belugas based on revisions to the proportion of EHB Belugas harvested by Sanikiluaq hunters. Makivik argues that, based on Doniol-Valcroze et al. (2016) and DFO (2016), the proportion of EHB Belugas in the landed catch in Sanikiluaq should be revised to take into account information that was not available when the Beluga management plan for the Nunavik Marine Region was established.

Objective

Fisheries Management is asking that Science re-examine the proportion of EHB Belugas taken under the Nunavik Marine Region Management Plan for Beluga to determine if the new information from Doniol-Valcroze et al. (2016) and DFO (2016) will affect the understanding of current harvests of EHB Beluga and if the changes requested by Makivik will have an impact on the overall sustainable harvest of EHB Belugas authorized under the current TAT.

Expected Publication

• Science Response

Expected Participation

• Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO) (Ecosystems and Oceans Science, and Ecosystems and Fisheries Management)
• Academia or Academics

References

DFO 2016. Updated genetic mixture analysis of Nunavik Beluga (Delphinapterus leucas) harvests. DFO Can. Sci. Advis. Sec. Sci. Advis. Rep. 2016/025. 

Doniol-Valcroze, T., M.O. Hammill1, S. Turgeon & L.D. Postma.  2016. Updated analysis of genetic mixing among Nunavik beluga summer stocks to inform population models and harvest allocation. DFO Can. Sci. Advis. Sec. Res. Doc. 2016/008. iv + 13 p.