Terms of Reference

Stock status and sustainable harvest levels for Arctic Char in Ijaruvung Lake, Iqalujjuaq Fiord and Irvine Inlet, Cumberland Sound, Nunavut

Regional Peer Review – Central and Arctic Region

February 14-15, 2017
Iqaluit, NU

Chairperson: Kevin Hedges

Context

Ijaruvung Lake (66° 43' N, 67° 46' W), Iqalujjuaq Fiord (65° 43' N, 64° 51' W), and Irvine Inlet (McKeand River Area, a.k.a. Aukannilik; 65° 30' N, 68° 0' W)  are three commercial waterbodies in the Cumberland Sound area of Nunavut identified under the Fisheries Act, Schedule V NWT Fishery Regulations. They are fished commercially for Arctic Char (Salvelinus alpinus) by residents of Pangnirtung and may also be fished for subsistence. The current annual commercial quotas (round weight) for Ijaruvung Lake, Iqalujjuaq Fiord and Irvine Inlet are 2,000 kg, 1,400 kg and 4,500 kg, respectively.

The earliest test fishery for Ijaruvung Lake was in 1978 and some historical biological data are available (Kristofferson and McGowan 1981, McGowan 1985). The first commercial harvest in Iqalujjuaq Fiord was reported in 1981 and the first test fishery was conducted in 1983. Read (2000) includes biological data for this waterbody.  For Irvine Inlet, the first reported commercial harvest occurred in 1977. There are no historical biological data for the waterbody. Quota/harvest data for all three waterbodies are available beginning with Yaremchuk (1989).  

Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO) Resource Management requested science advice on the current stock status, abundance and sustainable harvest levels for these waterbodies.

Objective

The following objectives will be addressed:

1. Assess trends in fishery-independent catch-effort and biological data collected from annual monitoring of these water bodies;
2. Assess trends in fishery-dependent biological data collected through the Pangnirtung plant sampling program;
3. Incorporate these data into population models to estimate the population abundance/biomass, sustainable harvest levels, and identify associated uncertainties (e.g., climate change); and
4. Discuss research needs and current monitoring for Arctic Char in these systems.

Expected Publications

• Science Advisory Report
• Proceedings
• Research Document(s)

Expected Participation

• Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO) (Science and Resource Management)
• Government of Nunavut, Department of Environment, Fisheries and Sealing
• Nunavut Wildlife Management Board
• Qikiqtaaluk Wildlife Board
• Pangnirtung Hunters and Trappers Association
• Pangnirtung Fisheries Ltd.
• Pangnirtung fishers
• Nunavut Tunngavik Incorporated
• Academia
• Other invited experts

References

Kristofferson, A.H., and McGowan, D.K. 1981. Data on Arctic Charr, Salvelinus alpinus (Linnaeus), collected from test fisheries in the Baffin Region, Northwest Territories, 1975-79. Can. Data Rep. Fish. Aquat. Sci. 255:  vi + 43 p.

McGowan, D.K. 1985. Data from test fisheries conducted in the Baffin and Central Arctic Regions, NorthwestTerritories, 1980-84. Can. Data Rep. Fish. Aquat. Sci. 531:  v + 68 p.

Read, C.J. 2000.  Information from Arctic charr fisheries in the Baffin Region, Nunavut, 1995 to 1999. Can. Data Rep. Fish. Aquat. Sci. 1067: x + 176 p.

Yaremchuk, G.C.B., Roberge, M.M., McGowan, D.K., Carder, G.W., Wong, B., and Read, C.J. 1989. Commercial harvests of major fish species from the Northwest Territories, 1945 to 1987. Can. Data Rep. Fish. Aquat. Sci. 751: iv + 129 p.