Terms of Reference

Stock status and sustainable harvest levels for the Naulinniarvik Lake Arctic Char fishery, Cumberland Sound, Nunavut

Regional Peer Review – Central and Arctic Region

February 16, 2017
Iqaluit, Nunavut

Chairperson: Kevin Hedges

Context

Naulinniarvik Lake (65°13' N, 63°50' W) is one of a number of waterbodies in the Cumberland Sound area fished for Arctic Char (Salvelinus alpinus) by the community of Pangnirtung.  Attempts to conduct test fishing at this location started as early as 1984 with the first data published by McGowan et al. (1993).  Historically this was a winter fishery in the lake itself; however, during the past 10 years fishing effort has shifted predominately to the summer, near the Naulinniarvik River mouth in Aktijartukan Fiord.  The current quota for the Naulinniarvik Lake Arctic Char stock is 2,500 kg and is fished under a stage II emerging fishery or exploratory fishing licence.

The objective of a stage II emerging fishery is to determine whether a species/stock can sustain a commercially viable operation and includes collection of biological data in order to build a preliminary database on stock abundance and distribution. The collection of biological and catch-effort information by fishers is recommended for exploratory fisheries as per the five-year exploratory protocol (DFO 2010).  The protocol is intended to provide information on the viability of a fishery in a particular waterbody. It requires effort be taken to annually harvest the full quota over the five-year period, and the collection of biological characteristics of the fish caught at the start and at the end of the five-year period (at a minimum). Changes to the population structure following continuous harvest of the maximum quota would be used to evaluate whether or not that harvest level is sustainable. Data are also supplemented by fishery-dependent data collected through plant sampling programs and fishery-independent data collected through Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO) research programs.

Fisheries Management has requested Science provide updated advice on sustainable harvest levels and the current stock status for Naulinniarvik Arctic Char.

Objectives

The following objectives will be addressed:

• Assess trends in harvest, catch-effort and biological fishery-dependent data;
• Assess trends in catch-effort and biological fishery-independent data;
• Assess and report on the current stock status of Naulinniarvik Arctic Char, including a review of all new information;
• Use these data to determine sustainable harvest level and identify associated uncertainties (e.g., climate change); and
• Discuss research needs and current monitoring for Arctic Char in this system.

Expected Publications

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

Expected Participation

• Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO) (Science, and Fisheries Management)
• Government of Nunavut (Fisheries and Sealing)
• Pangnirtung Hunters and Trappers Organization (HTO)
• Pangnirtung Fisheries Ltd.
• Pangnirtung fish harvesters
• Nunavut Wildlife Management Board
• Qikiqtaaluk Wildlife Board
• Nunavut Tunngavik Incorporated
• Academia
• Other invited experts

References

DFO. 2010. Exploratory Fishery Protocol - Nunavut and Northwest Territories Anadromous Arctic Charr. DFO Can. Sci. Advis. Sec. Sci. Advis. Rep. 2010/022.

McGowan, D.K., G. Low, and D. Pike. 1993. Data from exploratory fisheries conducted in the Northwest Territories, 1989-1992. Can. Data Rep. Fish. Aquat. Sci. 909 : vi + 75 p.