Terms of Reference

Status of the Hagfish (Myxine glutinosa) Fishery in the Maritimes Region

Science Response Process – Maritimes Region

May 11, 2018
Dartmouth, NS

Chairperson: Jennifer Ford

Context

Hagfish (Myxine glutinosa) are broadly distributed in the North Atlantic. They are primarily found in burrows in soft, muddy sediments. It is likely that they are slow-growing, long-lived fishes, based on their low metabolic rate, sedentary behavior, and their occurrence in deep, cool waters. Although the majority of the population is female, reproductive potential is thought to be low due to low fecundity, lack of annual spawning, presumed late age at maturity, and a significant number of non-reproductive animals over a broad size range.

There has been a directed fishery for Hagfish in the Maritimes Region since 1989, centered in NAFO Div. 4X through the 1990s, then expanding eastward into 4W since 2000. The Hagfish fishery in the Maritimes Region currently occurs in NAFO divisions 4V, 4W, 4X and 5Z. At present, there are 7 fishers authorized to harvest Hagfish in the Scotia-Fundy portion of Nova Scotia and landings have averaged 1915 mt (2002-2017). The fishery is managed through effort controls including limited entry, limits on amount and type of fishing gear, seasons.

Fisheries Management has requested advice from DFO Science on the status of Hagfish in the Maritimes Region and the impact of fisheries to date on Hagfish populations. No stock assessment approach has been previously been adopted for this stock although a workshop on science and management strategies for Atlantic Canadian Hagfish was held in 2007 (DFO 2009) and a review of exploratory Hagfish fishing in the Gulf of St. Lawrence was undertaken in 2015 (DFO 2017).

Objective

1. What is the status of the Hagfish population(s) in Maritimes Region?
2. What impact has the Hagfish fishery had on the hagfish population(s)?
3. How effective have current management strategies and tactics been in ensuring that fishing mortality is sustainable?
4. What are the risks to the Hagfish population(s) if fishing were to continue under existing management strategies?
5. If stock status has declined, what level of fishing in the near term would not cause further decline in stock status and that would allow for recovery within a reasonable timeframe?

Expected Publications

• Special Science Response

Expected Participation

• DFO Science
• DFO Resource Management
• Fishing industry

References

DFO, 2009. Proceedings of a Workshop on Canadian Science and Management Strategies for Atlantic Hagfish. DFO Can. Sci. Advis. Sec. Proceed. Ser. 2009/009.

DFO. 2017. Review of the Exploratory Fishery for Atlantic Hagfish (Myxine glutinosa) in NAFO Div. 4T. DFO Can. Sci. Advis. Sec. Sci. Advis. Rep. 2017/008