Terms of Reference

A Review of the Use of Recompression Devices as a Tool for Reducing the Effects of Barotrauma on Rockfishes in British Columbia

Science Response Process – Pacific Region

June 2018
Nanaimo, British Columbia

Chairperson: Dana Haggarty

Context

Pacific Rockfish (genus Sebastes) suffer high rates of barotrauma when they are brought to the ocean’s surface because they have a closed, or physoclistic, gas bladder. Although many jurisdictions recommend the use of descending devices that return recreationally caught fish with barotrauma to depth, little research on the use of these devices and the survival of recompressed fishes has been done in British Columbia.

Fisheries and Oceans Canada’s (DFO) Fisheries Management (FM) has requested advice from Science to inform on recompression. It is expected that advice will be compliant with both the “DFO Sustainable Fisheries Framework” (SFF) policy and “A fishery decision-making framework incorporating the Precautionary Approach” (PA) policy.

Objective

The Science Response will be used to provide advice with respect to the following objectives:

1. Review the state of knowledge regarding the effects of barotrauma on rockfishes and the ability of recompression devices to decrease mortality of released fish in the short- and long-term.
2. Document types of descending devices and what is known about each.
3. Synthesize study results for each species that occurs in BC.
4. Provide advice regarding research gaps and uncertainty.

Expected Publications

• CSAS Science Advisory Report
• CSAS Research Document

Expected Participation

• Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO) (Science, Fisheries Management)