Atlantic Fisheries Research Document 1996/059
Description of the Atlantic mackerel (Scomber scombrus L.) fishery since 1985 and preliminary results for 1995
By F. Grégoire
Abstract
Mackerel landings for the entire Northwest Atlantic in 1995 stand at 24,247 t so far, with Canadian catches totalling 14, 568 t, and U.S. commercial and recreational landings 8,391 t and 1,288 t. No commercial fishing was carried out by foreign vessels along the U.S. coast in the winter. However, 56 t of mackerel was taken by two Cuban boats off the Scotian Shelf between April and July. The NAFO Divisions where the bulk of catches were made are 4T, 4X, and 4R, for which landings of 6,574 t, 3,594 t, and 2,760 t were recorded respectively. As in past years, traps, gillnets, and purse seines were the main fishing gear used. The Canadian catch at age in 1995 is characterized by an abundance of one- and two-year-olds, that is, the 1994 and 1993 year-classes. These year-classes represent respectively 24.50% and 33.32% of all catches made in 1995. As regards the 1994 year-class, such a large group of one-year-old mackerel has not been seen since the late 1960s. Finally, the landings recorded since 1985 are analyzed, providing a more precise picture of where, when, and how the largest catches of mackerel are made along the Canadian coastline.
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