Atlantic Fisheries Research Document 1996/110
By-catch of harbour porpoise (Phocoena phocoena) in the Lower Bay of Fundy gillnet fishery in 1995
By E.A. Trippel; M.B. Strong; C. Hood; C. Richter; J. Lien
Abstract
Observer coverage to estimate the incidental mortality of harbour porpoise (Phocoena phocoena) by gillnet vessels in the lower Bay of Fundy, Canada was conducted in 1995. Observer coverage in the Swallowtail area was high (89% in July and 48% in September), though no coverage was made of vessels fishing the Wolves area (by-catch for Wolves was estimated by pro-rating 1994 data). The estimated porpoise by-catch among the Fundy Isles was 87 (Swallowtail area=55, Wolves area=32). Tests of acoustic pingers spaced one every 50 m indicated that rate of porpoise entanglement can be significantly reduced by their implementation. The Bay of Fundy by-catch of 87 porpoises contributes 0.19% of the total by-catch for this population (U.S. and Canada combined). Reduction in groundfish quotas in 1995 restricted gillnetting effort significantly. The fishery was open from July 1-20, closed July 21-August 31, and re-opened in September. As a result the historical peak porpoise by-catch period of August was closed to fishing in 1995.
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