Research Document - 2002/019

Landings and Biological Data Update for NAFO Division 4S Herring (Clupea harengus harengus L.)

By F. Grégoire, L. Lefebvre, M. Beaudoin

Abstract

The herring (Clupea harengus harengus L.) fishery on the North Shore of Quebec saw rapid expansion through the 1970s. From less than 80 t per year for the 1960-1970 period, landings attained an average annual value of 707 t between 1979 and 2000. Peaks of 1,075 t, 2,885 t and 1,394 t were reached in 1982, 1983 and 1987 respectively, but since 1994, the annual landings show a decreasing trend. The most important herring landings are concentrated in three unit areas, namely 4Sz, 4Sv, and 4Sw with average annual landings of 279 t, 153 t and 97 t. The main fishing gear used to catch herring is the gillnet with average landings of 503 t per year. Since 1984, the annual length frequencies for the spring spawners sampled in unit area 4Sz have been characterised by the presence of three strong year-classes. These year-classes have been those of 1980, 1990 and 1994. For the fall spawners sampled in unit areas 4Sv and 4Sw, they have been those of 1979, 1991 and 1992. The Quebec North Shore herring is a regular catch of a groundfish and shrimp (Pandalus borealis) abundance research survey. This survey is conducted annually throughout the northern Gulf of St. Lawrence. During these surveys, herring catches are generally distributed throughout the sampled area. However, during the last years, more catches have been realised in the area located to the East Coast of Anticosti Island. Given the size of the region and the current catch level relative to other regions of Eastern Canada, herring catches on the North Shore of Quebec could certainly be higher. However, the information presently available does not allow us to accurately determine the level to which catches might be raised.

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