Science Advisory Report 2014/054
Assessment of the Sea Cucumber fishery in the Quebec’s inshore waters in 2013
Summary
- The sea cucumber fishery began in Quebec in 2008 and is still in the exploratory stage. Total landings were 1489 t in 2013, with 87% coming from the Gaspé Peninsula’s north shore (Units B and C) and 13% from the North Shore (Unit 3).
Zone B
- Landings have increased since 2009 and reached nearly 90% of the TAC of 600 tonnes in 2013.
- The CPUEs have increased since 2010, reaching their highest point in 2013. Maintaining high CPUE values is facilitated by the possibility to exploit new fishing sites.
- The mean commercial size of sea cucumbers measured at sea has remained stable since 2011.
Zone C
- Landings for the last two years (2012 and 2013) have reached nearly 92% of the TAC of 800 tonnes.
- Although the effort has increased significantly since the beginning of the fishery, the CPUE has also increased and is now at its highest value of the series.
- The mean commercial size at sea has remained stable since 2011 and is higher than that of Unit B.
Zone 3
- Landings and the number of days fished decreased by 42% and 36% respectively in 2013 compared with 2012. Last year, the number of days fished was well below the authorized effort, which is 70 days fished.
- The CPUE was slightly lower in 2013 than in previous years. Operational problems may be the cause of this decrease.
- The mean commercial size measured at sea or landed remained relatively high and even increased in 2013.
- From 2011 to 2013, the sum of the 9 main accidently captured species was 5 to 11% of the number of sea cucumbers, depending on the unit.
Recommendations
- For Units B, C and 3, the recommendation is to maintain current management measures for the next three years. These measures are a TAC of 600 t and 800 t in Units B and C respectively, a fishing effort of no more than 70 days in Unit 3, and a legal size of 116 mm in all units. This recommendation is in line with the approach of managing emerging fisheries in stages, where indicators must remain stable before fishing pressure is increased.
- In addition, recommendations include creating one or more refuge areas in Unit 3, maintaining monitoring of accidental captures in all three units, and continuing with the post-season survey started in 2013 in Units B and C.
This Science Advisory Report is from the June 3, 2014 Assessment of the Sea Cucumber fishery in the Quebec’s inshore waters. Additional publications from this meeting will be posted on the Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO) Science Advisory Schedule as they become available.
