Terms of Reference

Assessment of Dolly Varden, Salvelinus malma malma, from the Babbage River, Yukon Territory

Regional Peer Review – Central and Arctic Region

February 9-10, 2015
Winnipeg, Manitoba

Chairperson: Margaret Treble

Context

The Babbage River is located within the Inuvialuit Settlement Region (ISR) and Dolly Varden from this system are fished by Inuvialuit beneficiaries during the summer along the Beaufort Sea coast.  All Dolly Varden fisheries in the ISR are co-managed under an Integrated Fisheries Management Plan (IFMP) whose signatories are Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO), Fisheries Joint Management Committee, Gwich’in Renewable Resources Board, and Parks Canada Agency. The West Side Working Group, the co-management body that makes recommendations for voluntary harvest levels for Dolly Varden stocks in the ISR, has supported research activities that facilitate implementation of the IFMP, including studies to monitor harvest levels and assess the populations.

Dolly Varden from the Babbage River were last assessed in 2002. Fisheries Management has requested an updated assessment and evaluation of population status for the Babbage River stock.

Objectives

Fisheries Management requests Science advice on stock status, population abundance estimates and sustainable harvest levels for the Babbage River stock based on the following:

1. Comparison of current and past population estimates based on mark recapture methods;
2. Evaluation of count and length information of Dolly Varden obtained using a DIDSON camera;  
3. Estimates of effective population size (using genetic methods) and how it relates to the mark-recapture estimates of population size;
4. Comparison of current biological information (length, sex, maturity, and growth) (2010-2014) with past data (1987) through seining conducted at the spawning/ overwintering area;
5. Evaluation of the contribution of Dolly Varden from the Babbage River to the mixed-stock-fishery at Shingle Point, Herschel Island, and Ptarmigan Bay using genetic mixed stock fishery analysis  (2011-2014);
6. Compilation of annual harvest information for Dolly Varden captured along the Beaufort Sea coast (2009-2014); and
7. Estimation of current harvest rates and the associated risks for the stocks.

In addition, biological data from the Firth River system will be reviewed to establish an index for this stock.

Expected Publications

• Science Advisory Report
• ProceedingsResearch Document(s)

Participation

• Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO) (Ecosystems and Oceans Science, and Ecosystems and Fisheries Management sectors)
• Fisheries Joint Management Committee
• Aklavik Hunters and Trappers Committee
• Academics
• Other invited experts