Terms of Reference

Strait of Georgia Ecosystem Research Initiative

“State of the Strait” Workshop

19-20 January 2010
Institute of Ocean Sciences
9860 West Saanich road
Sidney, B.C.

Co-Chairs: Diane Masson and Ian Perry

Background

Historically, in the Cambridge Bay area of Nunavut, commercial landings of Arctic Char (Salvelinus alpinus) have been harvested primarily from six stock complexes (Ekalluk, Paliryuak, Halovik, Lauchlan, Ellice and Jayco rivers). The Perry River was fished from 1977 to 1981 and in 1991 and has not been fished since. The Ellice River has not been fished since 1999. Other fishing sites have also been harvested occasionally but for four years or less at any given site (Kulgayuk River, Padliak and Elu Inlets and Starvation Cove). In 1988, a new fishery developed at HTA Lake (Takyoknitok) and has been fished sporadically since although not in recent years. The subsistence harvest of char is substantial, estimated to equal approximately one half the size of the commercial harvest, and probably is concentrated in areas close to Cambridge Bay such as from the Ekalluk River and Freshwater Creek.

The Cambridge Bay Arctic Char fishery was last assessed in 2004 (Day and de March 2004, DFO 2004).  The fishery and its supporting stocks were considered stable and fished at or below their sustainable rates of harvest. All of the primary stock complexes were considered to have a low to moderate level of risk of over exploitation under current harvest regimes, with the exception of the Ellice River stock complex (DFO 2004).

Fisheries and Aquaculture Management Sector of Fisheries and Oceans Canada has requested science advice on the current status and sustainable harvest level for the Cambridge Bay commercial fishery.

Objectives

New information available since the previous assessment concerning the status of Arctic Char stocks for geographic stock complexes harvested from the Ekalluk, Paliryuak, Halovik, Lauchlan, Ellice and Jayco rivers will be presented and reviewed . The meeting will focus on the general status of these char stocks in regards to their response to harvest and identify any conservation issues. A precautionary approach model derived from analysis of long term plant sampling data will be presented and reviewed to providing reference points which would allow management of the Cambridge Bay Arctic Char fishery based on a precautionary approach.

Products

The meeting will generate a proceedings report summarizing the deliberations of the participants.  This will be published in the Canadian Science Advisory Secretariat (CSAS) Proceedings Series.  There will be CSAS Research Document(s) produced in relation to the working paper(s) presented and reviewed at the meeting.  This will include the PA model developed and reviewed at the meeting.  The advice from the meeting will be published as a Science Advisory Report. 

Participants

Experts from DFO Science, Fisheries Management, the Nunavut Wildlife Management Board, Kitikmeot Foods of Cambridge Bay, the Cambridge Bay Hunters and Trappers Organization as well as other have been invited to participate in this meeting.

References Cited

DFO, 2004. Cambridge Bay Arctic Char. DFO Can. Sci. Advis. Sec. Stock Status Rep. 2004/010.

Day, A.C. and de March B. 2004. Status of Cambridge Bay anadromous Arctic Char stocks. DFO Can. Sci. Advis. Sec. Res. Doc. 2004/052, iv + 78 p.