Terms of Reference

Reference points that conform to the Precautionary Approach for the Striped Bass population of the southern Gulf of St. Lawrence

Regional Advisory Meeting – Gulf Region

November 23-25, 2020
Virtual meeting

Chairperson: Daniel Ricard

Context

The Striped Bass (Morone saxatilis) population of the southern Gulf of St. Lawrence had declined to less than 5,000 spawners in the late 1990s. Due to conservation concerns, the commercial fishery closed in 1996, followed by the closure of the recreational fisheries and the suspension of Indigenous Food, Social, and Ceremonial (FSC) fisheries allocations for Striped Bass in 2000. The estimated abundance of Striped Bass spawners subsequently increased to over 200 thousand spawners in 2011 with peak abundance estimated at over 900,000 spawners in 2017 (DFO 2020). A small number of FSC fisheries were reinstated in 2012 and allocations of Striped Bass to indigenous groups have gradually increased since then. The recreational fishery reopened in 2013 with increasing annual access and a pilot Indigenous commercial fishery was conducted in 2018 and 2019.

The Recovery Potential Assessment (RPA) for Striped Bass, conducted in 2006 to support the Species at Risk Act listing decision process proposed a recovery limit and a recovery target for the southern Gulf Striped Bass spawning population in the Northwest Miramichi estuary (DFO 2006; Douglas et al. 2006). The model, data, and assumption used to define the recovery objectives were constrained by the available information at that time, specifically in terms of mortality rates, stock and recruitment dynamics, and the expected carrying capacity of the species. These recovery objectives are not equivalent to fisheries reference points as prescribed for the Precautionary Approach.

Striped Bass are relatively long-lived iteroparous spawners and approaches for defining single species reference points could be based on concepts of biomass at maximum sustainable yield (DFO 2009). Striped Bass is large bodied and a piscivorous predator through most of its life. Concerns have been expressed by Atlantic Salmon fishery advocates and some gaspereau and Rainbow Smelt commercial fishery interests that the rebuilding of Striped Bass stock in the southern Gulf has contributed to declines in abundances of Atlantic Salmon and other diadromous species because of high levels of predation on these species by Striped Bass.

With continued requests for additional fisheries access to southern Gulf Striped Bass, Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO) Gulf Ecosystems and Fisheries Management Branch requested the development of fisheries based reference points that conform to the Precautionary Approach to guide further management decisions on the development of the Striped Bass fisheries. Considering the interactions of Striped Bass with other valued fisheries species, DFO Fisheries management also requested a review of approaches and potential reference points for Striped Bass that take account of these ecosystem considerations.

Objectives

The objectives of the meeting are to:

Review the available information on population (abundance) and biological (size at age, mortality rate estimates, size structure) characteristics of the Striped Bass population of the southern Gulf of St. Lawrence relevant for the definition of reference points;
Review candidate fishery reference points for Striped Bass and provide estimates of these based on the available information from the southern Gulf population;
Review and advise on the consequences of fishery management measures on the derivation of fishery reference point values;
Consider options for incorporating species interactions considerations in the definition of reference points for Striped Bass; and
Consider uncertainties in the definition of the reference points and management approaches for Striped Bass.

Expected Publications

Science Advisory Report
Research Document

Expected Participation

Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO) (Science, and Ecosystems and Fisheries Management)
Invited external experts
Provinces (NB, NS, PEI, QC)
Indigenous organizations
COSEWIC authors and sub-committee chairs