Terms of Reference

Assessment of Whelk Stocks in the Quebec’s inshore waters (fishing areas 1-9 and 11-15)

Regional Peer Review – Quebec Region

April 29, 2022
Virtual meeting

Chairperson: Charley Cyr

Context

The whelk commercial fishery began in the Estuary and Gulf of St. Lawrence in the 1940s. It expanded to the North Shore in the early 1990s and in 2003 in the Îles-de-la-Madeleine. Landings are generally around 1,000 t per year and come mainly from the North Shore. The whelk fishery is practiced using mainly conical traps.

Quebec waters are divided into 15 fishing areas to which access is limited to a restricted number of fishermen. The effort is also controlled by a fishing season, a number of traps and a minimum legal size which varies according to fishing area. In addition, catches are limited by quota in fishing areas 1, 2, 10, 11, 12, 13 and 15.

At the request of the Fisheries Management Branch, resource assessment is done every three years, with some exceptions. The last whelk stock review was done in February 2018. The objective of the review is to determine whether changes that have occurred in the stock status necessitate adjustments to management plans based on the conservation approach used.

Objectives

Provide scientific advice on the management of whelk stocks in Quebec’s inshore waters (management units 1 to 15) for fishing seasons 2022 to 2024. This advice shall include:

• Description of the biology of whelk and its distribution in Quebec’s coastal waters
• An assessment of size at sexual maturity in different fishing areas
• Description of the fishery including landings, fishing effort and management measures specific to the fishing areas
• Analysis of catch per unit effort from the fishery
• Analysis of data from the commercial sampling program
• Analysis of data gathered during research survey in zone 1 and 2 in Upper North Shore in 2019
• Identification and prioritization of research projects to be considered for the future
• Perspectives for the 2022-2024 fishing seasons in areas 1 to 15 based on available indicators

Expected Publications

• Proceedings
• Research Document
• Science Advisory Report

Expected Participation

• Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO) (Science and Fisheries Management sectors)
• Fishing industry
• Provincial representatives
• Aboriginal communities/organizations