Terms of Reference

Development of a Precautionary Framework for American Eel in Canadian Waters

National Peer Review - National Capital Region

September 16-19, 2024

Virtual Meeting

Chairpersons: Keith Clarke and Nick LaPointe

Context

American eel forms a single panmictic population over its continental range, extending from Greenland to northern South America. Within Canada, the American eel is widely distributed over the six eastern provinces.

DFO Science has been asked to provide advice on the management and conservation of American eel within Canada. In the immediate term, science advice is needed to inform decision-making in fisheries management to ensure sustainability of fish stocks. In the long term, robust conservation advice will require progress towards development of a range-wide assessment framework that provides guidance appropriate to the species' panmictic population structure.

Despite being a panmictic species, management is geographically fragmented. There have been widespread calls for internationally coordinated efforts towards a range-wide stock assessment, but such an objective faces obstacles due to heterogeneity in major life history characteristics and data limitations in the northern, western, and southern parts of the species' range.

This meeting will present (i) estimated mortality reference points based on differences in life history traits for the DFO Administered Regions in Canada, and (ii) a Canada-wide trend analysis. This information is intended to inform development of a precautionary approach framework to manage anthropogenic mortality within the regions despite the panmictic nature of the population.

Objectives

The objectives for this zonal Peer Review Process are:

1. Review the approach and estimated mortality reference points for a precautionary framework for American eel in Canada.
2. Review the approach and estimated Canada-wide American eel abundance trend. Evaluate the potential for this analysis to inform the stock status of a precautionary framework for American eel. Evaluate the potential for this approach to serve as a basis for a range-wide trend analysis.

Expected Publications

• Science Advisory Report
• Research Document

Expected Participation

• Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO) Resource Management and Science sectors
• Indigenous communities/organizations
• Provincial governments
• Industry Representatives
• Environmental Non-Government Organizations
• Academia
• Other invited experts