Sustainability Survey for Fisheries – 2022 Questions

Section 1 - Implementation of the Fishery Decision-Making Framework Incorporating the Precautionary Approach

Some of these questions are used to report on indicators in the:

• Canadian Environmental Sustainability Indicators report
• Federal Sustainable Development Strategy.

These questions are designed to evaluate the implementation of the Fishery Decision-Making Framework Incorporating the Precautionary Approach.

1 – Stock Reference Points

• 1.1a – Is there an Upper Stock Reference? (point dividing the cautious and the healthy zones)
  • Yes
  • No
• 1.1b – How was the USR developed?
  • Non-peer review process
  • Scientific peer review process
  • Combination of non-peer review and scientific peer review process
• 1.1c – What is the USR? (basis for the USR (e.g. 80% Bmsy), estimated value and unit of measurement along with the year that the USR was calculated. Additional information on how the USR was developed should be included where possible)
• 1.2a – Is there a Limit Reference Point? (point dividing the critical and cautious zones)
  • Yes
  • No
• 1.2b – How was the LRP developed?
  • Non-peer review process
  • Scientific peer review process
  • Combination of non-peer review and scientific peer review process
• 1.2c – Please provide a rationale for using non-peer review process for developing a LRP
• 1.2d – What is the LRP? (Basis for the LRP (e.g. 40% Bmsy), value and unit of measurement, along with the year that the LRP was calculated. Provide this for individual LRPs if they are developed for sub-units)
• 1.3a – Is there a Target Reference Point (TRP)?
  • Yes –a Target Reference Point or Target Abundance has been developed and implemented.
  • No – A Target Reference Point has NOT been developed.
• 1.3b – What is the TRP?
• 1.4a – If this stock is a marine mammal, does it have a Potential Biological Removal?
  • Yes, developed – A Potential Biological Removals (PBRs) has been developed for this stocks, but has either not been approved for use, or is not yet used for the fishery(ies) on this stock.
  • Yes, developed and implemented – A Potential Biological Removal(s) has been developed, has been approved by the relevant parties and is used for the fishery(ies) on this stock.
  • Not Developed – A Potential Biological Removal has not been developed or are NOT used for the fishery(ies) on this stock.
• 1.4b – What is the Potential Biological Removal?
• 1.5a – For this stock, have any mortality rates been calculated? (Select all that apply)
  • Natural mortality (rate) (M): That part of the total mortality rate applying to a fish stock that is caused by predation and other natural events. Usually expressed as an instantaneous rate.
  • Fishing mortality (F): That part of the total mortality rate applying to a fish stock that is caused by fishing. Usually expressed as instantaneous rates as opposed to annual exploitation rates.
  • Other mortality rate(s).
  • No mortality rates  have been calculated for the fisheries on this stock.
• 1.5b – Please indicate the natural mortality rate(s) (M) calculated for fisheries on this stock. Provide links to any online documents that reference these rates.
• 1.5c – Please indicate the fishing mortality rate(s)(F) calculated for fisheries on this stock. If the mortality rate is not for all the fisheries on this stock, please indicate so. Provide links to any online documents that reference these rates.
• 1.5d – Please indicate other mortality rate(s) calculated for fisheries on this stock. If the mortality rate is not for all the fisheries on this stock, please indicate so. Provide links to any online documents that reference these rates.
• 1.6a – Have any abundance, biomass or density values been calculated for this stock? (Select all that apply):
  • Abundance - a value(s) has been calculated for the abundance for the stock of focus.
  • Biomass - a value(s) has been calculated for the biomass the stock of focus.
  • Density - a value(s) has been calculated for the density for the stock of focus.
  • No – Values have NOT been calculated for the abundance, density or biomass for the stock of focus.
• 1.6b – Please indicate the abundance calculated for this stock. Provide links to any online documents that reference these values.
• 1.6c – Please indicate the biomass value(s) calculated for this stock. Provide links to any online documents that reference these values.
• 1.6d – Please indicate the density value(s) calculated for this stock. Provide links to any online documents that reference these values.
• 1.7a – For the fishery(ies) on this stock, is an exploitation rate, exploitation rate index or relative F (i.e., landings/survey biomass) estimated?
  • Yes – A value(s) has been calculated for the exploitation rate, exploitation rate index or relative F.
  • No – A value(s) has NOT been calculated for the exploitation rate, exploitation rate index or relative F
• 1.7b – Please indicate the exploitation rate(s), exploitation rate index or relative F.

2 – Stock Status

• 2.1a - What is the current stock status zone for this stock?:
• Critical Zone
• Cautious Zone
• Healthy Zone
• Uncertain

Selecting “Uncertain” does not mean that that status of the stock is unknown. DFO has sufficient information to manage the fisheries on these stocks.

• 2.1b – Briefly explain the rationale for there being an uncertain status for this stock
• 2.1c – How was the stock status zone determined?
  • Scientific peer review process
  • Expert judgement
• 2.1d – Provide a rationale for using Expert Judgement
• 2.1e – How recently did this peer review process occur? Provide a link to the peer review document if one is available.
• 2.1f – Where the stock status is Uncertain, what is the possibility of serious harm occurring to the stock?:
  • Serious harm likely
  • Serious harm possible
  • Serious harm unlikely
• 2.1g – (Where serious harm likely, serious harm possible, or serious harm unlikely) Provide a rationale for assigning this possibility of serious harm occurring to the stock.

3 – Removal References

• 3.1a – Has a removal reference been identified for when the stock is in the Healthy Zone?
  • Yes
  • No
• 3.1b – Enter the value and unit of measurement for the Healthy Zone removal reference.
• 3.2a – Has a removal reference been identified when the stock is in the Cautious Zone?
  • Yes
  • No
• 3.2b – Enter the value and unit of measurement for the Cautious Zone removal reference.
• 3.3a – Has a removal reference been identified when the stock is in the Critical Zone?
  • Yes
  • No
• 3.3b – Enter the value and unit of measurement for the Critical Zone removal reference.
• 3.4a – Has a removal reference been identified while the stock status is uncertain?
  • Yes
  • No
• 3.4b – Enter the value and unit of measurement for the stock while the stock status is uncertain.
• 3.5 – Is there a removal reference for the status zone the stock currently occupies (2022)?
  • Yes, the stock is in the healthy zone AND a removal reference has been identified for the healthy zone.
  • Yes, the stock is in the cautious zone AND a removal reference has been identified for the cautious zone.
  • Yes, the stock is in the critical zone AND a removal reference has been identified for the critical zone.
  • No, a removal reference has not been identified for the zone the stock currently occupies (2022).
  • No removal reference has been identified.

4 – Harvest Decision Rules

Harvest decision rules are pre-agreed management actions to be taken under different stock status scenarios as described in DFO’s 2009 Precautionary Approach (PA) Policy. Harvest decision rules are also sometimes referred to as harvest control rules or more infrequently, total allowable catch (TAC) decision rules.

• 4.1a - For this stock, harvest decision rules that aim to control exploitation:
  • Have not been developed
  • Have been developed, but not implemented or evaluated
  • Have been developed, implemented but not evaluated
  • Have been developed, implemented and evaluated
• 4.1b - Please provide the details (or a link to the details) of the harvest decision rules.
• 4.1c - Based on the information available at the time of the decision(s), did management decision(s) for fisheries on this stock follow the established harvest decision rules?
  • Yes
  • No
• 4.1d - (Where 4.1c = No) Provide details why management decisions for fisheries on this stock did not follow the harvest decision rules.

5 – Harvest Rate

• 5.1a – What was the fishing harvest rate or harvest level in relation to the removal reference for the zone that the stock currently occupies (in 2022)?
  • Harvest rate/level at or below removal reference
  • Harvest rate/level above removal reference
  • No removal reference
• 5.1b – Where no removal reference is present for the current stock status zone, what is the harvest in relation to approved levels?
  • The stock is harvested within approved rates/levels
  • The stock is harvested not within approved rates/levels

6 – Rebuilding Plan

• 6.1a – Is there a rebuilding plan in place for this stock?
  • Yes
  • Under Development
  • No
• 6.1b – Is the Rebuilding Plan posted online?
  • Yes
  • No
• 6.1c – (If yes) Please include the link for the Rebuilding Plan online
• 6.1d – (If no) Please provide an explanation why there is no Rebuilding Plan in place or being developed.
• 6.1e – When are the expected due dates for the completion and publication of the Rebuilding Plan?

7 – Moratorium

A moratorium is the suspension of fishing activity, commercially or otherwise, for a given fishery(ies) on the stock. For the purpose of the survey, a stock under moratorium is one that is closed to directed commercial fishing but is intercepted as bycatch in other commercial fisheries.

• 7.1a – Is there a moratorium for the commercial fishery(ies) on this stock?
• 7.1b – (If Yes) Please provide a short description of the nature of the moratorium.
• 7.1c – Is the stock caught incidentally in other fisheries as bycatch (Commercial, Recreational, FSC)?
  • Yes
  • No
  • Uncertain

Section 2 - The status of fishery management plans

8 - Integrated Fisheries Management Plans

The primary goal of an Integrated Fisheries Management Plan (IFMP) is to provide a planning framework for the conservation and sustainable use of fisheries resources and the process by which a given fishery will be managed for a period of time.

• 8.1a – Is this stock part of an Integrated Fisheries Management Plan (IFMP)?
  • Yes, Up to Date
  • Yes, Out of Date
  • No
• 8.1b – Please provide the title of the IFMP and date range for effectiveness where applicable.
• 8.1c – Is the IFMP posted online?
  • Yes, Full IFMP
  • Yes, Summary of IFMP
  • No
• 8.1d – Please provide the link for the online IFMP, or if an IFMP has not been developed, indicate when the IFMP will be posted online.
• 8.1e – Is there an annual process to review the performance of the IFMP, including assessing the effectiveness of the management measures?
  • Yes
  • No
• 8.1f – Is a new IFMP or version of the IFMP currently under development?
  • Yes
  • No
• 8.1g – Please indicate when development of the IFMP will be complete

9 - Harvest Plan

Conservation harvesting plans (CHP) are fishing plans that identify harvesting methods aimed at minimizing the harvest of small fish and bycatch of groundfish. Plans typically include measures to control and monitor:

• gear restrictions
• time and area closures
• both target and bycatch species
• bycatch and discarding protocols
• monitoring and logbook requirements

• 9.1a – In the absence of an IFMP, is there a harvest plan in place for this stock? (E.g. Harvest Decision Rules, Conservation Harvesting Plan, or other fishing plans)
  • Yes
  • No
• 9.1b – Is there an annual review process to review the harvest plan, including assessing the effectiveness of the management measures?
  • Yes
  • No

Section 3 - Implementation of the Policy for Managing Bycatch

These questions are designed to evaluate the implementation of the Policy for Managing Bycatch.

10 – Implementation of the Policy for Managing Bycatch

• 10.1a – Is there retained, non-directed bycatch in this fishery(ies)?
  • Yes
  • No
• 10.1b – Has the risk of fishery(ies) to the following categories of bycatch been evaluated for retained, non-directed species?
  • Yes
  • Partially
  • No
• 10.1c – Are there bycatch management measures in place to address the risk identified for retained, non-directed species?
  • Yes
  • Partially
  • No
  • No Risk Identified
• 10.1d – Please provide a rationale for selecting that measures are in place when the risk has not been evaluated for retained, non-directed species.
• 10.1e – Has an assessment of the bycatch management measures determined that the measures are working to achieve their objectives for the retained, non-directed species of bycatch?
  • Yes
  • Partially
  • No
  • No Assessment
    
• 10.2a – Is there non-retained, non-directed bycatch in this fishery(ies)?
  • Yes
  • No
• 10.2b – Has the risk of fishery(ies) to the following categories of bycatch been evaluated for Non-retained, non-directed species?
  • Yes
  • Partially
  • No
• 10.2c – Are there bycatch management measures in place to address the risk identified for Non-retained, non-directed species?
  • Yes
  • Partially
  • No
  • No Risk Identified
• 10.2d – Please provide a rationale for selecting that measures are in place when the risk has not been evaluated for non-retained, non-directed species.
• 10.2e – Has an assessment of the bycatch management measures determined that the measures are working to achieve their objectives for the non-retained, non-directed species of bycatch?
  • Yes
  • Partially
  • No
  • No Assessment

Section 4 - Species at Risk Management

11 – Species at Risk

These questions are designed to evaluate the integration of Species at Risk Act (SARA) requirements into fisheries management approaches for stocks that interact with SARA listed species. This includes mitigation measures that support recovery objectives and/or satisfy SARA permit or exemption requirements. For more information on Schedule 1 listed species, please visit the Species at Risk registry.

• 11.1a – Do fisheries on this stock interact with one or more Species at Risk Act (SARA) -listed species?
  • Yes
  • No

"Interact" means intercept in gear or a likelihood of intercepting SARA-listed species.

• 11.1b – Did fisheries on this stock interact with one or more SARA-listed species in the fishing season covered by this survey?
  • Yes
  • No
  • Uncertain
• 11.1c – Are mitigation measures in place to reduce or avoid harm, mortality, or harassment of SARA-listed species that are normally, or have at times, been intercepted in the fishery(ies) on this stock?
  • Yes
  • Partially
  • No
• 11.1d – Select which of the following mitigation measures are in place (Select all that apply):
  • Altered mesh sizes of nets
  • Fishery closures of seasons where interactions would be most likely to occur
  • Fishery closure of areas where interactions would be most likely to occur
  • Hook Size alteration
  • Separator grates
  • Single line mooring
  • Other
• 11.1d – Indicate other mitigation measure(s) in place.
• 11.2a – Has the stock been assessed by COSEWIC as at-risk?
  • Yes
  • No
• 11.2b – What was the stock’s assessment status assigned by the Committee on the Status of Endangered Wildlife in Canada (COSEWIC)?
  • Extinct (X)
  • Extirpated (XT)
  • Endangered (E)
  • Threatened (T)
  • Special Concern (SC)
  • Data Deficient (DD)
• 11.2c – What is the status of the SARA listing process for the species (of the stock of focus)?
  • Listed
  • No status
  • Decision not to list

End of survey - General Comments

This section, found at the end of the survey, is intended for further explanations for a given stock, clarifications of how the survey is applied to multiple fisheries for the same stock, elaborate on how questions were answered for aggregate stocks, etc.