Summary of 2023 Sustainability Survey for Fisheries

Summaries for results of the 2023 Sustainability Survey for Fisheries.

On this page

• Precautionary Approach Policy
• Status of integrated fishery management plans
• Implementation of the Policy for Managing Bycatch
• Species at Risk

Precautionary Approach Policy

The results show that reference points and harvest control rules of the Precautionary Approach Policy have been put in place for many, but not all, of the 199 stocks. Highlights of the results for this section include:

• of the 199 stocks:
  • 51% (101) have upper stock references
  • 60% (119) have limit reference points
  • 62% (123) have harvest control rules
  • 45% (89) have removal references for the status zone the stock is currently in
• of the 31 stocks currently classified as in the critical zone:
  • 8 have a stock rebuilding plan
  • 11 have rebuilding plans under development
• of the 75 stocks classified as uncertain:
  • 4 are at levels such that serious harm is likely
  • 26 are at levels such that serious harm is possible

Some of the questions in this section are used to report on biodiversity indicators of the Canadian Environmental Sustainability Indicators (CESI) program.

Status of integrated fishery management plans

The results show that 93% (185 of 199) of the stocks are part of an Integrated Fisheries Management Plan (IFMP). The fisheries on these stocks are managed using the IFMP.

Currently, there are 66 IFMPs covering 185 stocks. However, in some cases, IFMPs need to be updated.

In the absence of an IFMP, some of the stocks are managed using other types of fishery management plans, such as a Conservation Harvesting Plan.

Implementation of the Policy for Managing Bycatch

The results show that elements of the Policy for Managing Bycatch have been implemented in some of the fisheries on the 199 stocks; however, the policy has not been fully implemented in all the fisheries on the 199 stocks, which have bycatch.

Retained bycatch

The fisheries on 61% (122 of 199) of the stocks have retained bycatch. For these:

• 79% (96 of 122) have fully or partially assessed the risks they pose to the retained bycatch
  • 99% (95 of 96) have bycatch management measures fully or partially in place or expert judgement and/or a risk assessment has deemed that the risk to bycatch is negligible and does not require mitigation.
    • 72% (66 of 92) have been assessed as fully or partially working to achieve their objectives.

Non-retained bycatch

The fisheries on 74% (147 of 199) of the stocks have non-retained bycatch. For these:

• 76% (112 of 147) have fully or partially assessed the risks they pose to the non-retained bycatch
  • 96% (107 of 112) have bycatch management measures fully or partially in place or expert judgement and/or a risk assessment has deemed that the risk to bycatch is negligible and does not require mitigation.
    • 72% (77 of 107) have been assessed as fully or partially working to achieve their objectives.

Species at Risk

The results show that fisheries on 66% (132 of 199) of the stocks interact with aquatic species listed under the Species at Risk Act.

Where interactions do occur, fishery management measures to mitigate the risks to these species are in place in fisheries on 93% (123 of 132) of these stocks.