Redfish Return Sparks Atlantic Race to Profit from Reopening of Commercial Fishery – Halifax | The Canadian News

It’s been 26 years since declining stocks led the federal government to shut down the once lucrative redfish fishery in the Gulf of St. Lawrence, but now a rebound in population is putting industry players in position to participate. in what they hope is a windfall.

The center of attention is a large section of the gulf known as Unit 1, stretching from the western coast of Newfoundland to the Gaspe Peninsula in Quebec and down to the northern tip of Cape Breton.

In 1995, the federal Department of Fisheries imposed a moratorium on commercial fishing for redfish in the area and it has remained in effect ever since. But from 2011 to 2013, research showed that three robust cohorts of redfish had driven growth in the general population.

One theory is that fish do well in the warm waters of the gulf. Caroline Senay, a biologist at the Department of Fisheries, says scientists aren’t sure what factor, or combination of factors, helped the redfish population soar the way it has.

“We don’t have a lot of information to try to make a strong correlation or to really understand what was special in 2011,” he said in a recent interview. “We know that the gulf is heating up fairly quickly. It seems that the redfish, unlike other species, is doing quite well in these new environmental conditions. “

Very well, in fact, they’ve hit “all-time highs,” said Kris Vascotto, executive director of the Atlantic Groundfish Council, which represents year-round deep-sea foragers in Atlantic Canada.

“There is probably more redfish in the Gulf of St. Lawrence now than we have ever seen in our recorded history,” he said during a recent interview.

It is believed that the reopening of the redfish fishery is still a few years away, but the provinces surrounding the Gulf section, including Newfoundland, Quebec and Nova Scotia, are seeking a larger share of the potentially lucrative fishery.

Nova Scotia has made it clear that it is not interested in giving up some of its historic stake.

Others seek to increase their share of the fishery by reducing Nova Scotia’s long-standing share. That’s not fair, nor is it good fisheries management, ”Bruce Nunn, spokesman for the provincial Fisheries Department, said in an email.

In a small-index fishery that has been authorized to assess redfish stocks, about three-quarters of the allowable catch is allocated to offshore operators. Five Nova Scotia companies have nearly 40 percent of the high seas catch, while Quebec operator Madelipeche has just over 30 percent and Newfoundland and Labrador’s Ocean Choice International has about 12 percent. New Brunswick-based companies currently own 7.5 percent of the offshore allocation.

“We expect the federal government to treat Nova Scotians fairly and not make decisions that would reduce our involvement,” Nunn said.

The Fish, Food and Allied Workers Union, a union in Newfoundland and Labrador, issued a statement last month saying the Unit 1 redfish fishery is expected to be a major generator for the economy, but only if Inshore anglers get a fair shake from the Department of Fisheries.

Keith Sullivan, president of FFAW-Unifor, said in a statement that Ocean Choice International currently has exclusive access to redfish and other fish species in another fishing area, so the company does not need Redfish from Unit 1 for its economic viability. “But dozens of communities and a thousand workers on the coast will depend on that,” he said.

Market share concerns aside, Vascotto said this is an opportunity for the fishery to become a sustainable part of the Canadian Atlantic economic fabric while avoiding the same overfishing that led to the current moratorium.

“You are looking at a large volume fishery,” he said. “It is in very, very good condition. You can plan for decades, not just a flash at the skillet type of fishery. So really, there is an incentive to go slow, get it right, and create the conditions where you can maximize value and minimize impact on the fishery. “

DFO spokeswoman Kariane Charron said in an email that the agency has not set a date for the reopening of the commercial redfish fishery, but has been working with an advisory committee, indigenous peoples, scientists, stakeholders and provinces. to prepare for a “post moratorium” commercial harvest. He said the deadline for submission of stakeholder input is Monday.

This Canadian Press report was first published on November 14, 2021.