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Home , Atlantic halibut, Flatfish, Hippoglossus, Yellowtail flounder

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Departm nt of Fishe.ries Oc QL Library 626 U5313 ne doit se qu'a des !ms 'études pnvées SE 11 2000 no.2 .. may de recherche Tout usage à d'autrs 2000 authon zation of the fins _ copyright owner peut exiger autorisation Ministère des Pêches et des c.2 du roit d'auteur Océan s O TTAWA

ATLANTIC GROUNDFISH ATLANTIC GROUNDFISH

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Groundfish in the North- west Atlantic declined dramatically in the late 1980s and early 1990s, largely because of . Almost all Canadian fisheries for and several other groundfish fisheries on the Atlantic coast were prohibited for several years to allow the stocks to rebuild. By the year 2000, the abundance of most of these species continued to be low in most areas. Offshore fisheries are conducted mainly by large trawlers (>30 m), as well as small draggers, seiners Groundfish - so-called because they generally feed and longliners. Trawlers, draggers and dwell near the bottom, the "ground" of the sea - and seiners use bag-like nets (trawls) "dragged" behind them to sweep make up about half of Atlantic Canada's total catch of the waters. Longliners pay out lines of hooked gear. all saltwater species. The relatively shallow waters of Much groundfish fishing is also the continental shelf - that submerged shoulder of carried on by inshore boats using seabed separating the continental shore from the gear set near or from the shore. Small boats of the inshore fleet deep ocean - provide an ideal habitat for . Canada's use gillnets, trapnets, handlines and longlines to harvest their Atlantic shelf, especially its shallowest portions - the share of the catch. renowned Grand, Georges and other fishing banks - In relative order of economic impor- tance, the principal groundfish provides some of the richest pastures of the sea for species are cod, , , breeding and feeding aquatic life. small ( e.g., , floun- der), hake, redfish, and arm waters of the northerly . Other groundfish species flowing Gulf Stream that are fi.shed commercially include mingling with the frigid cusk, skate, dogfish and wolffish, W commonly called . Labrador Current create condi- tions particularly conducive to sustaining large populations of Cod (Gadus morhua) cod, , haddock and other groundfish species. Despite the dramatic decline of the l 990s, cod remain the most Northwest Atlantic fishing banks important groundfish species are very large - the Grand Banks on the Atlantic coast as in the alone cover 280,000 square kilo- beginning of the in the metres - and extend seaward as early 16th century. In the much as 500 kilometres from the Northwest Atlantic, cod range coast, although most lie within from western south to the 200-mile zone set by Canada Cape Hatteras, North Carolina. in 1977 as its exclusive fisheries In each of the various regions of management area. Atlantic Canada, there can be one 3

fish species, haddock were once more abundant along Canada's east coast. Intensive fishing in the l 960s, however, greatly reduced the stocks. In the l 990s, most of the remaining fishery was located on the Scotian Shelf, the Bay of Co d Fundy and the Gulf of Maine. Haddock range from the Strait of or more identifiable cod popula- shallower waters in seasonal cycles Belle Isle to Cape Cod. In Cana- tion. There are at least a dozen thought to be triggered by tem- dian waters, they occur mainly on separate stocks, each with its own perature, food and spawning the continental shelf from the Bay set of distinctive traits. behaviour. of Fundy to the east coast of Cape The most notable characteristics While they are caught close to the Breton, and eastward to the Grand of cod are their heavy body with shoreline along the entire Canadian Banks, most commonly in depths three dorsal and two anal fins, an coast, the most productive fishing of 45 to 240 m. almost square tail and the pale areas are the offshore banks. Haddock are dark purple-gray on running along each Cod are harvested with longlines, the head and back. The lateral side of the body from the head trawls, seines, handlines, jiggers, line is black, and below it the to the tail. The large head has a traps and gillnets. colour lightens to silver-gray with protruding upper jaw and there a slight pink cast. A distinguishing is a prominent, fleshy 'whisker' Cod are sold fresh, salted or mark is the large, black, thumb- or under the lower jaw. smoked. The bulk of the catch print spot appearingjust above goes into the production of frozen Cod vary in colour from shades each pectoral fin. Fish in the com- fillets and frozen fillet blocks used of gray, green, brown or red mercial catch are usually between in the production of fish sticks depending on the habitat and, 0.9 to 4 kilograms in weight. and fish portions. over a period of time, are capable Haddock are caught with otter of changing colour to match their trawls but other gear such as long- surroundings. The back and sides lines and gillnets are also used. are specked with many brownish to reddish spots. ' Haddock (Melanogrammus These fish are marketed as fresh and frozen fillets. Smaller quanti- Cod feed voraciously on almost all aeglefinus) ties are sold as fresh and frozen types of sea life. The young feed whole fish and as headless split upon small planktonic , Haddock, long familiar to fisher- and (finnan haddies). small worms and tiny -like men on both sides of the Atlantic animals. As they grow older, they Ocean, belong to the same family consume quantities of small crus- as cod and pollock. Among the taceans and molluscs as well as most popular of the north Atlantic , and sand lance. Cod taken in the commercial Haddock fishery are mostly between 45 and 80 cm and weigh between 0.8 and 4 kg; however, cod can grow to exceed 20 kg. Although they usually stay close to the sea bottom, cod may be found anywhere from the surface to depths ofwell over 500 m . Cod move in schools from deeper to ( A T LA NTIC GROUNDFISH

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dark gray with silver underparts. When freshly taken from the water, they are silvery iridescent, but the bright colour soon fades. Fish in the catch range from 20 to 30 cm in length and weigh between 0.1 and 0.3 kg.

Occurring from the Grand Banks to South Carolina, silver hake are mainly found on Georges Bank and on the Nova Scotia Banks, Po llock particularly on Browns Bank and the Sable Island Banks in depths of 55 to 275 m . Silver hake are Pollock White Hake generally found in the warmer (Pollach ;us virens) (Urophycis tenu ;s) waters of the Canadian Atlantic (7 to 10° C). Pollock are also members of the White hake are somewhat cod-like cod family. For years, these spirited, but have only two, rather than Formerly under-utilized in the saltwater fish were unappreciated three, dorsal fins, and only one Canadian fisheries and harvested except by sport fishermen. Now, anal fin. The colour varies consi- mainly by fleets of other nations, they are eagerly sought as a com- derably, with the back usually silver hake were fished almost mercial species in their own right. reddish to muddy brown and the exclusively by Canadians using belly pale gray, yellowish or white. otter trawls in the late l 990s. Pollock range from southern They are normally 40 to 100 cm Labrador to Cape Cod, but are long and are taken by otter trawls, fished primarily in coastal waters gillnets, longlines and handlines in and on the offshore banks of the the southern Gulf of St. Lawrence, Redfish (Ocean ) Scotian Shelf, Bay of Fundy and and along the eastern Scotian Gulf of Maine. (Se bastes sp.) Shelf and western Grand Banks. There are three species of redfish Deep-bodied with three dorsal that are fished commercially in and two anal fins, pollock differ the Canadian Atlantic but they from cod and haddock by having are so similar that it is not possible a pointed snout and projecting Silver Hake to distinguish them easily. Redfish lower jaw. The back is brownish- (Merlucôus bilinearis) are also commonly known as green, paling to a yellowish ocean perch or rosefish and smoky-gray or green on the sides, Silver hake are members of the became commercially important and the belly is silver-gray. The cod family, but are more slender in North America around 1935 lateral line, like that of cod, is and have two dorsal fins. They are pale, but there are no spots. Fish in the commercial catch range are usually from 1 to 4 kg in weight. White Hake Pollock are principally caught with otter trawls, although other types of gear such as longlines, handlines and gillnets are also used. Pollock are marketed as Boston bluefish frozen fi llets or frozen breaded items such as portions and sticks. 5

American Plaice ( platesso;des) The most common of the four small flatfish species, plaice are also the most important from a commercial standpoint. They range from southern Labrador Silver Hake and the Grand Banks to Rhode Island in the United States. Plaice are reddish to grayish-brown on the eyed side of the body, and white or bluish-white on the blind left side. They have a large mouth, an almost straight lateral line. The bulk of the catch is made up of plaice ranging from 31 to 45 cm in length and 0.3 to 1 kg in weight. They are harvested in both inshore and offshore fisheries, mainly with American Redftsh otter trawls, although seine nets and longlines are also used. Plaice are marketed fresh or frozen, as a result of technological Redfish are mostly sold in fresh mainly in the filleted form. advances in filleting and fast and frozen form as ocean freezing. Redfish frequent the perch fillets. deep waters of gullies and slopes of the continental shelf from southern Labrador to the Gulf Yellowtail of Maine, including the Flemish Flatfish Species ( ferrug;nea) Cap and the Gulf of St. Lawrence. Several commercially important , commonly Redfish are relatively small, spiny species of small flatfish are found known as yellowtail or lemon , fish with an orange to flame-red along Canada's east coast. are found along the continental body that contrasts vividly with Arnerican plaice, yellowtail, gray shelf from southern Labrador to their large black eyes. In the com- sole and are Chesapeake Bay. They are brownish- mercial catch, they usually range marketed as flounder and sole. olive on the eyed topside, with in length from 20 to 35 cm and Collectively, they used to make numerous rusty spots, and the tail their average weight is about 0.5 kg. up the most important Atlantic is yellow. The mouth is relatively Because redfish grow very slowly groundfish catch after cod. small and the lateral line is arched. (about 2.5 cm per year), they are Average length is 38 to 40 cm and especially vulnerable to intensive Although the four species differ in average weight is about 0.5 to 0.6 kg. fishing. The abundance of several size, appearance, distribution and abundance, their bodies are flat, Yellowtail are caught chiefly with stocks was low in the l 990s and fish- otter trawls. They are marketed ing was prohibited in some areas. and both eyes are on the same side of the head. Their underside primarily as frozen fillets of floun- Redfish are caught primarily by is white, while their topside is pig- der but are also available as fresh midwater trawls but may also be mented, resembling the bottom whole fish or fillets. fished with bottom otter trawls. over which they feed and live. ( ATLANTIC GROUNDFISH

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Sometimes spotted or mottled, the eyed side varies from a muddy reddish-brown to almost black. The blind side is white and often tinged with yellow. Winter floun- der have small mouths and seldom exceed 45 cm in length or 1.4 kg in weight. Nearshore fishermen harvest them with handlines, spears and trapnets while inshore fishermen use otter trawls and tangle nets. The winter flounder catch is marketed as fresh or frozen fillets of sole.

Turbot () (Reinhardtius h;ppoglosso;des) Turbot, also known as Greenland Yellowtail Flounder halibut, are large flatfish more similar to the than the European turbot. Flounder Winter Flounder They are yellowish or grayish ( ( Pseudopleu ronectes brown and, unlike other flatfish, ) americanus) the dark pigmentation is fairly uniform over the whole body, Also commonly known as the gray Winter flounder range all along although the colouring is lighter sole, this species owes its witch-like the North American coast in the on the blind side. The tail, like appearance to a grayish-brown inshore and nearshore waters that of halibut, is forked, but the body trimmed with dark gray or from Labrador to Georgia. lateral line, unlike that of halibut, black fins. The underside is grayish- is straight rather than arched. white. The mouth is small and the lateral line is almost straight. Fish in commercial fisheries are usually between 33 and 50 cm and weigh Witch Flounder between 0.3 and 1 kg. Witch occur in the moderately deep waters of the Gulf of St. Lawrence and off the coast of Newfoundland and Labrador where they are harvested with otter trawls and seine nets.

Witch are principally marketed as fresh or frozen fillets of sole. . 7

The average weight in the com- or mottled gray-white, sometimes They are caught with longlines mercial catch ranges from about suffused with red, in the larger and otter trawls, and marketed 0.5 to 4.5 kg. ones. Halibut can become very fresh or frozen, usually in the large and in the commercial catch form of steaks and fillets. Turbot are found from their weight range is from 2.3 to waters south to Georges Bank. They over 56 kg. occur in deep waters and the fish- ery is confined, for the most part, to the deep bays of Newfoundland, Labrador, Baffin Island and the Gulf of St. Lawrence.

Traditionally a line trawl fishery, Winter Flounder gillnets are now being used to harvest these fi.sh. Offshore catches are made by otter trawl. The bulk of the turbot catch goes to market as fresh or frozen fillets.

Atlantic Halibut ( hippoglossus) Atlantic halibut, giant members of the flatfish family, are prized table Greenland Halibut delicacies and command the high- est price of any flatfish. However, total landings in the Canadian Atlantic fishery are well below those of any of the smaller flatfish commonly called . Residents of waters on both sides of the Atlantic, halibut range in the western Atlantic from Labrador southward to the Gulf of Maine and eastward to western Green- land. In Canadian waters, main areas of catch are the Nova Scotia Atlantic Halibut Banks, the Grand Banks and the Gulf of St. Lawrence. Halibut are readily distinguished from most other flatfish by their large mouth and forked tail. The upper side is greenish-brown to very dark brown with scattered blotches. The underside ranges from white in small fi.sh to gray QL 626 05313 no.2 2000 c .2 ( ATLANTIC GROUNDFISH Chouinard, G. Atlantic groundfish 8 247450 12064514 c .2

Underwater World factsheets are brief THE SERIES IS DIVIDED INTO 7 CATEGORIES: illustrated accounts offisheries resources and marine phenomena prepared for public • Groundfish information and education. They describe • Pelagics the life history, geographic distribution, utilization and population status offish , • Invertebrates and other living marine resources, • Diadromous (anadromous and/or the nature, origin and impact and catadromous) of marine processes and phenomena. • Marine Mammals • Freshwater • Aquatic Topics To which category does this species belong?

Further Read;ng PARSONS, L.S. AND W.H. LEAR (ED .) . Visit the following web sites: 1993. Perspectives on Canadian East Coast of North America BROWN, S.K., R. MAHO , marine fisheries management. Stategic Assessment Project at: K.C.T. ZWANENBURG, K.R. BUJA, Can. Bull. Fish. Aquat. Sei. http://www-orca.nos.noaa.gov/ L.W. CLAFLIN, RN. O'BOYLE, 226: 446 p. B. ATKINSON, M. SINCLAIR, G. projects/ ecnasap / ecnasap.html ROBINS, C.R. AND G.C. RAY. 1986. HOWELL AND M.E. MONACO. 1996. A field guide to Atlantic coast Canadian Stock Assessment East coast of North America of North America. Secretariat (Fisheries and groundfish: Initial explorations Houghton Mifflin Company, Oceans Canada) at: of biogeography and species Boston, U .S.A. : 354 p. http://www.dfo-mpo.gc.ca/ csas/ assemblages. Silver Spring, MD: National Oceanic and Scorr, W. B. AND M. G. Scorr. Atmospheric Administration, 1988. Atlantic Fishes of Canada. Updated text: and Dartmouth, N.S.: Department Can. Bull. Fish. Aquat. Sei. Ghislain Chouinard of Fisheries and Oceans. 111 p. 219: 731 p. Fisheries and Oceans Canada PARSONS, L.S. 1993. Management TALLMAN, R. ,J.S.S. CAMPBELL, of marine fisheries in Canada. G. CHOUINARD AND L. WAJTE. 1988. Can. Bull. Fish. Aquat. Sei. Key to the identification of flatfish 225: 763 p. species. Department of Fisheries and Oceans Spec. Publ. 4020: 16 p.

Published by: Communications Directorate Fisheries and Oceans Canada Ottawa, Ontario KlA 0E6 DF0/ 6011 UW/ 2 © Her Majesty the Queen in Right of Canada, 2000 Cat. No. Fs 41-33-l/ 2-2000E ISBN 0-662-28590-5 www.dfo-mpo.gc.ca Disponibl.e en français - Les poissons de fond de l'Atlantique Printed on recycl ed paper SCIEN TIFIC EXC ELLENCE