Canada Scotia – Fundy Haddock Fishery Version 5 Public Certification Report: 151010 Version 5 Public Certification Report The Canada Scotia - Fundy Fishery for Haddock (Melanogrammus aeglefinus) in NAFO Sea Areas 5Zjm, 4X5Y October 2010 Client Groundfish Enterprise Allocation Council Authors Sean Cox, Tim Huntington, Paul Knapman, Ian Scott Client Contact Bruce Chapman, Executive Director, GEAC, 1362 Revell Drive, Manotick, Ontario K4M 1K8 Canada Certification Body Moody Marine Ltd, Moody International Certification, 28 Fleming Drive, Halifax, Nova Scotia, B3P 1A9, Canada i | Page Canada Scotia – Fundy Haddock Fishery Version 5 Public Certification Report: 151010 Table of Contents 1 SUMMARY ................................................................................................................................... 1 2 BACKGROUND TO THE REPORT ......................................................................................... 3 2.1 INTRODUCTION ........................................................................................................................ 3 2.2 FISHERY PROPOSED FOR CERTIFICATION ............................................................................... 3 2.3 REPORT STRUCTURE AND ASSESSMENT PROCESS .................................................................. 4 2.4 INFORMATION SOURCES USED ................................................................................................ 4 3 GLOSSARY OF ACRONYMS USED IN THE REPORT ..................................................... 11 4 BACKGROUND TO THE FISHERY ...................................................................................... 13 4.1 HISTORY OF THE FISHERY ..................................................................................................... 13 4.2 BIOLOGY OF THE TARGET SPECIES ....................................................................................... 15 4.2.1 Family ............................................................................................................................... 15 4.2.2 Geographic Range ............................................................................................................ 15 4.2.3 Habitat .............................................................................................................................. 15 4.2.4 Natural Mortality Rate, Life Span & Maturity .................................................................. 15 4.2.5 Prey & Predators .............................................................................................................. 15 4.2.6 Growth .............................................................................................................................. 16 4.2.7 Spawning ........................................................................................................................... 16 4.2.8 Migration .......................................................................................................................... 17 4.3 QUOTA & TACS .................................................................................................................. 17 4.4 FLEET AND GEAR DESCRIPTION ............................................................................................ 18 4.5 FISHING YEAR ....................................................................................................................... 20 4.6 LANDINGS ............................................................................................................................. 20 5 ADMINISTRATIVE CONTEXT .............................................................................................. 23 5.1 INTRODUCTION ...................................................................................................................... 23 5.2 FISHING AREA ....................................................................................................................... 23 5.3 LEGISLATION ......................................................................................................................... 24 5.4 5ZJM ...................................................................................................................................... 27 5.5 DISCRETIONARY POWERS ..................................................................................................... 27 5.6 DISPUTE RESOLUTION & COMPLIANCE WITH LEGAL DECISIONS ......................................... 27 6 STOCK ASSESSMENT ............................................................................................................. 29 6.1 4X5Y ..................................................................................................................................... 29 6.1.1 Management Unit .............................................................................................................. 29 6.1.2 Assessments & Stock Status .............................................................................................. 29 6.1.3 Management Advice .......................................................................................................... 36 6.2 5Z .......................................................................................................................................... 39 6.2.1 Management Unit .............................................................................................................. 39 6.2.2 Assessments & Stock Status .............................................................................................. 41 6.2.3 Management Advice .......................................................................................................... 44 7 FISHERY MANAGEMENT FRAMEWORK ......................................................................... 50 7.1 THE LEGAL FRAMEWORK ..................................................................................................... 50 7.1.1 Regulations ....................................................................................................................... 50 7.2 STRATEGIC APPROACH ......................................................................................................... 50 7.3 ABORIGINAL RIGHTS ............................................................................................................. 51 7.4 CONSULTATION & THE DECISION MAKING PROCESS........................................................... 51 ii | Page Canada Scotia – Fundy Haddock Fishery Version 5 Public Certification Report: 151010 7.5 MANAGEMENT POLICY: LONG TERM OBJECTIVES ............................................................... 54 7.6 INCENTIVES FOR SUSTAINABLE FISHING .............................................................................. 55 7.7 MANAGEMENT SYSTEM ........................................................................................................ 56 7.8 MONITORING, CONTROL AND SURVEILLANCE (MCS).......................................................... 60 7.9 RESEARCH ............................................................................................................................. 60 8 ECOSYSTEM CHARACTERISTICS ...................................................................................... 62 8.1 INTRODUCTION ...................................................................................................................... 62 8.2 BY-CATCH – RETAINED SPECIES ........................................................................................... 62 8.2.1 Overview ........................................................................................................................... 62 8.2.2 Assessment of Main Retained Species ............................................................................... 64 8.3 BY-CATCH – DISCARD SPECIES ............................................................................................. 73 8.3.1 Overview ........................................................................................................................... 73 8.3.2 Assessment of Relevant Discarded Species ....................................................................... 74 8.4 ETP SPECIES ......................................................................................................................... 79 8.4.1 Status ................................................................................................................................. 79 8.4.2 Management Strategies by Gear ....................................................................................... 80 8.4.3 Information and monitoring .............................................................................................. 82 8.5 HABITATS .............................................................................................................................. 83 8.5.1 Status ................................................................................................................................. 83 8.5.2 Management Strategies ..................................................................................................... 87 8.5.3 Information & Monitoring ................................................................................................ 89 8.6 ECOSYSTEM IMPACTS ........................................................................................................... 91 8.6.1 Status ................................................................................................................................