$MSC ASSESSMENT North Atlantic Swordfish (Xiphias gladius) Canadian Pelagic Longline Fishery VOLUME 1: FINAL REPORT AND DETERMINATION Contract Number: 09-01 Nova Scotia Swordfish Version: Final Report and Determination Certificate No.: Date: 22 August 2011 Client: Nova Scotia Swordfishermen’s Association MSC reference standards: MSC Principles and Criteria for Sustainable Fishing, Nov, 2004. MSC Accreditation Manual Version 5, August 2005 MSC Fisheries Certification Methodology (FCM) Version 6, September 2006 MSC TAB Directives (All) MSC Chain of Custody Certification Methodology (CoC CM) Version 6. November 2005 MSC Fisheries Assessment Methodology, Version 1, July 2008 Accredited Certification Body: Moody Marine Ltd. 99 Wyse Road, Suite 815 Dartmouth, Nova Scotia, Canada B3A 4S5 Assessment Team Mr. Steven Devitt, B.Sc. Moody Marine Ltd. Ms. Amanda Park, M.M.M. Moody Marine Ltd. Mr. Robert O’Boyle, Beta Scientific Consulting Inc. Mr. Jean-Jacques Maguire Dr. Michael Sissenwine Moody Marine Ltd. NW Atlantic Canadian Longline Swordfish: Final Report Table of Contents Executive Summary .......................................................................................................... v 1. Introduction ................................................................................................................ 1 1.1 Unit of Certification ............................................................................................... 1 1.1.1 Point of Entry in Chain of Custody and Eligibility ......................................... 3 1.2 The Client ............................................................................................................... 4 1.3 Summary ................................................................................................................ 4 1.4 Strengths and Weaknesses of Client Operation ..................................................... 5 1.5 Conditions and Recommendations ........................................................................ 6 2.0 Background to the Report ....................................................................................... 7 2.1 Authors and Peer Reviews. .................................................................................... 7 2.2 Previous Assessments .......................................................................................... 10 2.3 Field Inspections .................................................................................................. 10 2.4 Consultations ........................................................................................................ 10 3.0 Fishery Background Information ......................................................................... 13 3.1 The Target Species ............................................................................................... 13 3.2 Candidate Fishery ............................................................................................... 16 3.3 Historical Management Context .......................................................................... 17 3.4 The Fishery Area of Operation ............................................................................ 18 3.5 Fleet, gear and harvest controls ........................................................................... 20 3.6 Catch .................................................................................................................... 28 3.7 Retained Species .................................................................................................. 31 3.8 Bycatch Species .................................................................................................. 35 3.9 Interactions with Endangered, Threatened and Protected (ETP) Species ............ 42 3.10 Categorization of species in MSC assessment .................................................... 45 4.0 Management System .............................................................................................. 47 4.1 Management System and Objectives ................................................................... 47 4.2 Management Plan ................................................................................................. 49 5.0 Stock Health Evaluation ........................................................................................ 52 5.1 Stock Health Monitoring ...................................................................................... 52 5.2 Current Stock Status ............................................................................................ 53 6.0 MSC Principles and Criteria for Sustainable Fishing ........................................ 56 7.0 Fishery Evaluation Process ................................................................................... 60 7.1 Certification Process ............................................................................................ 60 7.2 Other Fisheries in the Area .................................................................................. 62 8.0 Fishery Performance ............................................................................................. 63 8.1 Interpretation of the MSC Standard ..................................................................... 63 8.2 Scoring Methodology ........................................................................................... 63 8.3 Submission of Data on the Fishery ...................................................................... 64 8.4 Performance Evaluations ..................................................................................... 65 9.0 Tracking, Tracing Fish And Fish Products ......................................................... 66 10.0 Certification Recommendation ........................................................................... 68 NW Atl Canadian Swordfish Longline Final Report_082011.doc i Moody Marine Ltd. NW Atlantic Canadian Longline Swordfish: Final Report 10.1 Conditions ........................................................................................................... 68 10.2 Principle 1 Conditions ........................................................................................ 68 10.3 Principle 2 Conditions ........................................................................................ 71 10.4 Principle 3 Conditions ........................................................................................ 79 11 Assessment Results .................................................................................................. 84 Note: Due to the size of the report, Appendices containing supporting information are contained in separate volumes. Volume 2 Appendix 1: ICCAT Swordfish Statistical Document Appendix 2: DFO Support for Client Action Plan Appendix 3: Summary of Submitted Concerns/Issues During Public Comment Periods and How Each Was Addressed Appendix 4: Written Submissions Received From Stakeholders Following Consultation Periods Appendix 5: Comments From the Second Stakeholder Consultation Period (November 18, 2010 – December 23, 2010). Appendix 6: Peer Review Comments Volume 3 Appendix 7.0 Appendix 7.1: Written Submission Received Prior to the Site Visit Appendix 7.2: Site Visit Meeting Summaries Appendix 8.0: Stakeholder Comments and Team Responses from PCDR Comment Period Appendix 8.1 – Comments from 35 Stakeholder Groups and CB/ Team Responses Appendix 8.2 – Comments from B. Worm Lab @ Dalhousie University Department of Biology and CB/ Team Responses Appendix 8.3 – Comments from David Suzuki Foundation and CB/ Team Responses Appendix 8.4 – Comments from Ecology Action Center and CB/ Team Responses Appendix 8.5 – Comments from Friends of Hector Email Campaign and CB/ Team Responses Appendix 8.6 – Comments from Katie McLean and CB/ Team Responses Appendix 8.7 – Comments from Oceana and CB/ Team Responses Appendix 8.8 – Comments from Canadian Shark Conservation Society and CB/ Team Responses Appendix 8.9 – Comments from National Marine Fisheries Service and CB/ Team Responses Appendix 8.10 – Comments from Sierra Club of Canada – Atlantic Canada Chapter and CB/ Team Responses NW Atl Canadian Swordfish Longline Final Report_082011.doc ii Moody Marine Ltd. NW Atlantic Canadian Longline Swordfish: Final Report Appendix 8.11 – Comments from Sven Koschinski and CB/ Team Responses Appendix 8.12 – Comments from WWF and CB/ Team Responses Appendix 9: Comments from MSC and CB Responses TABLES Table 1: Agenda for the North Atlantic Swordfish Longline and Harpoon Certification Assessment Visit, July 21-24, 2009 .................................................................................. 12 Table 2: Objectives Hierarchy for Management of the Scotia-Fundy Swordfish Fishery 21 Table 3: Summary of International and Domestic Objectives and Management Measures for the Swordfish and Other Tunas Fisheries by Species ................................................. 22 Table 4: Percentage At-Sea Observer Coverage, 2001 – 2010. ........................................ 27 Table 5: Landings of Atlantic Swordfish by the Canadian pelagic longline fleet, 1987- 2008. .................................................................................................................................. 30 Table 6: Catch composition and weights of retained species from the longline large pelagic hauls, 2002 to 2009. ............................................................................................. 32 Table 7: Catch composition and weights of observed bycatch from