Harvesters in eastern Newfoundland are either already on the water or are gearing up for the 2019 Northern cod fishery.
This spring, the Department of Fisheries and Oceans (DFO) reported that the spawning stock biomass (SSB) for 2J3KL cod had returned to its level of two years ago, about 48 per cent of the critical level needed for a healthy fishery or 398,000 tonnes. In fact, DFO actually revised its 2018 stock projection. The department reported that the 2018 SSB had been revised from 315,000 tonnes to 383,000 tonnes and is anticipated to further increase in 2020.
As a result of this biomass improvement, DFO announced that the 2019 stewardship fishery catches have been increased to 12,350 tonnes, a 30 per cent increase relative to 2018.
Last year, the 29 per cent single-year decline in spawning stock biomass lead to a catch limit reduction in the 2018 stewardship fishery to 9,500 metric tonnes, a 25 per cent reduction relative to 2017. In fact, total reported landings in 2018 were only 9,269 tonnes compared to 13,452 tonnes in 2017
DFO recently released the 2019 2J3KL cod stewardship fishery season dates and catch limits, as well as the conservation harvesting plan (CHP). Some of the key CHP components include:
Eligibility
- Participation in the 2019 NAFO Divisions 2J3KL Stewardship cod fishery will be restricted to groundfish licence holders with a homeport in NAFO Divisions 2J3KL and the 4R overlap area defined as North Boat Harbour to Cape Bauld.
- Groundfish licence holders in NAFO Divisions 3KL will have the option to either participate in this fishery, or to exercise their fishing privileges in NAFO sub-Division 3Ps, but not both.
- When both 4R and 2J3KL fisheries are open, Groundfish licence holders in NAFO Division 4R overlap area (North Boat Harbour to Cape Bauld), will have the option in a single week to either participate in the 2J3KL Stewardship fishery, or to exercise their fishing privileges in NAFO Division 4R, but not both.
Fishing Restrictions
- NAFO Division 4R licence holders that opt to participate in this fishery are authorized to fish only in the portion of NAFO Division 3K defined as North of 51 degrees 18 minutes North (Cape Bauld to Lobster Point) and fishing is not permitted in the waters outside Canada’s Territorial sea (the 12 mile limit).
- The weekly catch limitations identified below assume that a licence holder will fish in the same NAFO area as their homeport. 2J-based licence holders will receive licence conditions with catch limitations for fishing within 2J. If a 2J-based licence holder wants to fish in 3KL, they must contact the Department to receive licence conditions with catch limitations for 3KL. If a 3KL-based licence holder wants to fish in 2J, they must contact the Department to receive licence conditions with catch limitations for 2J.
- Once a licence holder has commenced fishing, they will not be permitted to change their area of fishing for the remainder of that calendar year. A licence holder will be permitted one (1) request to change their fishing area (i.e. 2J to 3KL or 3KL to 2J) once per calendar year.
Catch Limitations
- The maximum authorized harvest for the 2019 2J3KL Stewardship cod fishery (including the cod quality project) is 12,350 tonnes (round weight).
- For the purposes of the 2019 NAFO Divisions 2J3KL Stewardship cod fishery, a fishing week shall be defined as “fishing week will start at 00:01 local time on Sunday and end on 24:00 local time on the following Saturday.
- For NAFO division 2J, the following 2019 base weekly authorized catch limits for cod apply:
- August 4 – August 31: 4,000 lbs/week
- September 1 – November 9: 7,000 lbs/week
- During the periods September 29 – October 31 and November 1 – November 9 harvesters may elect to fish a single trip with a catch limit of 28,000 lbs rather than the weekly limit of 7,000 lbs.
- In NAFO divisions 3KL, the following 2019 base weekly authorized catch limits for cod apply:
- August 11 – August 31: 2,000 lbs/week
- September 1 – September 28: 3,000 lbs/week
- September 29 – November 16: 3,500 lbs/week
- Fall-only Fishery Option (applicable to NAFO Divisions 3KL only):
- To promote the distribution of catch throughout the season in 2019, harvesters will have the option of fishing the entire season at the weekly catch limits identified above, or they may opt to fish only during the fall from September 29 to November 16, 2019 with a base weekly limit of 7,000 lbs/week. Fish harvesters that choose the fall-only fishery option will not be able to fish prior to September 29.
- A Notice to Fishers will be issued with the deadline for harvesters to indicate to the Department that the fall-only option was selected. Any harvester who does not select the fall-only fishery option by the deadline will receive conditions authorizing them to fish the entire season (August 11 – November 16) at the weekly catch limit identified above.
- If harvesters have acquired additional cod shares through enterprise combining, their weekly authorized catch limit will be calculated within the licensing program and identified in licence conditions.
- The conversion factor from round weight to gutted head on is 1.2. For example, the conversion of a weekly harvest limit of 3,000 lbs. round weight equates to 2,500 lbs head on gutted.
- To ensure that there is harvest available for those that select the fall-only fishery option, approximately 75 per cent of the maximum allowable harvest will be permitted up to and including September 28, 2019 and approximately 25 per cent will be available for the period after September 29, 2019.
- Should in-season adjustments to catch limits or seasons be required, updates will be communicated to harvesters via a Notice to Fishers.
Fishing gear
- The use of gillnets, longline, hand-line and cod pots will be authorized as per the 2019 2J3KL Stewardship cod licence conditions. Harvesters are to exercise caution when setting gear to ensure that weekly limits are not exceeded.
- Gear limits are highlighted below and are also identified in the 2019 2J3KL Stewardship licence conditions.
- Harvesters shall not leave fishing gear unattended in the water for more than 72 consecutive hours.
Gillnets
- Up to and including September 28, the maximum authorized number of nets onboard the vessel or in the water at any one time is six.
- Commencing September 29, the maximum authorized number of nets onboard the vessel or in the water at any one time is as follows:
- Authorized catch limit up to and including 3,500 lbs = six nets
- Authorized catch limit greater than 3,500 lbs up to and including 7,000 lbs = nine nets
- Authorized catch limit greater than 7,000 lbs up to and including 14,000 lbs = 12 nets
- Authorized catch limit greater than 14,000 lbs = 15 nets.
Longline
- Harvesters are only authorized to have a maximum of 5,000 hooks onboard the vessel or in the water at any one time.
Licensing Policy
Buddy-up
There will be no buddy-up arrangements in this fishery. Having no buddy-up is consistent with the Department’s initial plan to open a stewardship fishery and allow individual licence holders to test their beliefs of the cod stock. Also, under a management regime with no buddy-up, the Department can allocate a higher individual harvest level whereas, under a buddy-up model, it would have to be lower due to a higher activity rate. Finally, the current management regime is consistent with the owner/operator policy. NAFO Division 4R overlap licence holders that participate in this fishery are NOT able to avail of buddy-up while fishing 2J3KL Stewardship cod.
Vessel leasing
The existing vessel leasing policy will be applied. Under this policy, your current vessel must have been previously active to qualify for a lease arrangement. Leasing is only permitted in cases of mechanical breakdown/structural damage or complete vessel loss. Proper documentation is required.
Substitute operators
There will be no substitute operators (designations) granted for this fishery. However, the Department will consider medical situations on a case-by-case basis.
Small Fish Protocol
The minimum size for cod is 45 cm (18 in). Areas will be closely monitored and will be closed to fishing when the number of cod <45cm long caught exceeds 15 per cent of the total number of cod caught.
