Science Response 2014/001
Small fish protocol for Atlantic Mackerel (Scomber scombrus L.) purse seine fishery
Context
The last assessment of the Atlantic mackerel in NAFO subareas 3 and 4 was hold in April 2012 and the next one is scheduled during the winter of 2014 in Mont-Joli to provide scientific advice for the 2014 and 2015 fishing seasons. In the meantime, Fisheries and Aquaculture Management (DFO, Quebec) asked the Regional Science Branch of the Quebec Region to develop a small fish protocol for purse seine fishery in the Gulf of St. Lawrence. The purpose of the protocol is to ensure that the percentage of catches of Atlantic mackerel (Scomber scombrus L.), with a fork length of less than the current minimum legal size (250 mm), does not exceed 10% in number.
To meet this request, a small fish protocol for the Atlantic mackerel was developed based on that of the Atlantic herring (Clupea harengus harengus L.) in the southern Gulf of St. Lawrence (C. LeBlanc, pers. comm., DFO, Moncton). A Science Response Process (SRP) was used to present the results to Fisheries and Aquaculture Management. This Science Response results from the Science Response Process of December 4, 2013 on development of a protocol for small fish for mackerel (Scomber scombrus L.) fishing purse seine in the Gulf of St. Lawrence.
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