Terms of Reference

Reference Points consistent with the Fishery Decision-making Framework for Arctic Char in Cambridge Bay, Nunavut

Central and Arctic Regional Advisory Meeting

January 25-26, 2011
Winnipeg, Manitoba

Chairperson: Ross Tallman

Context

Canada is committed,both domestically and internationally, to conserving, managing, and exploiting fish stocks in a sustainable manner. Recently, Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO) has adopted a Fishery Decision-making Framework incorporating the Precautionary Approach to conserve and manage its fisheries resources. The framework includes the identification of reference points and stock status zones, and the development of harvest decision rules based on a harvest rate strategy.

Central & Arctic Region (Fisheries Management and Science) are conducting a pilot to assess the feasibility of implementing the Fishery Decision Framework for Arctic Char fisheries.  The Cambridge Bay Arctic Char fishery, consisting of fisheries in several commercial waterbodies, has been chosen for this pilot project because of the relatively long-term dataset.

A regional Science Advisory Process was held to update the assessment of the status of geographic stock complexes of Cambridge Bay Arctic Char in January 2010.  At that meeting it was concluded that using traditional time series analysis of current data could not produce reference points for Cambridge Bay Arctic Char.  Therefore, a Bayesian-based model has been applied to develop reference points for the combined river systems and the results will be presented and reviewed at this advisory meeting.

Objectives

• Review accumulated information on historical harvest and status of exploited geographic stocks harvested from commercial waterbodies in the Cambridge Bay fishery;
• Critically review model selection, assumptions, prior specifications, and output analysis;
• Assess whether reference points can be established  for Cambridge Bay Arctic Char (all waterbodies combined) and the potential for defining reference points for specific commerical waterbodies;
• Provide science advice on model performance and harvest control rules for Cambridge Bay Arctic Char.

Expected Publications

• Canadian Science Advisory Secretariat (CSAS) Science Advisory Report (SAR)
• CSAS proceedings report summarizing the discussions of the science review
• Two CSAS research document providing technical support for the SAR

Participants

• DFO Science
• External experts
• DFO Fisheries and Aquaculture Management