Research Document 1998/58
Shifts in fishing effort, commercial landings and resource distribution for cod, haddock, pollock and white hake in NAFO Division 4X
By D. Clark, J. Neilson, P. Hurley, P. Perley, and M. Fowler
Abstract
Effort directed at the major groundfish species has been concentrating in the Bay of Fundy. As a result, the proportions of 4X cod, haddock and pollock landed from the Bay of Fundy, as opposed to from the Scotian Shelf, have increased steadily over the last 10 years, more than tripling for pollock. Although there is little evidence from the summer surveys of a shift in resource distribution, fishermen report that this has occurred for cod and pollock. Factors such as a more balanced mix of groundfish species in the Bay of Fundy, and the impact of management measures may also contribute to the shift in distribution of effort.
At a fishing mortality approaching F0.1, shifts in effort of the magnitudes seen here are unlikely to have serious implications for the entire Bay of Fundy; however, local concentrations of effort could deplete local spawning stocks. As a precautionary measure, when resource distribution or the fishery becomes concentrated, harvesting plans with lower exploitation levels than might otherwise be indicated should be considered, in the absence of any other management measures.
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