Archived – Scallop Areas 16A, 16B, 16C, 16D, 16G, 16H and 18D – Quebec

Species and Area

Scallop areas 16A, 16B, 16C, 16D, 16G, 16H and 18D – Quebec Region, North Shore Area

Dates of season (subject to change)

2010 fishing season

Sub-areas 16A-1 and 16A-2: April 12 to December 3
Sub-area 16B: April March [Tr. sic] 12 to November 19
Sub-area 16C: May 10 to October 29
Sub-area 16D: April 12 to November 5
Sub-area 16G: April 19 to November 12
Sub-area 16H: April 12 to November 5
Sub-area 18D: April 26 to November 5

Total Allowable Catches and Sharing Arrangements (if applicable)

Allowable catches

Sub-area 16A-1: 10.9 t (meat weight)
Sub-area 16A-2: 3.8 t (meat weight)
Sub-area 16B: 6.8 t (meat weight) – Competitive fishery
Sub-area 16C: 12.8 t (meat weight)
Sub-area 16D: 6.1 t (meat weight)
Sub-area 16G: 13.7 t (meat weight) – Competitive fishery
Sub-area 16H: 8.3 t (meat weight)

• Group A: 2.45 t (meat weight) – Competitive fishery
• Group BCN: 5.85 t (meat weight) – Fishery with IQ

Sub-area 18D: 10 t (meat weight) – Competitive fishery

Management Measures

Background

Barring a major change in stock status, the science advisory on scallop stocks in the North Shore areas is valid for three years, i.e. 2010, 2011 and 2012. The stock assessment indicates that landings on the North Shore were down by 61% from 2006 due to an unfavourable socio-economic context. Several fishing areas were not harvested.

For fishing areas 16A1, 16A2, 16G and 18H, DFO reduced the precautionary TACs as follows:

1. Area 16A1: TAC reduced from 13.6 (t of meat) to 10.9 (t of meat)
2. Area 16A2: TAC reduced from 6.5 (t of meat) to 3.8 (t of meat)
3. Area 16G: TAC reduced from 35.9 (t of meat) to 13.7 (t of meat)
4. Area 16H: TAC reduced from 30.9 (t of meat) to 8.3 (t of meat)

DFO may review these TACs during the next few years.

Fishing areas

Sub-area 16A-1: From Grande Anse to Pointe-du-Moulin
Sub-area 16A-2: From Pointe-du-Moulin to Pointe-des-Monts
Sub-area 16B: From Pointe-des-Monts to Pointe-au-Jambon
Sub-area 16C: From Pointe-au-Jambon to Manitou River
Sub-area 16D: From Manitou River to Île aux Perroquets Lighthouse
Sub-area 16G: From Corneille River to Natashquan’s Wharf
Sub-area 16H: From Natashquan’s Wharf to Rivière de L'Étang
Sub-area 18D: Northeast of Anticosti Island (Cap Observation to Pointe de L'Est)

Number of licences

Sub-area 16A-1: 1
Sub-area 16A-2: 1
Sub-area 16B: 2
Sub-area 16C: 2
Sub-area 16D: Open to all scallop licence holders residing from Sept-Îles to Pointe Parent
Sub-area 16G: 3 accessible to Group A fishers
(see Notice to Fish Harvesters - 16E, 16F and 18A)
Sub-area 16H: 2 Group A licences
Voluntary access to 6 Lower North Shore scallop vessels without a
crab licence
Sub-area 18D: Open to all scallop licence holders residing from
Tadoussac to Pointe Parent

Dockside monitoring

Mandatory for sub-areas 16C and 16H.

Hail out

Mandatory for sub-area 16H licence holders.

Hail in

Mandatory hail-in to a local dockside monitoring company for all areas.

At-sea observers

Sub-area 16A-1: 5% coverage
Sub-area 16C: 10% coverage

Logbook

Mandatory

Basket width

Total basket width shall not exceed 24 feet.

Species at Risk Act

Pursuant to the Species at Risk Act (SARA), all bycatches of Spotted Wolffish, Northern Wolffish and Leatherback Turtle must be returned to the water and released in the same location they were caught and, where they are still alive, in a manner that causes them the least harm. Moreover, information regarding interactions with species at risk must be provided in the “Species at Risk” section of the logbook.

Triennial committee

Three-year management plan; the next advisory committee meeting will be held in 2013.

Licence conditions

The issuance of licence conditions requires two business days. To obtain a licence condition, sub-area 16A-1 and 16C fishers must ensure, where required, that they have a valid agreement with an at-sea observer company before submitting a request to the area office.

Links to other information

Facts on Canadian Species