Multi-Year Approach to Fisheries Management

Many fisheries do not need annual science assessments or annual management measures, such as setting harvest levels, because the status of the fish stock does not significantly vary from year to year. In fact, more than 150 fisheries in Canada are managed today using multi-year stock assessments and advice.

We are expanding our use of the multi-year approach by coordinating multi-year stock assessments and advice with multi-year fisheries management planning.

What is changing?

• We are coordinating multi-year stock assessments and advice with multi-year fisheries management planning in more fisheries.
• Fisheries and Oceans is developing schedules to move fisheries to the multi-year approach over the next three fiscal years, starting in 2012-13.

How will these changes benefit industry?

• Multi-year planning will provide fishermen with predictable, stable access to the resource, which enables long-term business planning and maximizes economic return.
• The multi-year approach has proven successful in sustainable fisheries, such as groundfish in the Pacific and shrimp in the Gulf of St. Lawrence.

Annual stock assessment advice and fisheries management planning will continue to take place where fish stock biology requires this approach, such as Pacific salmon fisheries. The annual approach will also continue where international agreements require this approach, such as the International Commission for the Conservation of Atlantic Tunas.

In addition, the Department will continue to regularly collect data and monitor fish stocks so we can continue to detect any changes in stock status – and initiate any necessary actions.

More information:

• Answers to Frequently Asked Questions
• Contact Us