Arctic Stock Assessment

The Arctic Stock Assessment section is responsible for evaluating the status of harvested fish and marine mammals stocks and for producing Stock Status reports and background papers. Section activities involve both the collection of biological data and the provision of advice to fisheries managers. These duties are conducted in a co-management environment with full participation of the co-management boards. Some of the stock assessment projects are sponsored or jointly sponsored by the co-management partners.

Arctic fish are harvested in both commercial and subsistence fisheries and marine mammals are harvested for subsistence. Research programs are directly related to the need to provide advice to fisheries managers to ensure that harvests are sustainable. They focus on collecting data on stock relationships, stock abundance and impacts of harvesting. Data collected by stock assessment personnel are integrated with data from other research sections and with traditional knowledge to develop advice for fisheries managers. This advice is formally reviewed and summarized in Stock Status Reports.

Related Links:

Canadian Stock Assessment Secretariat

Projects:

• Monitoring the distribution and movements of ringed seals in the western Canadian Arctic, using satellite telemetry 1999-2001
• Study of fall movements of Beaufort Sea Belugas

Contact:

Dr. Susan Cosens - (204) 983-8838