Sustainable Fisheries Framework Work Plan for Fiscal 2021-2022

Introduction

The following tables describe work activities related to the implementation of the Sustainable Fisheries Framework to be undertaken in 2021-22.

Section 1: Precautionary Approach Reference Points and Harvest Control Rules

**A. Precautionary Approach Limit Reference Points (LRP)**
LRPs to be completed
#	Region	Fish Stock	Description of Activity in 2021-22
1	Quebec	Snow Crab Coastal - 12A, 12B, 12C, 13, 14, 15, 16, 16A, 17	Will complete development of LRP in 2021-22.
2	Quebec	Cod - 4RS-3Pn*	Will complete revision of LRP in 2021-22.
3	Pacific	Giant Red Sea Cucumber	Carry forward from 2020-21. Will complete review of LRP in 2021-22.
LRPs in progress
#	Region	Fish Stock	Description of Activity in 2021-22
1	Newfoundland and Labrador	Capelin - 2J3KLPs	Will continue development of LRP in 2021-22.
2	Newfoundland and Labrador	Herring - 2J3KLPs	Will continue development of LRP in 2021-22.
3	Gulf	Rock crab - LFA 23, 24, 25, 26A	Will continue development of LRP in 2021-22.
4	Gulf	Striped Bass	Will continue development of LRP in 2021-22.
5	Quebec	Capelin - 4RST	Will continue development of LRP in 2021-22.
6	Quebec	Atlantic Halibut - 4RST	Will continue development of LRP in 2021-22.
7	Quebec	Gulf of St. Lawrence Shrimp - SFA 8, 9, 10, 12*	Will continue revision of LRP in 2021-22.
8	Quebec	Iceland Scallop - SFA 16ef, 18a	Will continue development of LRP in 2021-22.
9	National Capital Region	Northern Shrimp – SFA 4,5,6*	Will continue development of LRP in 2021-22.
10	Arctic	Narwhal - North Hudson Bay	Will continue development of LRP in 2021-22.
LRPs to be initiated
#	Region	Fish Stock	Description of Activity in 2021-22
1	Maritimes	Haddock – 5Z	Will begin review of LRP in 2021-22.
2	Maritimes	Atlantic Halibut – 3NOPs4VWX5*	Will begin review of LRP in 2021-22.
3	Maritimes	Shrimp – Scotian Shelf	Will begin review of LRP in 2021-22.
4	Arctic	Bowhead – Eastern Canada, Western Greenland	Will begin development of LRP in 2021-22.
5	Arctic	North Slope Dolly Varden – Rat River, Big Fish River	Will begin development of LRP in 2021-22.
6	Pacific	Dungeness Crab	Will begin development of LRP in 2021-22.

**B. Precautionary Approach Upper Stock Reference Points (USR)**
USRs to be completed
#	Region	Fish Stock	Description of Activity in 2021-22
1	Newfoundland and Labrador	Snow Crab- 2J3KLNO 3Ps	Will complete development of USR in 2021-22.
2	Quebec	Greenland Halibut -4RST	Will complete development of USR in 2021-22.
USRs in progress
#	Region	Fish Stock	Description of Activity in 2021-22
1	Gulf	Atlantic Salmon	Will continue development of USR for the Miramichi River in 2021-22.
2	Quebec	Snow Crab Coastal - 12A, 12B, 12C, 13, 14, 15, 16, 16A, 17	Will continue development of USR in 2021-22.
3	Quebec	Atlantic Halibut - 4RST	Will continue development of USR in 2021-22.
4	National Capital Region	Northern Shrimp (Borealis) – Western Assessment Zone	Will continue development of USR in 2021-22.
5	National Capital Region	Northern Shrimp (Montagui) – Western Assessment Zone	Will continue development of USR in 2021-22.
6	Pacific	Pacific Herring – Prince Rupert District	Will continue exploration and development of USR in 2021-22.
7	Pacific	Pacific Herring – Central Coast	Will continue exploration and development of USR in 2021-22.
8	Pacific	Pacific Herring –Strait of Georgia	Will continue exploration and development of USR in 2021-22.
9	Pacific	Pacific Herring –West Coast Vancouver Island	Will continue exploration and development of USR in 2021-22.
USRs to be initiated
#	Region	Fish Stock	Description of Activity in 2021-22
1	Newfoundland and Labrador	Capelin - 4RST	Will begin development of USR in 2021-22.
2	Newfoundland and Labrador	Atlantic Cod – 2J3KL* (Northern cod)	Will begin development of USR in 2021-22.
3	Newfoundland and Labrador	Atlantic Cod - 3Ps*	Will begin development of USR in 2021-22.
4	Maritimes	Atlantic Halibut – 3NOPs4VWX5*	Will begin review of USR in 2021-22.
5	Maritimes	Shrimp – Scotian Shelf	Will begin review of USR in 2021-22.
6	Quebec	Gulf of St. Lawrence Shrimp - SFA 8, 9, 10, 12*	Will begin revision of USR in 2021-22.
7	Quebec	Cod - 4RS-3Pn*	Carry forward from 2020-21. Will begin revision of USR in 2021-22.
8	Quebec	Iceland Scallop - SFA 16ef, 18a	Will begin development of USR in 2021-22.
9	Pacific	Giant Red Sea Cucumber	Carry forward from 2020-21. Will begin development of USR in 2021-22.

**C. Precautionary Approach Harvest Control Rules (HCR)**
HCRs to be completed
#	Region	Fish Stock	Description of Activity in 2021-22
1	Quebec	Greenland Halibut - 4RST	Carry forward from 2020-21. Will complete development of HCR in 2021-22.
HCRs in progress
#	Region	Fish Stock	Description of Activity in 2021-22
1	Newfoundland and Labrador	Atlantic Cod - 3Ps*	Will continue development of HCR in 2021-22 as part of process to develop Rebuilding Plan.
2	Newfoundland and Labrador	Redfish – 3LN	Will continue the review of the existing HCRs in 2021-22.
3	Newfoundland and Labrador	Snow Crab- 2J3KLNO 3Ps	Carry forward from 2020-21. Will continue revision of HCR in 2021-22.
4	Gulf	Atlantic Salmon	Carry forward from 2020-21. Will continue development of HCR for the Miramichi River in 2021-22.
5	Gulf	Atlantic Herring 4T (Fall Spawner) (Fixed and Mobile Gear)	Carry forward from 2020-21. Will continue development of HCR in 2021-22.
6	Gulf	Atlantic Herring 4T (Spring spawner)*	Will continue development of HCR in 2021-22.
7	National Capital Region	Northern Shrimp (Borealis) – Western Assessment Zone	Will continue development of HCR in 2021-22.
8	National Capital Region	Northern shrimp (Montagui) – Western Assessment Zone	Will continue development of HCR in 2021-22.
9	Pacific	Pacific Hake*	Canada will continue to support the Joint Management Committee, established under the Pacific Hake Treaty, in the development of an MSE for Pacific Hake.
10	Pacific	Albacore Tuna – North Pacific	Canada will continue work to develop an HCR with Regional fisheries management organizations (RFMOs) in 2021-22.
11	Pacific	Pacific Herring – Prince Rupert District	Will continue exploration and development of HCRs in 2021-22.
12	Pacific	Pacific Herring –Central Coast	Will continue exploration and development of HCRs in 2021-22.
13	Pacific	Pacific Herring –Strait of Georgia	Will continue exploration and development of HCRs in 2021-22.
14	Pacific	Pacific Herring – West Coast Vancouver Island	Will continue exploration and development of HCRs in 2021-22.
15	Pacific	Giant Red Sea Cucumber	Carry forward from 2020-21. Will continue to update HCR in 2021-22.
16	Pacific	Red Sea Urchin	Will continue to update HCR in 2021-22.
HCRs to be initiated
#	Region	Fish Stock	Description of Activity in 2021-22
1	Newfoundland and Labrador	Capelin - 4RST	Will begin development of HCR in 2021-22
2	Newfoundland and Labrador	Capelin - 2J3KLPs	Will begin development of HCR in 2021-22
3	Newfoundland and Labrador	Herring - 2J3KLPs	Will begin development of HCR in 2021-22
4	Maritimes	Atlantic Halibut – 3NOPs4VWX5*	Will begin review of HCR in 2021-22.
5	Maritimes	Shrimp – Scotian Shelf	Will begin review of HCR in 2021-22.
6	Quebec	Snow Crab Coastal - 12A, 12B, 12C, 13, 14, 15, 16, 16A, 17	Carry forward from 2020-21. Will begin development of HCR in 2021-22.
7	Quebec	Cod 4RS-3Pn*	Carry forward from 2020-21. Will begin revision of HCR in 2021-22.
8	Quebec	Gulf of St. Lawrence Shrimp - SFA 8, 9, 10, 12*	Will begin revision of HCR in 2021-22.
9	Pacific	Yelloweye Rockfish – Inside and Outside stocks*	Will begin development of target reference points (TRP) and new management procedures (MP) to support the continued rebuilding process for Inside Yelloweye and Outside Yelloweye Rockfish.

Section 2: Fish Stock Rebuilding Plans

A. 19 Priority Fish Stocks
DFO prioritized the completion of rebuilding plans for 19 fish stocks in response to the 2016 CESD Audit.
#	Region	Fish Stock	Date of Completion	Description of Activity in 2021-22
1	Pacific	Yelloweye Rockfish, inside/outside*	By end of 2017-18	Completed in 2017-2018.
2	Maritimes	Atlantic Cod – 4X5Y	By end of 2017-18	Completed in 2017-2018.
3	National Capital Region	Redfish Unit I	By end of 2018-19	No longer required.
4	National Capital Region	Redfish Unit II	By end of 2018-19	No longer required.
5	Newfoundland and Labrador	Atlantic Cod -2J3KL* (Northern cod)	By end of 2020-21	Completed in 2020-21.
6	Maritimes	Atlantic Cod – 5ZjM	By end of 2018-19	Completed in 2018-19.
7	Maritimes	Yellowtail Flounder – 5Z	By end of 2018-19	Completed in 2018-19.
8	Gulf	Cod, Southern Gulf of St. Lawrence - 4TVn*	By end of 2021-22	Expected date of completion of the Southern Gulf of St. Lawrence Groundfish Rebuilding Plan revised from 2020-21 to 2021-22. Approval will be sought on the rebuilding plan.
9	Gulf	Atlantic Herring 4T (Spring Spawner)*	By end of 2021-22	Expected date of completion of the Atlantic Herring 4T (Spring Spawner) Rebuilding Plan revised from 2020-21 to 2021-22. Approval will be sought on the rebuilding plan.
10	Gulf	Plaice (American), Southern Gulf of St. Lawrence - 4T*	By end of 2021-22	Expected date of completion of the Southern Gulf of St. Lawrence Groundfish Rebuilding Plan revised from 2020-21 to 2021-22. Approval will be sought on the rebuilding plan.
11	Gulf	White Hake 4T*	By end of 2021-22	Expected date of completion of the Southern Gulf of St. Lawrence Groundfish Rebuilding Plan revised from 2020-21 to 2021-22. Approval will be sought on the rebuilding plan.
12	Gulf	Winter Flounder 4T*	By end of 2021-22	Expected date of completion of the Southern Gulf of St. Lawrence Groundfish Rebuilding Plan revised from 2020-21 to 2021-22. Approval will be sought on the rebuilding plan.
13	National Capital Region	Northern Shrimp – SFA 6*	By end of 2017-18	Completed in 2018-19.
14	National Capital Region	Mackerel (Atlantic) NAFO 3-4*	By end of 2019-20	Completed in 2019-20.
15	Quebec	Iceland Scallop - SFA 16ef, 18a	By end of 2022-23	Expected date of completion revised from 2020-21 to 2022-23. Work is being conducted in parallel with the review of the Precautionary Approach.
16	Quebec	Northern Beluga (Nunavik)	TBD	Expected date of completion to be determined. Continue preliminary work to develop the rebuilding plan.
17	Pacific	WCVI Chinook*	By end of 2021-22	Expected date of completion revised from 2020-21 to 2021-22 due to COVID-19 pandemic. Finalize area-level management plans and completion overall rebuilding plan by March 2022.
18	Pacific	Herring Haida Gwaii (Pacific QCI)*	By end of 2021-22	Expected date of completion revised from 2020-21 to 2021-22 to meet requirements under the Gwaii Haanas Land-Sea-People plan and continue work to meet any additional requirements under the Fish Stocks provisions.
19	Newfoundland and Labrador	Atlantic Cod - 3Ps*	By end of 2021-22	Expected date of completion revised from 2020-21 to 2021-22 due to COVID-19 pandemic. Development of Rebuilding Plan for 3Ps cod is underway.

**B. Other Stock Rebuilding Plans**
#	Region	Fish Stock	Date of Completion	Description of Activity in 2021-22
1	Newfoundland and Labrador and Quebec	Cod 4RS3PN*	By end of 2022-23	DFO will initiate a working group process in 2021-22 to develop a rebuilding plan for 4RS3Pn cod.
2	Quebec	Gulf of St. Lawrence Shrimp*	TBD	Timeline to be determined. Work will be initiated in parallel with the review of the Precautionary Approach.
3	Pacific	Interior Fraser Coho*	TBD	Continue development of rebuilding plan in 2021-22.
4	Pacific	Okanagan Chinook*	TBD	Continue development of rebuilding plan in 2021-22.

Section 3: Integrated Fisheries Management Plans

**Integrated Fisheries Management Plans (IFMP)**
#	Region	Fish Stock	Description of Activity in 2021-22
1	Newfoundland and Labrador	3Ps Groundfish*	Will begin IFMP update in 2021-22.
2	Maritimes	Gaspereau and Blueback Herring	Carry forward from 2020-21. Will complete IFMP in 2021-22.
3	Maritimes	Lobster – LFA 34, LFAs 35-38	Will complete IFMP update in 2021-22.
4	Maritimes	Shrimp – Scotian Shelf	Will begin IFMP update in 2021-22.
5	Gulf	Lobster- Southern Gulf of St. Lawrence (LFA 23, 24, 25, 26A and 26B)	Will continue IFMP update in 2021-22.
6	Gulf	Snow Crab – CFA 12, 12E, 12F and 19*	Will continue IFMP update in 2021-22.
7	Gulf	Rock crab LFA 23, 24, 25, 26A	Will complete IFMP in 2021-22.
8	Gulf	Rock crab LFA 23, 24, 25, 26A	Will post IFMP online in 2021-22.
9	Gulf	Sea Scallop - Southern Gulf of St. Lawrence (SFA 21a, b, c, 22, 23, 24)	Will complete IFMP in 2021-22.
10	Gulf		Will post IFMP online in 2021-22.
11	Gulf	Gulf of St. Lawrence Groundfish IFMP*	Carry forward from 2020-21. Will complete IFMP update in 2021-22.
12	Gulf	Atlantic Salmon	Will complete IFMP update in 2021-22.
13	Gulf	Atlantic Salmon	Will post updated IFMP online in 2021-22.
14	Gulf	Atlantic Herring 4T (Spring spawner)* Atlantic Herring 4T (Fall spawner) (fixed and mobile gear)	Will complete IFMP update in 2021-22.
15	Gulf		Will post updated IFMP online in 2021-22.
16	Quebec	Lobster LFA 17	Carry forward from 2020-21. Will complete IFMP in 2021-22.
17	Quebec	Lobster LFA 17	Carry forward from 2020-21. Will post IFMP online in 2021-22.
18	Quebec	Whelk	Carry forward from 2020-21. Will complete IFMP in 2021-22.
19	Quebec	Whelk	Carry forward from 2020-21. Will post IFMP online in 2021-22.
20	Quebec	Beluga (Nunavik)	Will begin development of IFMP in 2021-22.
21	Quebec	Scallop – Area 20	Will begin development of IFMP in 2021-22.
22	National Capital Region	Mackerel (Atlantic) NAFO 3-4*	Carry forward from 2020-21. Will post IFMP update online in 2021-22.
23	National Capital Region	Atlantic Seals	Will complete IFMP update in 2021-22.
24	Arctic	Bowhead Whale – Eastern Canada-West Greenland	Carry forward from 2020-21 due to COVID-19 impacting stakeholder engagement opportunities. Will complete IFMP in 2021-22.
25	Arctic	Arctic Char – Cambridge Bay	Carry forward from 2020-21 due to COVID-19 impacting stakeholder engagement opportunities. Will complete IFMP in 2021-22.
26	Arctic	Narwhal	Will continue IFMP update in 2021-22.
27	Arctic	Lake Trout – Great Slave Lake	Will begin development of IFMP in 2021-22.
28	Arctic	Lake Whitefish – Great Slave Lake	Will begin development of IFMP in 2021-22.

Section 4: Implementation of the Fishery Monitoring Policy

**Implementation of the Fishery Monitoring Policy**
#	Region	Assessment Unit (Fish stock)	Description of Activity in 2021-22
1	Newfoundland and Labrador	Atlantic Cod – 2J3KL* (Northern cod)	Complete Quality Assessment Tool and Risk Screening Tools for Stewardship cod fishery. Reach out to stakeholders and schedule meetings to review assessment findings. Plan to initiate discussions on monitoring objectives and requirements in 2022.
2	Newfoundland and Labrador	Atlantic Cod – 3Ps*	Initiate Quality Assessment Tool for 3Ps cod commercial fishery.
3	Maritimes	Eastern Scotian Shelf Shrimp	Implementation of the Policy in the Eastern Scotian Shelf Shrimp (ESSS) trap and mobile gear fisheries to build on developmental applications of the Quality Assessment Tool completed in 2020-21. Efforts will include application of the risk screening tool, gap analysis, and monitoring program recommendations where required.
4	Maritimes	Atlantic Halibut*	Applications of the Quality Assessment Tool to increase organizational expertise and familiarity with the Tool, focusing on aspects of the groundfish fisheries.
5	Maritimes	Lobster, inshore	Applications of the Quality Assessment Tool to increase organizational expertise and familiarity with the Tool, focusing on the bycatch within the inshore lobster fisheries.
6	Maritimes	Various	Identification of a list of stocks for future applications of the Policy.
7	Gulf	N/A	Prioritize fisheries for assessment in collaboration with Indigenous groups and stakeholders.
8	Gulf	N/A	Develop a work plan with actions and timelines to apply the Fishery Monitoring Policy to the selected fisheries.
9	Quebec	N/A	Establish a list of priority stocks in collaboration with Indigenous groups and stakeholders.
10	Quebec	N/A	Develop a multi-year work plan to implement the Fishery Monitoring Policy.
11	NCR	Atlantic Mackerel*	Complete the Risk Screening Tool. Ongoing work to enhance catch monitoring programs and improve catch reporting. Develop a work plan to implement the Quality Assessment Tool.
12	NCR	Atlantic Bluefin Tuna	Initiate and complete the Risk Screening Tool.
13	Arctic	Greenland Halibut – NAFO 0A/0B	Begin applying the Fishery Monitoring Policy to this fishery.
14	Arctic	Atlantic Walrus – Foxe Basin	Begin applying the Fishery Monitoring Policy to this fishery.
15	Pacific	N/A	Collaborate with Indigenous groups and stakeholders to identify priority fish stocks for Fishery Monitoring Policy Implementation, building on previous risk assessment work under the Strategic Framework for Fishery Monitoring and Catch Reporting in the Pacific Fisheries (2012). Set-up training on the Risk Screening Tool (RST) and Quality Assessment Tool (QAT) with regional DFO staff. Engage opportunistically with Indigenous groups and stakeholders on the RST and QAT. For the fisheries that have completed regional risk assessments under the Strategic Framework for Fishery Monitoring and Catch Reporting in the Pacific Fisheries (2012), confirm or develop monitoring objectives for those fisheries.

* indicates that one or all of the stocks were included in Canada Gazette, Part I, under the proposed amendments to the Fishery (General) Regulations.

All items noted as “Carry-forward from 2020-21” are activities that were not carried out as described in the Sustainable Fisheries Framework Work Plan for Fiscal 2020-21 (PDF, 1,480 KB)

Date modified:: 2021-04-29

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