The main role of the Regional Data Unit is to compile, produce, maintain and provide official catch statistics for the Region, according to Regional standards and procedures. The Unit also provides information about the statistics such as the methods used to collect catch data and derive catch estimates.

The Regional Data Unit is responsible for producing monthly, in-season as well as annual, post-season reports of commercial, recreational and aboriginal fisheries.

The Regional Data Unit is responsible for maintaining the official regional source of landing data for each fishery. In those fisheries where landing data are already managed now by a different group within the Department, that group makes the data available to the Unit for consolidation with other regional catch data.

The Regional Data Unit is responsible for obtaining landed price information to estimate landed value for all commercial fisheries.

The Regional Data Unit is responsible for making all the catch data it manages available on-line for users inside the DFO.

The Regional Data Unit proposes minimum data requirements for landing records (e.g. fish slips, dockside monitoring validation records). These requirements should be reviewed and endorsed by the Catch Data Working Group. Once approved, they should be adopted as a regional standard for all such programs.

The Regional Data Unit are the regional spokespeople and advocates for catch data management. As such, they will be in constant communication with Species Groups and Fishery managers regarding catch data.