1996 Southern Gulf Sentinel Survey Program
MONCTON - The Department of Fisheries and Oceans (DFO)
will initiate an expanded Sentinel Survey program for 1996. In
the southern Gulf of St. Lawrence area (NAFO 4T), surveys will
begin in late June and continue until the late fall.
Formerly, scientists used information from the commercial fishery
to increase the knowledge of stock status developed by scientific
surveys. With several Atlantic region stocks closed to fishing,
information from the commercial fisheries is no longer available.
The Sentinel Surveys program was begun in 1994 Surveys (at that
time called Sentinel Fisheries) to provide additional information
to scientists for the assessment of fish stocks that have come
under moratoria and closures.
During Sentinel Surveys, commercial fishing gear is used to remove
limited numbers of fish from the stocks in order to provide biological
information for stock trend analysis. At the same time, information
is gathered on the distribution, migration patterns, fish condition,
and maturity stage of fish, as well as on water temperature.
All the work is conducted according to pre-determined scientific
methods. Times, places and gear type for fishing sets are determined
jointly by fishermen and scientists to meet the scientific requirements.
This year, both the fixed gear and mobile gear components of the
program have been expanded, as recommended by the Fisheries Resource
Conservation Council (FRCC). The projects will be conducted by
fisher associations under contract to DFO. The associations will
be required to provide vessels for the surveys, and make all necessary
arrangements for the observers and dockside monitoring required
by the program. All projects will have 100% observer coverage
and dockside monitoring.
These surveys will be conducted by fishers who hold valid groundfish
licences. DFO has provided detailed contract requirements to
all southern Gulf of St. Lawrence fishing associations in the
three Maritimes Provinces and Québec. Fishers who are
interested in participating should get in touch with their associations.
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For more information:
G.A. Chouinard
Fisheries and Oceans
Science Branch
Maritimes Region
(506) 851-6220
Marie MacDonald
Fisheries and Oceans
Communications Branch
Maritimes Region
(902) 426-6414
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