NR-M-98-27E
ROCK CRAB MANAGEMENT PLANS FOR LFA´S 23, 24, 25, 26A, AND 26B
July 31, 1998
Moncton -- The Minister of Fisheries
and Oceans, David Anderson, today announced the Gulf Rock Crab Management
Plans for Lobster Fishing Areas (LFA) 23, 24, 25, 26A, and 26B.
Rock crab has been exploited for some time
now, either as a by-catch in the lobster fishery or as an exploratory directed
fishery. The number of directed rock crab commercial exploratory licences
has been maintained at 150, divided equally between Prince Edward Island,
New Brunswick, and Nova Scotia. Since 1996, the Gulf Fisheries Sector has
held numerous meetings with the rock crab and lobster fishers in all Lobster
Fishing Areas to review scientific and fishery information required for
the sustainable development, management, and harvesting of the resource.
LFA´s 23, 24, and 26B
In LFA´s 23, 24, and 26B, the 1997 measures
will apply.
LFA 25
Following extensive consultation with stakeholders
in LFA 25, a three-year approach is being implemented. Existing individual
licences will be made permanent with a freeze on the issuance of replacement
licences for the duration of the three-year plan. The number of traps per
licence is reduced from 125 to 100.
This plan will provide an opportunity to
assess the sustainability of increasing the current fishing effort. It
will also allow fishermen groups to evaluate a management model whereby
licences are issued for the benefits of individual as well as for the benefits
of communities.
Four Aboriginal communities will each receive
2 new temporary communal licences : Big Cove First Nation, New Brunswick
Aboriginal People´s Council, Lennox First Nation, and the Native Council
of PEI.
Management measures in the directed fishery
will include 100 % dockside monitoring, log books, minimum carapace size
of 102 mm (4"), males only are retained, and a maximum fishing season of
11 weeks. In the by-catch fishery, beginning in 1999, mandatory weekly
landing reports will be required.
LFA 26A
The Prince Edward Island and Gulf Nova
Scotia industries have reached consensus on many elements of the management
measures for both the directed and by-catch fisheries. The management elements
for the directed fisheries are as follows: reduction in trap limits from
100 traps to 90, 100 % dockside monitoring, and a minimum carapace size
of 102 mm (4"). In the by-catch fishery, the maximum landing is set at
500 lbs. per day.
The existing 80 temporary licences will
become permanent, and 12 new temporary licences will be issued, including
2 to be issued to native communities in Prince Edward Island.
FISHING SEASONS
- LFA 25. Spring: May 27 to July 25, 1998. Fall: October 12 to November 9, 1998.
- LFA 26A. Fall: August 17 to November 14, 1998
The management measures implemented
in both LFA´s 25 and 26A will allow the Department to assess and evaluate
the evolution of this fishery based on the principles of conservation and
sustainability. It is expected that sometime in the future, the Department
and the industry will pursue the possibility of developing a co-management
approach in this fishery.
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Related Backgrounders:
For information :
Rhéal Vienneau
Resource Management, Gulf Fisheries
Fisheries and Oceans
Maritime Region
Moncton, N.B.
(506) 851-7790
Michel Thérien
Communications
Fisheries and Oceans
Maritimes Region
Moncton, N.B.
(506) 851-7704
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