CANADIAN ATLANTIC SWORDFISH AND OTHER TUNAS

2004-2006 INTEGRATED MANAGEMENT PLAN

TABLE OF CONTENTS

1. INTRODUCTION
2. BIOLOGICAL SYNOPSIS
3. OVERVIEW OF THE FISHERY
4. STOCK STATUS (SCIENTIFIC ADVICE)
5. LONG TERM OBJECTIVES FOR THE FISHERY
6. SPECIFIC MANAGEMENT OBJECTIVES 
7. CURRENT MANAGEMENT ISSUES
8. MANAGEMENT MEASURES FOR THE DURATION OF THE PLAN
9. ENFORCEMENT MEASURES
10. FINANCIAL RESPONSIBILITIES
11. PERFORMANCE REVIEW

• APPENDIX I (A)
• APPENDIX I (B)
• APPENDIX II
• APPENDIX III (A)
• APPENDIX III (B)
• APPENDIX IV 

1.       INTRODUCTION

The "Canadian Atlantic Swordfish and Other Tunas 2004-2006 Integrated Fisheries Management Plan" (IFMP or the Plan) is designed to govern the exploitation of swordfish, bigeye tuna, yellowfin tuna and albacore tuna (the latter three collectively referred to as "Other Tunas") during the period 2004-2006.  These fisheries were previously governed by separate plans - notably "The Canadian Atlantic Swordfish (Xiphias gladius) Fishery - 2000-2002 Integrated Management Plan" and the "Canadian Atlantic Integrated Fisheries Management Plan (IFMP) - Bigeye, Yellowfin, Albacore Tunas 1998-1999".  During 2003, the swordfish and other tunas management plan decisions were issued by news release (Appendix IIIA).  This new plan follows the IFMP process, but has broadened the scope somewhat to include aspects of objectives-based fisheries management (OBFM) in the planning process.  These specifically include:

• Clearly stated long term objectives;
• A risk analysis of the management strategies and measures;
• A post season review of plan performance; and
• Development of indicators of success in plan implementation and in meeting objectives.

The Plan, which was developed as a result of allocations and other management measures set out by the International Commission for the Conservation of Atlantic Tunas (ICCAT), endeavours to ensure that Canada does not exceed its allocation in any given year.  The ICCAT allocations endeavour to rebuild the north Atlantic swordfish stock to biomass levels that would support a level of fishing equivalent to the maximum sustainable yield (MSY).

In this regard, this Plan for the Canadian Atlantic Swordfish and Other Tunas Fisheries continues to provide for enhanced monitoring of catches, involving the Department of Fisheries and Oceans (DFO) national headquarters in Ottawa and in the Maritimes, Gulf, Québec and Newfoundland & Labrador Regions, and the increased participation of the Canadian fleet in the monitoring and control of harvesting activities and for continued scientific research on the stocks.  In 2000, for the first time, swordfish harvesting allocations were separated by fleet sector to improve the ability to monitor and control harvesting activities in a co-operative management style with the industry.  The split was set at 90% for the longline sector and 10% for the harpoon sector, after deduction of 5t for the offshore tuna licence.  Within the pelagic longline fleet allocation, individual transferable quotas (ITQ) were further implemented in 2002 on a trial basis, then permanently in 2003 to avoid swordfish quota overruns, to permit fleet rationalization, and to support reorientation of effort to other tunas. The maximum concentration of quota authorized through permanent transfers is 5%.

This Plan includes fleet sector Conservation Harvesting Plans (CHP), which have the objective of meeting the overall goals of this Plan.  Individuals and groups of fishers must submit a CHP annually that complements the overall and fleet sector plans, for approval by DFO, before licence conditions to fish will be issued by DFO.

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2.       BIOLOGICAL SYNOPSIS

The species group comprised of swordfish and other tunas (apart from bluefin tuna) have unique biological properties that influence the fisheries and their management.  They are highly migratory and transboundary in their distribution, and accordingly their management occurs with the regional fisheries management organization known as ICCAT.  As a group, their distribution and fisheries tend to be profoundly influenced by environmental conditions, notably water temperature.  Hence, their occurrence in Canadian waters is often seasonal, and closely related to cycles in water temperature.  As a species group, individuals tend to be large, and can often exceed 100 kg.  Within a species such as bigeye tuna, larger individuals tend to be found in the relatively cool Canadian waters, since larger individuals are usually more cold-tolerant.  While in Canadian waters, individuals of this species group feed heavily but there are no records of reproduction.

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3.       OVERVIEW OF THE FISHERY

3.1       History

Swordfish 

The Atlantic swordfish fishery began commercially in the late 1880s as harpoon sailing vessels fished swordfish throughout Atlantic Canada and eventually expanded their fishery along the annual migration patterns of the eastern seaboard of North America.  In the early 1960s, the Atlantic swordfish fishery shifted from a harpoon to primarily a longline fishery and landings increased to a high of approximately 8,000t.  Recorded landings decreased sharply in 1970.

North Atlantic swordfish stocks come under the stewardship of ICCAT, established in 1969.  The first specific ICCAT measures were put in place for the north Atlantic swordfish stock for 1991, when countries were to reduce their catch by 15% over their 1988 levels.  Minimum sizes were also put into place at that time.  This resulted in Canada reducing its quota and in the introduction of domestic measures to limit the harvesting of undersized swordfish.  The first national allocations to ICCAT Contracting Parties were made for 1995 and went to those member countries with a history of fishing swordfish, namely Canada, the USA, Spain and Portugal.  Japan, whose swordfish catches are a by-catch in other tuna fisheries, was restricted to 8% of their total north Atlantic catch of tunas.  Japan has now received a specific quota since 1997.  Also, beginning that year, a small quota was put aside for the United Kingdom, on behalf of its overseas territories (primarily Bermuda) and a small amount was set aside for "Other" contracting parties.  Starting in 2003, swordfish quota under the "Other" category was fully assigned to an additional nine countries, the same year that ICCAT approved a substantial increase to the total allowable catch (TAC) of north Atlantic swordfish, to 14,000t in 2003 from 10,400t the previous year, including discards.  This increase is owing to improved stock status under the 10-year recovery plan.  National allocations for the current ICCAT cycle are shown in Table 1.

Table 1.  National Swordfish Allocations for 2003-2005 (tonnes)
(ICCAT Recommendation 02-2)

*      Other Contracting Parties and Non-Contracting Parties receive a total quota of 1,185t.  The remainder of the TAC, after subtracting the allowance for dead discards and the quotas for "Others", is shared among the EC, US, Canada and Japan based on set shares as shown.

(1)   The US may harvest up to 200t of its annual catch limit within the area between 5°North latitude and 5°South latitude.

(2)   For each year of this catch allocation, the US will transfer 25t to Canada.  This transfer does not change the relative shares of Parties as reflected in the above allocation.

Between 1995 and 2000, further reductions in the Canadian quota on an annual basis resulted in the need for significant changes to our swordfish management strategy.  Significant changes in management strategy were implemented under the 2000-2002 Swordfish Plan, hinged on fleet allocations to each of the harpoon and swordfish longline fleets.  In addition, the swordfish longline fishery implemented a number of measures under their CHP designed to reorient effort toward other tunas within their fleet allocation.  In 2002, these management measures were further refined with the introduction of ITQs to the longline fleet on a trial basis, and permanently in 2003. 

Other Tunas 

Bigeye, yellowfin and albacore tuna fishing throughout the east coast of Canada can be traced back to the 1860s.  Starting in 1987, Canada has been supporting a strategy to develop a fishery for these species. 

In 1987, two exploratory offshore tuna licences were issued in an attempt to develop a fishery for bigeye, yellowfin and albacore tunas.  In 1991, one of these exploratory licences was made permanent after having met the requirements for Canadianization of a vessel in the fishery.  This licence operates today and carries with it a by-catch allocation for swordfish and bluefin.  The by-catch allocations always remained subject to review and were reduced over the years to their current levels of 5t for swordfish and 20t for bluefin.  The licence is also subject to catch composition requirements to ensure the majority of the catch is tuna species other than bluefin tuna.

In 1995, swordfish longline licence holders were issued licences authorizing them to direct for bigeye, yellowfin and albacore tunas.  Prior to 1995, persons fishing under the authority of a licence for swordfish with a longline, could retain tuna other than bluefin, which was caught incidentally.  There are presently 77 swordfish licence holders eligible to direct for other tunas.

Bluefin tuna licence holders using tended line or rod & reel, also are authorized to catch and retain bigeye, yellowfin and albacore tunas caught incidentally under the authority of their bluefin tuna licence conditions and providing there is bluefin quota available to the sector fleet, and a vessel meets the minimum tag requirements.  Only those fishing bluefin tuna on the Scotian Shelf (except in 4Wd) and Grand Banks are authorized to retain other tunas.  There are 774 bluefin tuna licences throughout Atlantic Canada and Québec.

There are no other tunas quotas allocated to Canada.  However, Canada is currently subject to annual catch limits of 2,100t and 200t for bigeye tuna and albacore tuna, respectively.

3.2       Participants 

Entry to the swordfish fishery, regardless of fleet sector, is limited to the current licences and has been since 1992.  Licences have been fixed at this number, but may be reissued, within certain policy restrictions, from one fisher to another.

In recent years, the Department has intervened in the transfer process to obtain both harpoon and longline licences for subsequent transfer to Aboriginal persons and communities under the Department's Aboriginal Fisheries Strategy.  These transfers do not result in an increase in the overall capacity within the fishery.

Harpoon-only

There are 1,242 harpoon-only licences Atlantic-wide in 2004, of which 880 are located in the Maritimes Region of DFO, and all are located in the Province of Nova Scotia.  One licence is held in Newfoundland and the remaining 361 licences are based in the Gulf Region. There are no harpoon licences in the Quebec Region.

Of this total of 1,242 licences, only 188 harpoon-only licences were found to be recently active according to DFO records, defined as having logged some activity against their licence in any year during the period 1996-1999 inclusive. Under the 2000-2002 Plan in which fleet sector allocations were implemented, these licences were deemed Group A and assigned the largest share of the harpoon fleet sector allocation. The remaining licences were considered to fall under the Group B and were assigned a smaller quota.

Principal ports of landing in Nova Scotia include Shelburne, Cape Sable Island, Sambro, Wood's Harbour and Clark's Harbour.  Interest in the fishery remains along the eastern shore of Nova Scotia and in northeastern Cape Breton, but there are fewer recently active licences (i.e. during the years 1996-1999) in those areas of the Province.  There are no known landings from harpoon-only licences in other DFO Regions in the Atlantic or in other provinces.  Gulf Region licences are primarily used by fishers from the Gulf, fishing opportunistically on swordfish while directing for bluefin tuna in waters off Nova Scotia.

The majority of the recently active harpoon-only licence holders were represented in 2000 by the Swordfish Harpoon Association (SHA), which is based on the south shore of Nova Scotia.  In 2001, a smaller number of fishers based primarily in Cape Breton and including some Gulf-based swordfish harpoon licence holders coordinated their own CHP for the 4Vn area.

Longline

There are a total of 77 pelagic longline licences, of which 71 are currently based in the Maritimes Region.  The remaining licences are held in the Newfoundland & Labrador Region.  A unique offshore tuna licence, based in the Maritimes Region, is also authorized to operate a longline fishing operation Atlantic-wide.  The pelagic longline licences are transferable Atlantic-wide, and the other tunas licences are non-separable from the swordfish longline licences.  All but 8 of the 77 vessels licensed to fish swordfish and other tunas are <65' in length; the remaining eight are between 65' and 100' in length.  The offshore tuna licence also operates a vessel in the 65'‑100' range.  Principle ports of landing in the Atlantic Region include Shelburne, Sambro, Wood's Harbour and Clark's Harbour in Nova Scotia, and St. John's and Fermeuse in Newfoundland & Labrador.

Only 40 of the total 77 licences were active in the 2003 fishery.  This is down from 63 active vessels in 2001, the year prior to the introduction of ITQs.  Over the past few years, few Newfoundland-licensed vessels have participated in the pelagic fishery due to involvement in other fisheries (i.e., snowcrab and shrimp).  As well, the introduction of an ITQ management approach since 2002 has allowed some long overdue fleet rationalization to occur.  Pelagic longline vessels are also licensed to fish with harpoon gear, but since 2000, any landings by harpoon gear are attributed to the longline quota.

All longline licence holders in 2003 were represented by the Nova Scotia Swordfishermen's Association (NSSA), which is based in Shelburne, Nova Scotia, with the exception of the offshore tuna longline licence, which is a unique licence and is represented by its owner/managers directly.

3.3       Location and Timeframe of Fishery

The fishery follows the seasonal migration of the swordfish through Canadian waters, in accordance with the limitations of the gear types used, weather, and the availability of quota.  The Canadian large pelagic longline fisheries which direct for, or incidentally catch swordfish, currently operate from April through December, though the season can extend year round subject to quota availability, but to date, vessels capable of fishing the winter season have focused on other fisheries in the January to March period.  Prior to the introduction of ITQs, the swordfish fishing season was concentrated primarily in the summer months.  The harpoon fishery for swordfish primarily occurs from June through late August.

Harpooning for swordfish currently occurs primarily along the edges of Georges and Browns Banks, and targets mainly the large female swordfish swimming or "basking" in surface waters during the day.  Although reported harpoon landings (including those harpooned by longliners) on average (1989-1999) represent about 8% of the Canadian catch, in some years (e.g., 1998), when conditions were favourable (i.e. calm, clear weather), reported harpoon landings were a much higher percentage (22% in 1998) of the total catch.  Landings have continued to fluctuate significantly in the last few years.

The Canadian large pelagic longline fishery extends from Georges Bank south of Nova Scotia to beyond the Flemish Cap east of Newfoundland when swordfish, the main species targeted, migrate into and adjacent to the Canadian Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ).  Longline fishing effort generally progresses from west to east and back again and from offshore to inshore along the edge of the continental shelf following swordfish movements associated with seasonal warming trends of surface water temperature, and a northward movement of the edge of the Gulf Stream.  Swordfish migrate into the Canadian EEZ during summer and fall to feed in the productive waters of the continental shelf slope and shelf basins, areas where water temperatures form a distinct thermocline.

Until recently, the geographic distribution of the pelagic longline fishery tended to be quite similar from one year to the next.  However, since 1998, there has been an increase in fishing activity east of the Grand Banks (beyond the Canadian EEZ) out to and beyond the Flemish Cap where catch rates have tended to be higher than other areas (Figure 1).  This is also an area where fleets from other nations, such as Japan and the US, longline for large pelagic species.  This change in the Canadian fishing operations is attributed to a change in strategy, given the good market prices for other tuna species (i.e., bigeye, yellowfin, albacore) and given the decline in swordfish quotas that occurred in the late 1990s.

3.4       Time/Area Closures

Time and area closures are management measures that are utilized in this fishery.  Closure details and related protocols are described in section 8.5 of this Plan.  Notwithstanding these measures, the Minister may, in any year, close any area to fishing for a specified time should any grave environmental or conservation concerns arise.

Figure 1

Figure 1.  Comparison of the distribution of Canadian swordfish catches in the pelagic longline fishery from 1993 to 1997 (top panel) and from 1998 to 2002 (bottom panel).  The data are aggregated to 60' rectangles.

3.5       Landings/Value/Markets 

Atlantic swordfish quotas and landings by gear type, for 1987-2003 and other tuna landings from 1992-2003, are summarized in Tables 2A and 2B.

Swordfish Markets

In 2003, the value of swordfish landings was about $10.2 million and the export value was about $10.9 million.  Over 90% of the swordfish landed in Atlantic Canada are exported to the US.  Figure 2 shows the trend in export values plotted against the landed values of swordfish for the Atlantic for the years 1990-2003.

Swordfish are exported fresh, in gutted head-off form.  This is also the form in which most of the fish are landed, indicating a low value-added component in onshore processing of this species.  The export values are very close to the landed values, indicating the high export component of the landings.

Bigeye, Yellowfin and Albacore Tuna Markets

Over the 1990-2002 period, the landed value of, bigeye, yellowfin and albacore has increased more than 14-fold, from about $0.17 million in 1990 to about $2.5 million in 2002.  Figure 3 shows the landed value for the 1990-2002 period.  Bigeye and yellowfin account for most of the landed value.

A review of the export statistics suggests that there may be some species identification problems with respect to the different tuna species exported.  A more thorough analysis is required to estimate the amount of bigeye, yellowfin and albacore exported.  As a consequence, export data is not presented here.  However, the export statistics showed that the US is the primary market for these species.

3.6       Consultative Process

DFO convenes consultations twice yearly with swordfish industry representatives in an advisory forum known as the Atlantic Large Pelagics Advisory Committee (ALPAC).  A late winter/early spring meeting focuses on management recommendations for the up-coming fishing season.  Consultations in the fall provide advice to Canada's delegation to ICCAT.

In addition, because the Scotia Fundy sector of the Maritimes Region houses most of the licence holders in both the harpoon and longline sectors, the Scotia Fundy Large Pelagics Advisory Committee (SFLPAC) meets at least once per year to discuss fisheries issues in greater detail than is sometimes possible at the larger forum offered by ALPAC.  Within SFLPAC, discussions and fishery recommendations for the Atlantic-wide fisheries involving swordfish and other tunas are developed under the chairmanship of the Senior Advisor Large Pelagics, Maritimes Region of DFO.  Following that, input is solicited from the other Atlantic Regions by both the SFLPAC Chairperson and by DFO-Ottawa Resource Management.  Final approval and distribution of Atlantic-wide Plans is undertaken by DFO-Ottawa.

Table 2A.  Atlantic Swordfish Landings (t)a by Gear Type- 1987-2003

Table 2B.  Other Tunas Landings (t)(a) All Gear Types(e) - 1992-2003

(a)    Landings shown in tonnes/Débarquements indiqués en tonnes

(b)    Includes landings by other gear (gillnet, trawls, etc.) fished illegally and/or seized/Inclut des prises d'autres engines (filets maillants, lignes trainantes et chalets à panneaux) illégales ou saisies.

(c)    Catches of Canadian vessels in Bermuda operation/Prises des bateaux canadiens aux Bermudes.

(d)    Landings include those reported by longline licence holders using harpoon until 1999 inclusively/Débarquements incluent ceux effectués par les détenteurs de permis à la palangre utilisant le harpon jusqu'à l'année 1999, inclusivement.

Figure 2

Figure 3

Appendices I(A) and I(B) contain the Terms of Reference for both ALPAC and SFLPAC, as well as the most recent SFLPAC membership.

3.7       Management Style(s)

The fishery is managed by DFO, which controls the fishery in order to keep it within the quota recommended by ICCAT.  Canada is one of 38 Contracting Parties to ICCAT, although a limited number of Parties receive specific quotas of north Atlantic swordfish. (Ref: Table 1.)

Prior to the 2000-2002 Plan, the Canadian swordfish fishery utilized the allocation recommended by ICCAT by operating on a competitive basis under a limited entry regime.  While the total number of licences in each of the harpoon and longline sectors was limited, the harpoon fishing competed with longlining for a share of the quota within the national allocation.  Although competitive, strict monitoring controls were in place including at-sea observers, hail out and hail in provisions, log books, at-sea Fishery Officer inspections and an industry-funded Dockside Monitoring Program (DMP) of all landings.

The 2000-2002 Plan ushered in a change to the strictly competitive fishery by introducing distinct gear sector allocations for the two different gear types, along with the 5t by-catch allocation for the offshore tuna licence.  It also introduced self-administered trip limits in the longline fleet, daily hails once 65% of the fleet allocation was reached and a segregated swordfish by-catch quota within the longline fleet to support a fall other tunas fishery.  Results of this approach were inconsistent in the first two years, hence by 2002, a new management strategy was deemed necessary and ITQs were introduced on a trial basis.  This approach proved very successful in terms of quota management, increased length of season, fleet rationalization, and allowed for reorientation of effort toward other tunas, hence was approved on a permanent basis by DFO in 2003.  The maximum concentration of quota through permanent transfers is limited to 5%. 

Within the harpoon sector, the quota is still fished competitively.  However it is subdivided into two quota groups; Group A comprises recently active licences while Group B includes all other licences.  Recently active is defined as having at least one landed swordfish or hail out against the harpoon-only licence during any of the years 1996-1999 inclusive, documented with DFO. 

These quotas are monitored by both the Department and by industry separately, by the two main fisher Associations, the SHA and the NSSA, on behalf of their respective memberships. 

3.8       Links with other Activities and Planning Initiatives 

Oceans Act 

Linkages of this Plan with other activities and initiatives pursuant to the Oceans Act are under development, which will continue under this Plan.  With the introduction of the Gully Marine Protected Area (MPA) in 2004, specific action includes a prohibition on pelagic longline fishing activity inside Zone 1 of the MPA. 

Species at Risk Act 

With the promulgation of the Species at Risk Act (SARA) in June 2003, new management measures were required in support of the recovery of leatherback turtles.  This impacted the swordfish and other tunas longline fishery as well as the offshore tuna licence - both of which must carry Incidental Harm Permits (IHP) effective June 1, 2004, the date after which prohibition commenced for this species, until finalization of a Leatherback Turtle Recovery Plan.  Industry representatives from these fleets have actively participated in the recovery planning process and have already developed and implemented a Code of Conduct for Responsible Sea Turtle Handling and Mitigative Measures.  Similar measures and processes may be required pursuant to SARA if other species for which there is known interaction with pelagic longline gear are declared endangered.  Other species under review at this time include loggerhead turtles and porbeagle shark.

International Plan of Action (IPOA) for reducing incidental catch of seabirds in longline fisheries

 In 1999, the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) adopted a voluntary IPOA for Reducing Incidental Catch of Seabirds in Longline Fisheries with the objective of encouraging countries to adopt national plans to reduce seabird by-catches where this was thought necessary.  In April 2000, Canada hosted a workshop to discuss seabird incidental catch in the waters of Arctic countries.  The general conclusion was that seabird by-catch is not an issue in the Canadian Atlantic pelagic longline fisheries.  This has been further confirmed by incidental by-catch analyses of observer data in 2000 and subsequent years.   

IPOA for Shark Conservation  

The FAO also adopted in 1999 a voluntary IPOA for shark conservation to address global overfishing.  Under this initiative, Canada is developing a National Plan of Action (NPOA) for both its exploratory directed and traditional by-catch shark fisheries.  Management measures pertinent to shark by-catch in the pelagic longline fishery are fully addressed under the Canadian Atlantic Shark Integrated Fisheries Management Plan - 2002-2007.

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4.       STOCK STATUS (SCIENTIFIC ADVICE)

4.1       Biology, Environment, Habitat

Swordfish

Swordfish are distributed widely in the Atlantic Ocean and Mediterranean Sea, and range from Canada to Argentina on the western side, and from Norway to South Africa on the eastern side (Figure 4).  The management units for assessment purposes are a separate Mediterranean group, and north and south Atlantic groups separated at 5oN.  This stock separation is supported by recent genetic analyses.  However, the precise boundaries between stocks are uncertain, therefore there is uncertainty if the management units used correspond exactly to the biological stock units.  Hence, it is important to have effective management measures throughout the Atlantic and Mediterranean.

Adult swordfish have few natural predators with the possible exception of sharks.  They feed on a wide variety of prey including groundfish, pelagics, deep-water fish and invertebrates.  They are believed to feed throughout the water column, following the diel migration of the deep-scattering layer by maintaining their position within a preferred level of illumination (isolume).  They are typically caught on pelagic longlines at night when they feed in surface waters.  The broad diet and habitat preference of swordfish make them very adaptable to changes in habitat.

Swordfish spawn in the warm tropical and subtropical waters throughout the year, although seasonality has been reported.  They are found in the colder northern waters during summer months and are in Canadian waters from May to November, primarily on the edge of the Scotian Shelf and the Grand Banks of Newfoundland.  Young swordfish grow very rapidly, reaching about 140 cm LJFL (lower jaw-fork length) by age 3, but grow slowly thereafter.  Females grow faster than males and reach a larger maximum size.  Swordfish are difficult to age, but 53% of females are considered mature by age 5.  Over the years, the size structure of the catch of swordfish has changed, due in part to a reduction in the population size of the larger fish, and to an expansion of the fishing range of nearshore and high seas fleets into warmer waters where small fish are found.

Other Tunas

Bigeye tuna have received little attention with respect to research on basic biological parameters.  The latitudinal range of the resource is very wide; off Canada these fish occur only in warmer waters.  Considered a tropical and subtropical species, only larger fish are caught in Canadian waters.  Currently, this resource is managed as a single Atlantic-wide stock.

Yellowfin tuna are also considered a tropical/subtropical species.  Yellowfin are managed as a single Atlantic-wide stock.

In contrast with yellowfin and bigeye tunas, albacore tuna are found to a greater extent in temperate waters.  The stock structure is similar to swordfish; northern and southern stocks are separated at 5oN, and there is a separate Mediterranean stock.

4.2       Species Interactions

Swordfish are caught both in directed swordfish fisheries, and as a by-catch of the other tuna (bigeye, yellowfin, albacore) fisheries, and may also be a by-catch of the shark longline fleet.  Bluefin tuna, the other tunas and a variety of sharks are a by-catch of the swordfish longline fishery.  Revised log records adopted since 1995 better quantified this by-catch. 

As noted above, there are few natural predators of large swordfish, so predation has little influence on swordfish abundance.

Figure 4.  Geographical distribution of swordfish in the Atlantic and adjacent seas.  The line at 5º north latitude is the assumed boundary between north and south management units.  The Mediterranean also considered a separate management unit

4.3       Assessment

Swordfish 

Swordfish fished in Atlantic Canada are part of the north Atlantic stock (Figure 5).  Because of their migratory nature, swordfish are under the jurisdiction of ICCAT.  Canada is one of 38 Contracting Parties at ICCAT.  The management objective of ICCAT is MSY.

Figure 5.  Estimated biomass relative to biomass at MSY (B/BMSY) for the period 1959-2002, followed by 7-year projected B/BMSY under the constant catch scenarios listed. Upper and lower lines represent approximate 80% confidence ranges. For the catch projection period (2002-2009), the upper line is the upper 80% confidence bound for the 9K (9,000t) projection and the lower line is the 80% confidence bound for the 15K (15,000t) projection (Source: 2003 SCRS Executive Summary, Atlantic Swordfish).

Due to the highly migratory nature of swordfish and their high individual value, scientists rely primarily on data derived from the commercial fishery.  Canada, as a member of ICCAT, is obligated to provide catch, catch-at-size and catch-per-unit-effort (CPUE) information annually to ICCAT.  This information is used by ICCAT scientists to conduct stock assessments during the ICCAT Swordfish Species Group meetings.  Full stock assessments for swordfish are generally conducted every 3-4 years.  Canada participates in the ICCAT stock assessment process.  The most recent swordfish assessment was conducted in 2002.  

The draft advice of the ICCAT Swordfish Species Group is then peer reviewed by the ICCAT Standing Committee on Research and Statistics (SCRS) which usually meets in October of each year.  Once final, this advice in the form of an Executive Summary, is presented to the Commission.  In Canada, the scientific advice is presented to ALPAC between the meetings of the SCRS and the Commission (usually late October or early November). 

The last assessment of swordfish occurred in 2002. In 2004, ICCAT recommendations extended management measures to 2006.  The TAC set for 2003-2006 is 14,000t.  The next full ICCAT assessment of stock status is scheduled for 2006. 

The text that follows in this section has been extracted, with slight modification, from the most recent (2003) Executive Summary for Atlantic Swordfish. 

The 2002 assessment indicated that the North Atlantic swordfish biomass has improved due to strong recruitment since 1997 (1996 year-class), combined with recent reductions in reported catch, especially compared to the peak catch values of 1987.  In particular, strong recruitment since 1997 has manifested in several age classes and is evident in the catch rates from several fleets.  The strong recruitments of the late 1990s have already promoted improvement in spawning stock biomass (SSB) and should result in further improvement, if these year-classes are not heavily harvested.  The pattern of decline in stock size followed by stabilization and rebuilding is reflected in the CPUEs (Catch per Unit Effort) for several fisheries.  An updated estimate of maximum sustainable yield (MSY) from production model analyses is 14,340t (with estimates ranging from 11,500 to 15,500t).  Since 1997, north Atlantic swordfish catches have been below 14,340t; preliminary estimates of catches (reported plus carried over) in 2001 were about 9,800t, but this level is probably an underestimate.

Other Tunas 

For bigeye tuna, preliminary results from the 2004 assessment indicate that the current biomass is slightly above or below (85-107%) the biomass at MSY (BMSY).  The projections indicate that the biomass will decline with constant catches of 100,000t or more.  No new stock assessment was conducted for yellowfin in 2004.  The 2001 biomass level is considered to be 0.73-1.10 of BMSY.  ICCAT recommended that the next assessment for northern albacore be scheduled for 2007. 

4.4       Research 

Swordfish 

A primary focus of the research program on swordfish has been to improve the quality of the input information (catch, catch-at-size and effort) for the assessment, to develop conversion factors from the dressed to round condition, and to more fully understand the biology and behaviour of swordfish through cooperative (DFO Science and industry) tagging and fishing gear experiments. Research on swordfish depends very much upon cooperation from the fishing industry to gain access to fish for study, to collect detailed information and to seek input to improve the indices of relative abundance derived from commercial catch rate data.  Mandatory submission of detailed log records, Dockside Monitoring, Observer coverage, and taking biologists aboard vessels are all part of the data collection scheme.

The research program has also been examining patterns of by-catch in the pelagic longline fishery with a view towards mitigation of catches of sensitive species.  Related to this, the program has also been examining patterns of catches of undersized swordfish in the pelagic longline fishery.

Other Tunas

The research program produced a description of the Canadian bigeye tuna fishery, and the biological characteristics of the catch for inclusion in the 2nd World Symposium on bigeye tuna in 2004.

4.5       Prospects for 2004-2006

Swordfish

The text that follows in this section has been extracted, with slight modification, from the most recent (2003) Executive Summary for Atlantic Swordfish.

For the north Atlantic swordfish stock, the base case surplus production model showed that the swordfish biomass has increased from the 1997 low and the 2002 biomass is estimated to be near the level that would produce maximum sustainable yield (MSY) due to strong recruitment and lower catches during this period.  If the total annual catches (including discards and overages) from 2003 and beyond were less than MSY, there would be a greater than 50% chance that the population would reach BMSY within the recovery program plan time-frame agreed by ICCAT.  Lower catches or high recruitments would both enhance the probability of achieving the recovery plan goal.

The high recruitment levels observed in recent years (age 1 in 1997-2001) have resulted in a more optimistic outlook than previous assessments since the recent year-classes were not heavily harvested.  The updated indices examined in the 2002 assessment confirmed that a positive effect of this strong recruitment has manifested in older ages and in the biomass indices of several fisheries.  Given that recent (2002) reported catch has been below estimated replacement yield, the north Atlantic swordfish biomass may have already achieved the BMSY level.

Other Tunas

Bigeye tuna stock projections reported by the SCRS in 2004 were based on the 2002 data because the 2003 data set was considered incomplete.  The projection results indicated the biomass of the stock will decline further with constant catches of 100,000t, which is close to the total catch observed in 2001.  In 2004, the SCRS recommended that catch levels be maintained at 90,000t or lower.

Yellowfin tuna projections indicated that with the exploitation levels observed in 2001, stock biomass levels are likely to decrease.  For albacore, the SCRS noted in 2003 that for the stock to rebuild towards BMSY, catches should not exceed 31,000t in the short term.

In summary, these tuna resources are either fully exploited or over-exploited.

The reports of the ICCAT SCRS for the various species can be found on www.iccat.es.

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5.       LONG TERM OBJECTIVES FOR THE FISHERY

Stock conservation and sustainability objectives for most large pelagic species in Atlantic waters are set by ICCAT.  As a Contracting Party of ICCAT, Canada is also obligated to itself abide by and foster, where it can, the implementation of all current ICCAT recommendations for conserving swordfish, bigeye tuna, yellowfin tuna, albacore tuna and all other large pelagic stocks that affect or pertain to the Canadian fishery.  To that end, most objectives and strategies set in the Canadian swordfish and other tunas fisheries can be traced to specific ICCAT Recommendations.  Other objectives stem from Canadian legislative and policy developments over the past few years such as the Ocean's Act, SARA, and the Atlantic Fisheries Policy Review (AFPR).  As such, this management plan is composed of a hierarchy of objectives from general overall objectives to more specific sub-objectives.  The way we achieve these objectives are termed strategies and the implementation of these strategies is through the management measures or tactics.  The relationships of the general objectives, strategies and measures adopted for the present plan are summarized in Table 3A, and Table 3B further elaborates on the management measures currently in place to achieve those strategies.

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6.       SPECIFIC MANAGEMENT OBJECTIVES 

6.1       Stock Conservation and Sustainability 

6.1.1    International Objectives 

ICCAT objectives pertaining to swordfish and other tunas are essentially three-fold: (1) to protect undersized fish; (2) limit effort; and (3) maintain or, in the case of swordfish and bigeye tuna, restore biomass to a level that achieves MSY.  Strategies specific to these objectives are the focus of ICCAT recommendations pertaining to these species, as referenced in Table 3.  The most significant recommendation is the establishment of a 10-year rebuilding program for north Atlantic swordfish in 1999, which took effect starting in 2000.  By 2003, for the first time in over a decade of declining quotas, ICCAT recommended an increase in north Atlantic swordfish TAC.  Collectively, these ICCAT recommendations provide the foundation for the Canadian swordfish and other tunas management plan.

6.1.2    Domestic Objectives

The overall conservation objective of the domestic swordfish and other tunas fishing plan is to ensure that Canada's role in supporting the conservation and sustainability objectives of the ICCAT international stock management regime is achieved.

In addition, complementary management measures for swordfish and other tunas are set in response to the Canadian situation, such as the need for a bluefin tuna dead discard reduction strategy that is compatible with the Canadian Bluefin Tuna Management Plan and bluefin tuna fleet allocations.  The Plan also aims to provide for the collection and analysis of comprehensive, high quality data about each year's fishery to enable its accurate reporting within the ICCAT framework. 

Finally, several objectives are dictated by the requirement to operate within the Canadian regulatory framework relevant to this fishery, including the Fisheries Act and the Atlantic Fishery (General) Regulations, the Ocean's Act, and SARA.  Other legislation affecting marine safety and transportation, employment, etc. also exist and are binding on the licence holders, but are beyond the scope of this Plan to detail.  Similarly, legal obligations upon the government with respect to fisheries in general terms may exist but are beyond the scope of this Plan to detail.

6.2       Aboriginal Inclusion

It is the policy of DFO to encourage Aboriginal participation and integration into coastal commercial fisheries.  As such, several swordfish, harpoon and swordfish longline licences have been acquired and transferred to First Nations (FN) under the Marshall Response Initiative.  These licences are subject to the same terms and conditions under this Plan as all other licences.

6.3       Commercial Viability

The management measures, while first striving to achieve the conservation and sustainability objective, will endeavour to provide a suitable foundation upon which the fleets can maintain, and where possible increase, the food supply and economic benefits for themselves and other Canadians that can be derived from these fisheries.  It is recognized that the international market place will affect this viability, especially the prices, demand and import restrictions of the USA marketplace, which is the main market for Canadian swordfish and other tunas.  

6.4       Co-Management of the Fishery 

Another long term objective for this fishery is to enhance the scientific study of the swordfish resource wherever it is fished by Canadians, leading to ever-improving management of the fishery.  Therefore, the Plan seeks to foster partnerships with all Canadian industry participants who fish the swordfish resource, to provide for additional financial and in-kind contributions, beyond what departmental sources can provide, where this is necessary to enhance the scientific knowledge upon which the management is based.  In this context, the NSSA, the SHA, and other smaller groups of licence holders who wish to fish this stock are encouraged to enter into formal agreements with DFO to improve at-sea research.

During the period of this plan, and since 2000, the SHA as well as the Northside Fishermen's Association together with the North of Smokey Fishermen's Association continue to make annual financial contributions to DFO Science for swordfish biological research in lieu of observer coverage under their respective CHPs.  Also during the period of this plan, the NSSA continues to work toward effective leatherback turtle by-catch mitigation measures.  To that end, the NSSA has purchased, with matched funding under Environment Canada's Habitat Stewardship Program (HSP), 30 turtle de-hooking kits for its members and has developed and promulgated within the fleet a Code of Conduct for Responsible Sea Turtle Handling and Mitigative Measures. For the 2005 season, it is expected that every active member of the NSSA will have a turtle de-hooking kit on board their vessel.

6.5       Experimental Fishing

Recognizing that even within a restrictive quota management regime, there must still be some latitude for changes and advancements in fishing operations, the Plan seeks to allow for experimental fishing within the conservation oriented regime, by the existing licence holders and within the effort restrictions stipulated by ICCAT.  A potential area for development remains the bigeye tuna fishery, whereby Canada is landing only a fraction of the 2,100t limit currently imposed. 

6.6       Recreational Fishing 

For the period of this Plan, there are no recreational fishing objectives foreseen that would involve the issuance of licences or permits to fish onboard a boat involved in the commercial fishery in either the harpoon sector or the longline sector.  If this should change during the period of this Plan, the appropriate consultations would be held with the industry before the Plan would be amended.

TABLE 3A.  Objectives Hierarchy for Management of the Scotia-Fundy Swordfish Fishery

Table 3B.  Summary of International and Domestic Objectives and Management Measures for the Swordfish and Other Tunas Fisheries by Species

*      The issue of using observed or estimated dead discards for bluefin tuna, as well as the methodology for estimating discards, is currently under review and may be subject to further ICCAT recommendations.

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7.       CURRENT MANAGEMENT ISSUES

7.1       Small Fish Management

Currently there are two options available for management of small swordfish, both of which involve minimum size criteria set by ICCAT.  Both options have the potential of requiring the release of small fish in the catch, either as live releases or as dead discards. 

In the Canadian situation, a non-selective catch of undersized fish by harpoon is not considered to be an issue. The longline fleets are the primary source of incidentally caught small fish.  Through to 2003 inclusively, Canada selected the option made available in 1996 that most closely matches the import requirements of our fleet's primary market (the US), namely the smaller size (119 cm LJFL) with zero tolerance. 

The use of the other option, i.e. allowing landings of larger fish (125 cm LJFL) with a 15% tolerance for fish under that size, would require the creation of a new market for the fish less than 33 lbs. dressed weight.  However, it would probably result in lower discarding of dead fish.

Given the ICCAT allowance for dead discards during the years 2000-2003 inclusive (80t, 60t, 40t, and 20t respectively), the most economically favorable option for the Canadian fleet was to utilize the dead discard allowance while it existed, hence Canadian industry opted for the 119 cm option.  However, effective 2004, there are no further discard allowances and all dead discards must be deducted from fishable quota in the following year.  Hence, the more advantageous approach is now to opt for the 125cm fish with a 15% tolerance.  To that end, the Canadian industry has opted to try the 125cm option on a trial basis in 2004.

Results of this trial will require review prior to the start of the 2005 season in terms of conservation results and market success.

7.2       By-Catch Issues

The pelagic longline fishery target species are swordfish and bigeye, yellowfin and albacore tunas.  However, on-going analysis of observed by-catch trends show that this fishery catches up to an estimated 25 different species, some of which are the object of global and domestic conservation concerns such as marlins and various species of turtles and shark.  This industry sector has developed a number of voluntary mitigating measures to reduce the impact of non-target by-catch.  First and foremost, the fleet practices live release, to the extent possible, of all sensitive species.  The industry also shifted primarily to circle hooks from J-hooks in approximately 1996, which is believed to reduce non-target species by-catch rates to some extent and increase the probability of post release survival.  As well, approximately 16 of the species typically caught are landed, reported and marketed, thus minimizing resource waste.  Finally, a research program examining patterns of by-catch in the pelagic longline fishery with a view towards mitigation of catches of sensitive species is currently on-going within DFO.

Bluefin tuna by-catch has been a longstanding concern in the longline fishery.  With the exception of the 20t domestic allocation to the offshore tuna licence and the ICCAT allocation of 15t to the Canadian longline fleet to reduce dead discards in the central north Atlantic, there is no bluefin allocation available to support retention of bluefin by-catch by this fleet.  Hence, the fleet is required to discard bluefin by-catch, resulting in dead discards that must be counted against Canada's dead discard allowance of 5.6t or deducted from its fishable bluefin allocation if in excess of 5.6t.  Dead discards have been estimated to exceed 5.6t every year from 1998, when the discard measures were first introduced, to 2003 inclusively.  Starting in 2004, several new or trial measures are being implemented in an attempt to reduce bluefin dead discards.  The measures, announced in a letter from the Chair of ALPAC to the membership in 2004 (App. IIIB), are incorporated into Table 3.  Effectiveness of these measures will require evaluation in 2005 and beyond.

7.3      Environmental Husbandry/Code of Good Fishing Practices/Coastal Zone Management

Several domestic and international obligations require the pelagic longline fishery to not only address issues related to the conservation and sustainable management of its supporting fishery resource, swordfish and other tunas, but also related species, non-related but incidentally caught species especially those of concern here or elsewhere, and the environment in general.

Specifically, the International Code of Conduct for Responsible Fisheries and the IPOA on Capacity, Sharks, and Seabirds under the auspices of the United Nation's FAO, recent Canadian legislation on Oceans (the Oceans Act), and recently promulgated Canadian legislation on SARA are relevant to these fisheries and gear types, and especially to longline, which is less selective with regard to incidental catch.

The Plan must meet, or have the flexibility within it to meet, the requirements and fulfill the existing and pending obligations that we have to prosecute the Canadian swordfish fishery in a manner that suitably protects the broader environment.

It is believed that, at the present time, this Plan achieves these obligations via its at-sea monitoring and scientific studies, its controls on landings and overall fleet fishing capacities and gear types permitted, its high quality reporting methods, and ongoing consultative and review processes.

Additionally, certain time/area closures built into the Plan for management of the domestic fleets and protection of the large pelagic resource in Canadian waters may also afford protection to other species indirectly and thus to the environment generally.

7.4       Foreign Fishing

7.4.1    Canadian Vessels in International Waters

This is an issue that involves pelagic longliners exclusively, as harpoon-only vessels do not venture this far from shore, including those using harpoon concurrently with bluefin tuna directed licences.

Canadian longline vessels may fish swordfish and other tunas outside of the Canadian EEZ, as do other international fleets; however, while doing so, the Canadian vessels are subject to all relevant Canadian laws that govern them while in domestic waters.  Additionally, all harvested swordfish and tunas taken by vessels on the high seas are reported against the respective national allocation or caps, in this case Canada's.

Several Canadian vessels fish outside of our 200 mile EEZ.  Prior to the 2000-2002 Plan, this occurred to a more limited extent (early spring and late fall only, and by fewer vessels).  With the reorientation of effort to other tunas, in order to maximize the economic gain from the swordfish TAC, more vessels are active outside the EEZ and they may be active there at anytime during the season.

Under ICCAT requirements since 2000, vessels >24m active in international waters and harvesting bigeye tuna must be equipped with electronic monitoring devices when operating on the high seas.  The previous and current plans meet this requirement.

7.4.2    Foreign Vessels in Canadian Waters

The Coastal Fisheries Protection Act (CFPA) is Canada's legislative means for controlling foreign fishing vessels access to, and activities in, Canadian waters and ports.  As a general rule reflected in the CFPA, Canadian ports are closed to foreign fishing vessels, and access to Canadian waters and ports is a privilege that may be granted by the Canadian government.

Up until 1999 inclusively, Japanese longline vessels were authorized under restricted conditions to fish a portion of their bluefin tuna and swordfish by-catch quotas inside the Canadian EEZ.  In 2000, further authorization was denied as a result of the Japanese overrunning their swordfish by‑catch quota.  By late 2003, Japan had addressed their overrun issue but further access to Canadian waters has not resumed at this time.  Should access resume, increased competition for berths may be a contentious issue with Canadian industry.

In December 2003, amendments to the CFPA were introduced to allow revisions to Canada's policy for access by foreign vessels to Canadian fisheries, waters and ports.  Under the new policy, the US was added to the list of countries with which Canada has favourable fisheries relations.  Subsequently, the Minister of Fisheries and Oceans approved in principle the entry of US fishing vessels into Canadian ports to conduct port activities, including offloading and transshipment.  While the rationale and benefits of this change are national in scope and favourable to some fisheries, the impact on the swordfish and other tunas fisheries is uncertain.  Canadian industry is concerned the policy change may result in increased competition for berths in the 3LNO and central north Atlantic area, and increased effort and landings by US vessels through facilitating a lengthened season.  As well, trans-border shipments of US landed fish will not be subject to the same degree of testing and security scrutiny as Canadian landed fish, thus resulting in a comparative advantage for US landings.  This remains a contentious issue with the Canadian large pelagics industry.

7.5       Resource Use & Conflict Management

7.5.1    Offshore Petroleum Exploration Gear with Fishing Gear

Some conflict has been noted to occur in recent years, since the resurgence of offshore petroleum exploration activity along the edge of the Scotian Shelf, between large pelagic longliner vessels and offshore petroleum exploration vessels.  t issue is the towing of seismic testing gear across areas where longliners wish to or have set their fishing gear.  Since 2002, there has been improved communication between these user groups, both informally and through formal venues, to resolve and avoid conflicts through coordinated scheduling of exploration activities.

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8.       MANAGEMENT MEASURES FOR THE DURATION OF THE PLAN

8.1       Sharing of the National Allocation

The nominal Canadian swordfish allocations are 1,338t for 2003, and 1,348t for each of 2004 and 2005.  In addition, for each of these years, the US will transfer 25t to Canada.  Finally, Canada has a 20t share of a 100t allowance for dead discards for the year 2003, after which the allocation declines to zero for all countries.  National allocations for 2006 had not been determined at the time of printing this Plan.

The first step in determining the annual fishable quota for any year is to adjust the national allocation for any over-runs or roll-over amounts from the previous year.  Since the fleet sector split in 2000, such adjustments are credited to or deducted from the gear sector that incurred them, with the exception of the unique offshore tuna Licence.  That licence receives a 5t by-catch limit annually from the top of the adjusted global quota and is not permitted to roll-over any underages of quota.[1]  The remaining Canadian quota is then allocated 10% to the harpoon sector and 90% to the longline sector.

It should be noted that the sector sharing of the national allocation is subject to the Department's intention to account for any overages of the national allocation as soon as possible.  Accounting for an overage at ICCAT must be done within two years of its occurrence. 

National allocations for 2003-2005 are summarized in Table 1 and the Canadian quota calculation for 2004 is shown in Table 4.  The original terms of the quota split for longline and harpoon sectors can be found in the 2000-2002 Canadian Atlantic Swordfish Integrated Fisheries Management Plan.

[1] Since 2002, the offshore tuna licence has the authority to conduct temporary quota transfers from pelagic longline licences to cover swordfish by-catch requirements in excess of its 5t allocation.  Hence, quota overruns by this licence effectively cannot occur.

Table 4.  Canadian Swordfish Quota Calculation and Fleet Shares - 2004

*  Includes 5t for the offshore tuna licence, deducted from the Canadian total before applying the 10/90 split between gear sectors.

8.1.1    Harpoon Sector Quota Management

Within the harpoon fleet sector, the quota is divided between Groups A and B as per the original terms and conditions established in the 2000-2002 Plan and more recently as amended in the industry CHPs in Appendix IV.  Due to the high degree of annual variability in harpoon landings, DFO has authorized this fleet sector to risk manage its quota over a 3-year timeframe (coincident with the ICCAT stock assessment cycle) by allowing quota overruns of up to 30% in any one year, with commensurate deductions of quota from their share in the following year.

8.1.2    Longline Sector ITQ Management

From the time of their first implementation to 2004 inclusively, ITQs have been managed by condition of licence for lack of the ability pursuant to the Atlantic Fishery Regulations to regulate the swordfish fishery based on vessel classes.  A regulatory amendment to introduce vessel classes to this fishery, initiated in 2002, is expected to be finalized in the fall of 2004.  It is anticipated that effective 2005, ITQ management can be achieved through Variation Orders to close the fishery by vessel class.

8.2       Fleet Sector CHPs

Each Association, group of fishers or individual licence holder wishing to fish within this overall Plan must submit, for approval by the Department, a CHP for their Association, group, or themselves that outlines how they will fish within the requirements of the respective fleet sector plan.  Any new CHPs or substantial changes to existing CHPs must undergo consultations at SFLPAC and, if needed, ALPAC, prior to DFO approval.

Following approval of these submissions, licence conditions will be issued to those covered by CHPs.  CHPs must, at a minimum, specify their arrangements for at-sea monitoring where required by the fleet sector plan, dockside monitoring of all landings, how those covered by the CHP will contribute to the enhanced scientific assessment of the stock, co-management initiatives where applicable, and quota management.

There are currently four approved CHPs under this Plan, which are included in Appendix IV.

8.3       Fishing Area and Season 

Prior to 2002, the swordfish and other tunas fisheries operated on a calendar year basis.  At the request of industry in 2002, the fishing year was changed to fiscal year, notably April 1 to March 31, to better coincide with timing of the domestic consultative process, which is driven in turn by the annual ICCAT meeting schedules.  The Canadian quota for the transition year of 2002 was effectively applied over a 15 month period to March 31, 2003.  Given that no fishing has traditionally occurred in the January to March period historically, this change is not expected to have an impact on reporting to ICCAT, which continues to be done on a calendar year basis. 

In 2003, the fishing area authorized by condition of licence for the pelagic longline fishery was extended from the North Atlantic Fisheries Organization (NAFO) boundaries to the most restrictive ICCAT boundaries within which Canadian allocations apply.  This change was implemented after Canada received its 15t bluefin by-catch allocation in the central north Atlantic.  For north Atlantic swordfish, the ICCAT boundary is set at 5ºN latitude, and for western Atlantic bluefin, the ICCAT boundary is 45ºW longitude except north of 10ºN, where Canadian vessels are now authorized to fish to the eastern boundary of ICCAT Area 3 - at 30ºW longitude.  Fishing outside of these boundaries would require Canadian vessels to discard swordfish (south of 5ºN) and bluefin tuna since Canada does not have allocations in these areas.

8.4       Monitoring of the Fishery (at-sea, dockside, quota)

Fishing activities are to be recorded in DFO approved logbooks, in the prescribed manner.  All discards (dead or alive) must be recorded on log documents.

A conversion factor of 1.3, as determined by ICCAT, will be applied to the dressed swordfish weights for quota monitoring purposes.

There will be 100% industry-funded dockside monitoring of all landings.

The minimum level of at-sea observer coverage of the longline fleet (except the offshore tuna licence) is 5% of estimated sea days (based on the previous year's actual sea days).  In the harpoon sector, an approximately equivalent contribution to scientific study of the stock is required.

Observer coverage for the offshore tuna licence has traditionally been set in the 50-100% range.  In 2004 new observer coverage requirements will be implemented on a trial basis in support of increasing other tuna ratios to 75% of all tunas landed. Observer coverage will remain at 100% while fishing within 50 miles from shore, while a rate of 25% coverage will be required while fishing outside 50 miles.

Inter-regional co-ordination of hails and landings, including trip hails and daily hails when required, have been in place since 2000.  In-season, the Maritimes Region coordinates inter-regional ITQ monitoring and control.  This is complemented by DFO Ottawa's year-end compilation of data for total Atlantic landings, from all gear types.  The NSSA and SHA will be monitoring their own hails and landings, as well as DFO, and ensuring that the hails are received by DFO through their arrangements with their DMP companies.

Vessels >24 m in length, vessels fishing other tunas licences and bluefin tuna licences concurrently on the same trip, and vessels fishing outside of NAFO boundaries, including those fishing the 15t bluefin tuna by-catch quota in the central north Atlantic, are required to have electronic VMS in 2004.  The full pelagic longline fleet will be required to have VMS at the start of the 2005 fishing season.

8.5       Time/Area Closures and Protocols

With the exception of the Gully MPA Zone 1, which is a legislated closure, certain areas are closed to swordfish fishing (by longlining and/or harpoon) and to other tunas longlining for reasons related to potential gear conflicts with other fisheries, to protect swordfish broodstock at certain times of the year, and to minimize by-catch of bluefin tuna (for which the fleet has no quota outside of the central north Atlantic).  ICCAT promotes the use of time/area closures to protect small swordfish, which may frequent certain areas to a greater degree at certain times of the year, but to date there has been no scientific basis for establishing permanent small fish closures in Canada.

Details of closures are outlined below.  A noteworthy change from the 2000-2002 Plan is the abolishment of the pre-August 1 west of 65º30'W closure and the permanent closure of the Hell Hole to longline gear from July 1 to November 30, based on a scientific review of the effectiveness of these closures in reducing bluefin tuna by-catch.  A flexible strategy for observer deployments will be employed with regard to west of 65º30'W so that unusual occurrences in the fishery can be well monitored.  All of the closures below apply equally to the offshore tuna licence.  In addition, the offshore tuna licence is not authorized to fish inside the boundaries of Canada's Territorial Sea (12 miles offshore), and only with 100% observer coverage inside 50 miles offshore.

(1)        Fishing Zone 1 (Bay of Fundy) and Fishing Zone 2 (Gulf of St. Lawrence) are permanent closures to the swordfish and other tunas longline fishery as well as to the swordfish harpoon fishery.  Only the swordfish harpoon fishery may operate in 4Vn.

(2)        Directed or incidental catches of tunas other than bluefin are not authorized in the portion of NAFO Division 4W known as 4Wd and enclosed by the lines joining the points listed below.

Point                             Latitude (N)                          Longitude (W)

1.                                 45°43'00"                                 60°15'00"

2.                                 45°40'00"                                 60°00'00"

3.                                 44°50'00"                                 60°00'00"

4.                                 44°50'00"                                 61°30'00"

5.                                 45°05'24"                                 61°42'00"

(3)        The area known as the "Swordfish Broodstock Closure", illustrated in Figure 6A and delineated by lines joining the coordinates listed below, between Cape Sable Island and Liscomb, Nova Scotia (NS), is closed to the harpoon gear sector from September 1 every year.  This closure, implemented at industry's request, is to enhance conservation of large and broodstock females known to be in this area at that time of year.  The harpoon gear sector is known to catch a greater proportion of mature females than males due to the basking behaviour of the former.  The area use to be closed to both harpoon and longline gear sectors until 2001, at which time the longline sector requested it be reopened to them.

Cape Sable to Liscomb Swordfish broodstock closure area:

Point                             Latitude (N)                       Longitude (W)

1.                                 43°23'18"                     65°37'10" (Cape Sable, NS)

2.                                 43°12'00"                     65°36'00"

3.                                 43°11'00"                     63°24'00"

4.                                 44°13'00"                     62°00'00"

5.                                 45°00'00"                     62°00'00" (Liscomb Point, NS)

(4)   The closure known as the Bluefin Exclusion Zone (BEZ), enclosed by the coastline of NS and straight lines joining the points listed below in the order in which they are listed and illustrated in Figure 6A, was implemented in 2001 (upon abolishing the Swordfish Broodstock Closure to the longline fleet) as a permanent closure to pelagic longline gear during the period August 1 to December 31 annually to protect bluefin tuna:

Point                             Latitude (N)                       Longitude (W)

1.                                 43°23'18"                     65°37'10" (Cape Sable, NS)

2.                                 43°10'48"                     65°37'10"

3.                                 44°42'00"                     62°00'00"

4.                                 45°00'00"                     62°00'00" (Liscomb Point, NS)

(5)        A closure of the area known as the "Hell Hole" to pelagic longline gear, illustrated in Figure 6A and delineated by straight lines joining the points listed below, was put in place first in 2003 on an interim basis, then on a permanent basis in 2004 from July 1 to November 30 annually to protect bluefin tuna known to be abundant in this area during that time period.

Point                             Latitude (N)                          Longitude (W)

1.                                 42°06'00"                                 65°41'24"

2.                                 42°06'00"                                 65°27'30"

3.                                 41°55'48"                                 65°27'30"

4.                                 41°55'48''                                65°41'24"

5.                                 42°06'00"                                 65°41'24"

(6)        Effective 2004, the area defined in regulations pursuant to the Ocean's Act as Zone 1 of the Gully MPA and illustrated in Figure 6B is closed to all fishing activity.

Figure 6A.  Swordfish and Other Tunas Time/Area Closures:  BEZ closed to longline gear Aug. 1 ‑ Dec. 31;  Swordfish Broodstock Closure to harpoon gear Sept. 1 - Dec. 31;  Hell Hole closure to longline gear July 1 - Nov. 30.  The pre-August 1 west of 65º30'W line closure, in place from 1995 to 2003, was lifted in 2004.

Figure 6B.  Gully MPA Zone 1 Closure Map

8.6       Other Relevant Elements

(a)        Licensing

• All licensing activities associated with swordfish and other tunas will be subject to the Canadian Commercial Fisheries Licensing Policy for Eastern Canada.

• Both swordfish harpoon and pelagic longline vessels, including the offshore tuna licence, will be required to adhere to the provisions of specific Conditions of Licence.

• Other tunas longline licence holders eligible to possess bluefin tuna licences are authorized to use them concurrently on the same fishing trip, subject to special licence conditions.  This would allow them to retain and tag bluefin tuna caught incidentally on longline gear, and require them to end their fishing trip when all tags have been used.
• Other tunas licence holders who obtain tuna tags through bluefin quota transfers from a bluefin tuna fleet are authorized to retain and tag bluefin tuna caught on longline gear, but are required to end their fishing trip when all tags have been used.
• Swordfish and other tunas longline licences are authorized to use pelagic longline and harpoon gear.
• Other tunas licence holders may opt to use trolling gear to augment their catches of other tunas, subject to special licence conditions and a minimum requirement of 0.5t of swordfish Individual Quota (IQ) prior to departure from port.  Licence holders electing to use trolling gear are not entitled to fish concurrently with a bluefin tuna licence nor retain bluefin tuna caught incidentally under any circumstances.
• Swordfish harpoon licence holders are not permitted to use their swordfish harpoon licence concurrently with any other large pelagic licence, except a swordfish longline licence.
• Other tunas and swordfish licences may not be split.

(b)        Key Legislation

• Fisheries Act
• Fishery (General) Regulations
• Atlantic Fishery Regulations, 1985
• Oceans Act
• SARA
• Coastal Fisheries Protection Act

(c)        Safety at Sea

This Plan endeavours to ensure that its implementation will not result in unsafe situations for fishers at sea.  As of this writing, there are no known aspects of the Plan, which would make it inconsistent with relevant federal and provincial acts and regulations pertaining to health and safety at sea.

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9.       ENFORCEMENT MEASURES

9.1       Overview 

DFO's Conservation and Protection Division (C&P) supports conservation and sustainability of the swordfish and other tunas fisheries through the delivery of a surveillance and enforcement program.  Its primary interest is ensuring compliance with the laws and policies that govern fishing activity through surveillance and inspection.  It also conducts investigations and takes follow-up action that may include prosecution or working with resource managers to find other solutions that address the conservation needs of the fishery. 

In consideration that many of the conservation measures that apply to the swordfish and other tunas fisheries derive from ICCAT, C&P works with other DFO branches and the fishing industry to apply pertinent ICCAT recommendations as legally binding and enforceable licence conditions. 

The swordfish and other tunas fishery represents a unique challenge to C&P in that fishing can occur over an expanse of water of 1,000,000 km² or more.  Whereas more traditional surveillance platforms such as patrol vessels and dockside inspections suffice for other fisheries that take place within sight of land, aerial surveillance, electronic VMS and sea-going observers take on greater significance in the delivery of the C&P program for swordfish and other large pelagics fisheries.

9.2       Main Program Activities

Sea-going Observers:  C&P manages this program on behalf of DFO.  It arranges for the deployment of contract observers, analyses the data they provide and ensures program integrity through an assessment of observer performance.  Whereas the standard coverage level is 5% of all sea days, C&P will recommend increasing the coverage level in response to unforeseen conservation concerns, a poor record of compliance or in order to assess industry requested measures.  Whereas sea going observers also fulfill a scientific role through the recording of catch and effort data and sampling, the information they gather is critical to C&P as it can be used as a yardstick to measure compliance with respect to juvenile swordfish, incidental catches and areas of capture.

Dockside Observers:  C&P has assumed a greater role in the delivery of "arm's length" DMP through quality control audits and investigation of incidents reported by dockside observers.  C&P works with the companies that deliver DMP to ensure the integrity of species identification and reported catch weights. 

Land-based Fishery Officers:  conduct dockside audits to ensure the integrity of weighouts for both longline and harpoon vessels.  They will also investigate suspected illegal, unreported landings. 

Quotas:  In consideration that the longline and harpoon sectors manage quota distribution within their respective fleets, C&P's role is mostly limited to enforcing overall closures once all quotas are fulfilled or investigating reports of quota manipulation that involve transshipments, highgrading or dumping.

VMS:  C&P is responsible for ensuring compliance with electronic VMS requirements and actively monitors the signals from these systems.  It may also conduct catch comparisons between vessels with electronic VMS aboard and those with observer coverage that fished in similar locations.

9.3       Fishery Patrol Vessels

These provide a platform from which C&P's Fishery Officers may conduct inspections to check catch weight, assess species composition, inspect catch records and monitor fishing activities for both longline and harpoon vessels.  Patrol vessels may also be used to monitor boundary lines and closed areas.

Whereas most offshore patrol vessel activity is carried out from large Canadian Coast Guard (CCG) vessels, these are often multi-tasked for other fisheries or activities, such as search and rescue.  C&P officers occasionally participate in joint patrols with Canada's Navy.  There are also plans to acquire midshore type dedicated patrol vessels in the years to come.

9.4       Aerial Surveillance

C&P's aerial surveillance program is delivered through a contract with Provincial Airlines Limited who provide patrols on a year round, round the clock basis using King Air 200 turboprop aircraft based in Halifax and St. John's.  Fishery Officers are assigned to each flight.

Most aerial patrols are tasked by area rather than for a specific fishery as they can cover a broad distance in a short time.  This capability is supplemented through long range radar (300 nautical mile (NM) range), which permits the aircraft to detect concentrations of vessel activities.  The aircraft are also equipped to detect and identify targets during dark hours.

C&P officers will occasionally participate in patrols aboard the Canadian Air Force Aurora surveillance aircraft or receive and act upon sightings of suspicious activity reported by the Department of National Defence (DND).  This represents DFO's prime means of compliance with ICCAT recommendations in respect to Illegal, Unlicensed, Unreported (IUU) vessels.

Aircraft are most useful to C&P in determining where fishing is concentrated so as to target other surveillance platforms such as patrol vessels.  They are also C&P's primary platform for detection of closed area violations.  The key areas of concern in the swordfish and other tunas fisheries are:

• The Gulf of St. Lawrence (Fishing Zone 1)
• The Bay of Fundy (Fishing Zone 2)
• The Hell Hole
• The Bluefin Exclusion Zone
• The Gully and other protected marine areas
• Quota Closures

9.5       Enforcement Issues and Strategies

Tables 5 and 6 summarize the various threats that face the successful implementation of the plan for the swordfish and other tunas fisheries and provides statistics on C&P activities and violations detected over the period from 1995-2003.

Table 5.  C&P Issues for the Swordfish and Other Tunas Fisheries

Table 6.  Statistical Summary of C&P Activities

*Includes all detected violations regardless of outcome.  Also includes cases that arose from concurrent activity for bluefin, swordfish and other tunas.

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10.     FINANCIAL RESPONSIBILITIES

10.1  Industry and/or Other Harvesters

Fishers are required to pay the full cost of 100% dockside monitoring for this fishery through direct contract with a DFO approved DMC.

Fishers are required to pay for at-sea observers for the collection of scientific data and to monitor fishing activity at sea.  The base level of coverage will be determined in discussions involving stakeholders and the Department.

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11.     PERFORMANCE REVIEW

11.1     Management Plan Evaluation Criteria

In order to determine if this Management Plan meets its goals, the following management, science and enforcement performance indicators may be reviewed annually, upon conclusion of the 3-year Plan, or upon conclusion of the ICCAT swordfish assessment cycle, as appropriate. The Canadian management plan timeframe attempts to mirror the ICCAT planning cycle.  For the current plan, this would have corresponded to 2003-2005.  However, due to ICCAT's postponement of the next swordfish assessment to 2006, the current Plan also extends to 2006.

• Canadian swordfish quota not exceeded in any one year.
• Small swordfish dead discards reduced or eliminated from pre-2004 levels.
• Bluefin tuna dead discards reduced from pre-2004 levels.
• Mitigation of non-target species by-catch achieved (data collection improved, by-catch rates reduced, rate of de-hooking achieved, probability of post-release mortality improved).
• BMSY restored for swordfish by 2010 under the 10-year ICCAT rebuilding program.
• MSY achieved in the swordfish fishery by 2010 under the 10-year ICCAT rebuilding program.
• No increase in licences or in overall authorized vessel capacity (per ICCAT effort controls).
• 100% VMS implementation achieved on the domestic longline fleet by 2005.
• Minimum observer coverage targets met annually.
• 100% logbook and pelagic receiving tally document collection.
• Quality of logbook data.
• Standardized swordfish CPUE submitted to ICCAT in assessment years.
• Task I and Task II data submitted annually to ICCAT.
• High level of domestic fleet compliance achieved.
• All foreign IUU vessels detected reported to ICCAT.

Specific review methodologies under development by C&P in support of the performance evaluation criteria include those listed below.  Some of these initiatives are generic in nature, applicable to a broad range of fisheries and not just swordfish and other tunas fisheries.

Analysis of Observer Catch and Sampling Data: to assess the change to a 15% allowance on juvenile swordfish.  Analysis to focus on whether fishers release live juvenile swordfish while retaining dead fish.  Will also examine frequency of juvenile swordfish and assess relativity of dressed length/weight equivalents to the 125 cm fork length limit.

Analysis of Observer and Log Catch Composition Data:  to conduct ongoing analysis of bluefin catch frequency in longline fishery and examine the effectiveness of existing or new bluefin tuna dead discard reduction measures.  Also assess sea going observer performance similar to process that already exists for dockside observers.

Analysis of Positional Reporting Integrity:  Comparison of hail, VMS and observer data to determine whether bluefin tuna by-catch reasonably reported, as well as other catch reporting issues.  Examination of VMS tracks through closed areas to ensure they are consistent with steaming rather than fishing.

DMP Analysis:  Part of a larger project for all fisheries to assess dockside observer and company performance through comparison of hail and weighout data and other analysis. Identical hail and weighout data may be indicative of underreporting and collusion.  Results may be used in individual observer and company designation process.

"Kegging":  Limited data from previous years has not provided sufficient comfort level for this practice. Determine whether 2004 season has yielded significant new observer data that would support a more definitive decision on this issue.

Analysis of Aerial Sightings and VMS Data: Greater data availability through initiatives such as the Maritimes Region Virtual Data Centre and Newfoundland & Labrador Region VUE system will facilitate more compliance data analysis.

11.2     Annual (Post-Season) Review Results

This Plan marks the first time an objective-based management format has been applied.  Accordingly, the plan provides for a number of measurable criteria against which performance can be gauged on an annual basis.  SFLPAC and ALPAC would provide suitable fora for conducting the annual reviews in subsequent years.
 

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APPENDIX I (A) - CONSULTATIVE GROUPS

ATLANTIC LARGE PELAGICS ADVISORY COMMITTEE (ALPAC)
TERMS OF REFERENCE

Purpose

The purpose of the Atlantic Large Pelagics Advisory Committee (ALPAC) is to provide advice to the Department of Fisheries and Oceans (DFO) on the management and development of the fisheries for tuna, swordfish, porbeagle shark and other large pelagic species of Atlantic Canada.  In doing so it will replace the Atlantic Bluefin Tuna Advisory Committee (ABTAC) and Atlantic Swordfish Advisory Committee (ASAC).

Regional committees, similarly structured, will provide input to the Atlantic Committee.  Membership for the Atlantic Committee will be drawn from those regional committees.

Scope

The Committee will provide the opportunity for consultation between various parties with interest in or jurisdiction over the industry.  Membership will include the federal government, provincial governments, fishers and processors.

Advice from the various Regional Advisory Committees will be consolidated by ALPAC.

The Committee will provide input on annual management plans, which may include, but is not restricted to advice on: quota allocations, regulatory amendments, enforcement efforts, licensing policies, seasons, size limits, gear restrictions, the administration of enterprise allocation programs, allocation of foreign quotas and developmental activities.

The Committee will take into consideration biological, marketing and other relevant information when formulating its advice.

Chairman

The Committee chairmanship will be held by a DFO official.

Sub-committees

Ad hoc subcommittees and/or working groups can be established to review and assess specific policy options and management measures.

Meetings

Meetings will be held at the call of the Chairman and there will be not less than one meeting convened each year.  Additional meetings may be necessary as determined by the Committee.

Meetings may be held in any of the participating Regions or at National Headquarters in Ottawa. When feasible, meetings will be held at times and places convenient to the membership.

Attendance

If a member cannot attend, an alternate may be nominated and the Chairman notified as far in advance of the meeting date as possible.

The proceedings of the Advisory Committee meetings will be open to the public and media representatives unless a majority of Committee members say otherwise before a meeting starts. Observers will sit away from the table and not take part in discussions unless asked by the Chairman.  Numbers of observers may be restricted, at the discretion of the Chairman, in a case of limited space in the meeting facility.

Administration

Effective January 1, 1994, the Department will no longer reimburse expenses for attendance at meetings.

No formal voting procedures will be entrenched in the conduct of the Committee, but rather it will seek to operate on a consensus basis.

Summary results of each meeting will be prepared and distributed by DFO.

Membership

Membership of the Committee shall be made up of those industry sectors having major involvement in the harvesting and processing/marketing of the resource, as well as representatives of provincial governments and DFO.

A current list of members can be obtained from DFO in Ottawa upon request.

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APPENDIX I (B)

SCOTIA FUNDY LARGE PELAGICS ADVISORY COMMITTEE (SFLPAC)
TERMS OF REFERENCE

Purpose

The Scotia Fundy Large Pelagics Advisory Committee (SFLPAC) will provide input and advice to the Department of Fisheries and Oceans on the conservation, protection, and utilization of the Canadian east coast fisheries resources of tunas, swordfish and shark and on the management of the fisheries for these large pelagics resources. This Committee will serve as the pre-eminent consultative forum for Scotia Fundy based large pelagics' fishing industry and government.

Scope

The Committee will provide recommendations and advice on Maritimes (Scotia Fundy) Regional policy issues related to these fisheries. Consequently, the Committee can review recommendations made by subcommittees to determine what management measures could be included in Regional fishing plans.

The Committee will provide advice on annual fishing plans, regulatory measures, fishing seasons, licensing policies, size limitations, by-catch provisions, and gear restrictions and other aspects of the integrated fisheries management plans (IFMP's) that may arise.

The Committee will give consideration to biological, marketing and other information as may  affect the management of the large pelagics resource.

SFLPAC will be supported by separate working groups for tunas, swordfish and shark.

ADMINISTRATION

Structure

Any changes to the structure and administration of the Committee will be decided by the Committee membership, as determined by the most recently updated membership list available.

Sub-committees

Ad hoc committees/working groups can be established to review and assess specific policy options and management measures.

Meetings

Meetings can be held throughout the Maritimes (Scotia-Fundy) Region.  When feasible, meetings will be held at times and places convenient to the membership. 

Meetings will be held at least once per calendar year.  Additional meetings may be held if required.

Expenses 

Non-DFO members do not receive funding for expenses incurred when attending meetings.

Voting Procedures

No formal voting procedures will be established.  The Committee will seek to operate on a consensus basis.  Where no consensus is possible, the majority opinion will be noted as well as outstanding objections.

Minutes of Meetings

Minutes will be prepared and distributed by DFO in a timely manner.  First draft review of Minutes is the privilege of Committee members, prior to public release/review of minutes in draft form.

Public Access

Unless a majority of Committee members say otherwise before a meeting starts, and have justification for doing so, the meetings and proceedings of the SFLPAC are open to public and media scrutiny.  However, no electronic recording devices are permitted without the express permission on a case by case basis of the members and of the Chairperson.

Attendance

If a member cannot attend, an alternate may be nominated and the Chairperson notified as far in advance of the meeting date as possible.

CHAIR, RAPPORTEUR, AND MEMBERSHIP 

Chairperson and Rapporteur 

The Committee will be chaired by a DFO official.  An industry co-chair may be appointed at the discretion of the Committee members.  The Chair may appoint a meeting Rapporteur from amongst the DFO members or other DFO attendees.  Industry members may also assist with this task, if the selection has the support of all members. 

Membership 

The composition of the Committee membership shall reflect the structure and nature of the Scotia-Fundy large pelagics fisheries.  In addition to DFO staff, the membership may include representatives of the following Scotia-Fundy based groups where related to the large pelagics fisheries:

• licence holders' Associations for all the relevant gear sectors,
• Aboriginal groups, in addition to representation they may receive via their commercial licence Associations,
• processors or other industries related to the large pelagics fisheries, and
• provincial governments' fisheries departments/branches (NS and NB).

With the exception of the offshore tuna licence, which is a unique licence, individual licence holders will not sit as members of this Committee.

Each group separately identified in the Membership List below as a member is permitted to have a maximum of two representatives on the Committee, with the exception of the unique offshore tuna licence, which is permitted one representative.  Additional representatives from member groups may attend as observers, if the meeting is public, or with the approval of the Chair if the meeting is not open to the public, as might happen on occasion.  DFO staff will be represented as the issues demand, with the minimum representation to include the following Maritimes Region (Scotia-Fundy) Branches: Resource Management, Conservation & Protection, and Science.

Definition

For the purpose of this Committee, in order for a fishermen's association to be a member, it must represent a minimum of 30 Scotia-Fundy based, large pelagics licence holders who are not otherwise represented on this Committee for those same licences or a clear majority of the large pelagics licence holders in a distinct group if there are fewer than 30 members in that group and they are otherwise unrepresented on this Committee.

SFLPAC MEMBERSHIP LIST

*This licence is unique and represents itself via one seat on the Committee

**This group represents a distinct sub-group of 10 4Wd licence holders within the Scotia-Fundy mobile gear bluefin tuna sector, which are not represented by the SWNBTA.
 

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APPENDIX II - DFO DEPARTMENTAL CONTACTS

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APPENDIX III (A)

MINISTER'S NEWS RELEASE 2003

MINISTER THIBAULT ANNOUNCES 2003 MANAGEMENT MEASURES FOR SWORDFISH AND OTHER TUNAS

OTTAWA -- The Honourable Robert G. Thibault, Minister of Fisheries and Oceans, today announced that Canada's 2003 Total Allowable Catch (TAC) of North Atlantic Swordfish is 1,463 tonnes, an increase of more than 40 per cent over last year's TAC.

A stock assessment conducted last year by the International Commission for the Conservation of Atlantic Tunas (ICCAT), which manages North Atlantic Swordfish, showed signs of improvement in the stock's health after several years of declining numbers.  Since 1999, this species has been under a 10-year rebuilding plan.

"I would also like to announce that effective this year, the Individual Transferable Quotas program is approved with a maximum permanent quota accumulation limit of five per cent per licence holder, to be reviewed at the end of three years," said Minister Thibault. This follows a trial program introduced to the longline fleet in the 2002 season which resulted in the longest and most stable season for this fleet since the mid-1990's.

The 2003 TAC of 1,463 tonnes consists of a Canadian allocation of 1,338 tonnes, a transfer of 25 tonnes from the United States, and roll overs of unused Canadian quota and allowances from previous years. In 2002, Canadian swordfish landings totaled 959 tonnes.

Additional measures set by ICCAT for 2003 include a continuation of a 2,100 tonne cap on bigeye tuna landings and a 200 tonne cap on albacore landings, as well as the introduction of an annual bycatch allocation of 15 tonnes of bluefin tuna for Canadian pelagic longline vessels operating in the central-north Atlantic.  There are no catch level restrictions on yellowfin tuna in 2003.

Swordfish and other types of tunas are highly migratory, large pelagic fish that range throughout the North and South Atlantic.  Swordfish can be found in Canadian waters from May to November, primarily along the edge of Georges Bank, the Scotian Shelf and the Grand Banks. 

The backgrounder related to this announcement is available on Fisheries and Oceans Canada's website at www.dfo-mpo.gc.ca/media_e.htm

BACKGROUNDER

B-HQ-03-63E(a)

2003 SWORDFISH AND OTHER TUNAS MANAGEMENT PLAN

FOR MORE INFORMATION: 

• Internet: http://www.dfo-mpo.gc.ca/media/backgrou/2003/hq-ac63a_e.htm

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APPENDIX III (B)

ALPAC LETTER TO MEMBERSHIP 2004

TO/À:  ALL ALPAC MEMBERS/     TOUS LES MEMBRES DU CCGPPA

(Original dated April 6, 2004)                                                             (Version originale datée du 6 avril, 2004)

Barry Rashotte
Chairman/president
ALPAC/CCGPPA

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APPENDIX IV 

CONSERVATION HARVESTING PLANS

(A)          Swordfish Harpoon Association CHP

Harpoon Gear Sector Plan Years 2003; 2004; and 2005

(to be reviewed annually)

*  Groups:  to be established to fish under the harpoon sector quota as follows:

Group A:  Recently Active         Group B:  Others

*  Definitions:

Recently Active:  must supply proof to DFO via the Harpoon Association, or to DFO directly if not a member of the Harpoon Association, either of swordfish harpoon landings or trips, documented as received by DMP or DFO during any of the years 1996-1999.

Others:  all others with directed harpoon-only swordfish.  

*  CHP's:  whether fishing under Group A or Group B, a Conservation Harvesting Plan (CHP) must be submitted to DFO for review and approval before license conditions will be issued to the individuals covered by that CHP.

*  Fishing Plan General Outline:

Group A:

Season:  2003 and 2004 - (June 1 to October 31)

                   2005 - (June 1 to September 15)

Quota:  Total harpoon sector quota for 2004 is 132.4 metric tons less Group B quota of 9 tons which leaves

                  Group A with 123.4 tons;  In-season quota review @ 70% of the harpoon sector quota

DMP:    (I)  100% proof of coverage required before CHP approved;

            (II)  hail-out and hail-ins required for authorization numbers to fish and confirmation numbers to land and off-load;

            (III) hails to be in dressed weights;

            (IV) If Group A quota is harvested early in 2004 of the plan, we will borrow 30% of 2005 quota to harvest in 2004.  At the start of 2005, we will repay the 30%.  In 2005, we will only have access to the remaining quota.

Science:  in lieu of at-sea observers, proof of contribution to Large Pelagic Science in St. Andrews before CHP is approved.

Logs, etc:  as normal.

Over-runs:  Group A to be responsible for re-paying any over-runs back to Group A.

Rollover of unused quota:  If Group A does not harvest full quota in 2003, it will be carried forward to 2004; likewise, for 2004, it will be carried forward to 2005.  Any quota left in 2005, will be turned over to the longliners on September 15, 2005.

Group B:

Quota:  split into 2 parts; 9 tons for 2004 

Season:  one-half quota June 1 - July 31; one-half quota Aug. 1 - October 31;

In-season quota review:  ongoing; (Possible one-time transfer of quota from Group A to Group B to be determined mid-season.)      

DMP:  as above;

Science:  same as above;

Logs:  as above;

Over-runs:  Group B can benefit from roll-over of unused quota of Group B in subsequent years up to 2004; any unused quota in 2003 and 2004, will go to Group A; 2005 quota will be 9 tons; also, Group B to be responsible for re-paying any over-runs back to Group B.  This will be reviewed annually.

Hail Outs/Hail Ins:  All vessels are required to hail out and in and to maintain a daily log sheet and accept mandatory D.M.P. of DFO specifications.  All log sheets must be sent to the Monitoring Company.  Failure to submit these log sheets within a specified time will result in sanction of your fishing privileges.

Additional Considerations:

• All weights indicated in previously mentioned plan(s) are in dressed weights using a conversion factor of 1.3%.
• Minimum length of 125 cm with 15% tolerance below 125 cm per number of fish per trip on one year trial basis.
• All license holders wishing to fish in Group A or Group B must have proof of membership or alternate approved CHP before D.F.O. issues fishing conditions.
• Each sector will be responsible for its own over-run.
• The use of airplanes, ultralites, or other aerial devices to locate or assist in the harvest of swordfish is not permitted.  If spotter planes are used in the fishery by any member of the Swordfish Harpoon Association, it may be deemed that the member is not working within the principles of the Association; therefore, the membership may be revoked.
• Any decisions made by the Swordfish Harpoon Association committee will be final.

License Conditions: 

Concurrent licenses may fish harpoon-swordfish through dual hails.

Following example:  Groundfish - harpoon
                              Bluefin Tuna - harpoon
                              Crab - harpoon

Large Pelagic Longline Licenses - shark, swordfish, and other tunas are not permitted to fish concurrently.

Dale Richardson/Patrick Gray/Larry Sears

(B)          Nova Scotia Swordfishermen's Association CHP

Conservation - Harvesting Plan
2004 Swordfish / Other Tunas Longline Fishery

General Outline

1.        Directed swordfish and other tuna fleet to begin its fishery April 1, 2004, with a quota of 1430.9 mt[1]. (Note: subject to adjustment once 2003 dead discard estimate is available). A total of 20mt. will be held back until the dead discard estimates are completed.

2.        The swordfish and other tuna fleet will operate based on an Individual Transferable Quota (ITQ) system as outlined in Appendix "A", attached.

3.        All sub-sectors, excepting the offshore tuna license, with allocations to be responsible for their respective quotas; i.e., to take advantage of annual rollovers of unused quotas. All sub-sectors, including the offshore tuna license will be responsible for payback of any over-runs and ICCAT penalties they may incur.

4.        The Nova Scotia Swordfishermen's Association will be responsible for administrating rollovers and transfers, for its members.

For reasons of parity, non-association participants are expected to fish under a DFO approved CHP that meets, at a minimum, the standards set out by the IFMP and NSSA CHP. All Newfoundland vessels as members of the NSSA, would be able to participate in the self-administered plan.

5.        DFO-Maritimes Region to provide in-season and year-end roll-ups of both Maritimes and Newfoundland & Labrador Region landings data summary to each Region and to the NSSA.

Closed Areas 

1.        The area known as the "Hell Hole" and delineated by lines joining the coordinates as below will be closed to pelagic longline gear from July 1st to November 30th inclusive.  If it is determined that the closure needs to be extended for conservation reasons, this will be done through variation order.

                                                 Point                       Latitude (N)                           Longitude (W) 

                                                1.                             42 06'00"N                             65 41'24"W
                                                2.                             42 06'00"N                             65 27'30"W
                                                3.                             41 55'48"N                             65 27'30"W
                                                4.                             41 55'48"N                             65 41'24"W
                                                5.                             42 06'00"N                             65 41'24"W

2.        The area delineated by lines joining the coordinates as below, between Cape Sable Island and Liscomb, N.S., and referred to, as the "Bluefin Exclusion Area" will be closed to pelagic longline gear throughout the season.

                                                Point                       Latitude (N)                           Longitude (W)

                                                1.                             43 23'18"N                             65 37'10"W
                                                2.                             43 10'48"N                             65 37'10"W
                                                3.                             44 42'00"N                             62 00'00"W
                                                4.                             45 00'00"N                             62 00'00"W

3.        The area west of 65 30' 00" West Longitude that was previously closed before August 1st will be opened in 2004. A flexible strategy for observer deployments will be employed so that unusual occurrences in the fishery can be well monitored. For 2004, this includes an additional 20 days of observer coverage for deployment in areas of highest activity.

Gear Use 

1.        Longline gear is permitted in open areas, within NAFO areas 3,4,5 & 6 as well as outside the NAFO Convention Area, in the ICCAT Northern Swordfish Boundary Area North of 5 degrees North and West of 30 degrees West[2].

2.        Harpoon gear is permitted in open areas, within NAFO areas 3,4,5 & 6, as well as outside the NAFO Convention Area, in the ICCAT Northern Swordfish Boundary Area North of 5 degrees North and West of 30 degrees West, and is also permitted in areas closed to longline gear, provided longline gear is stowed while within closed areas.

3.        Trolling gear selective for non-bluefin tunas is permitted in open areas, within NAFO areas 3,4,5 & 6 as well as outside the NAFO Convention Area, in the ICCAT Northern Swordfish Boundary Area North of 5 degrees North and West of 30 degrees West, and is also permitted in areas closed to longline gear, provided longline gear is stowed while within closed areas.

Monitoring

1.        All vessels will have five-percent baseline observer coverage (for a total of 133 sea-days, comprised of 108 days of standard coverage, an additional 20 days as outlined above, and 5 days coverage for trolling activities), to be deployed for maximum spatial / temporal representation of the fishery. Fishers will call in before each trip to arrange for observer trips. Additional observer coverage may be assessed at the expense of the individual operator, if the Department receives incident reports or if they fail to abide by the minimum performance standards as outlined in the license conditions. In these cases, the Department will notify the affected vessel and the Nova Scotia Swordfishermen's Association of the requirement for additional observer coverage.

2.        All members agree to abide by the conditions of license, including but not limited to the following:

a.        Hail-outs and hail-ins are required for every trip. Hail-ins will be number of fish by species and accurate weight by species.

b.       DMP will be 100%. The NSSA also commits to monitoring all of its members landings, and to keep in close touch with DFO landings

c.        2003 logbooks will be used. Tally sheets to continue to be used.

d.       By-catch of shark species permitted, with the "no finning" provision.

e.        Traditionally caught, quota and non-quota species of finfish such as mahi mahi, marlin[3], porbeagle shark, mako shark, etc. may continue to be retained. Other by-catches are not permitted for retention, e.g. bluefin tuna (unless otherwise authorized) and protected species.

VMS 

1.        As per the announcement by the Minister of Fisheries and Oceans in 2003, all swordfish / other tuna longline vessels will be under 100% VMS coverage by the beginning of the 2005 fishing season.

2.        The use of valid bluefin tuna licenses concurrently on an other tunas trip is permitted, subject to license condition. VMS will be required for all concurrent trips.

3.        All vessels that fish bluefin tuna by-catch in the Central North Atlantic will be equipped with an approved and fully operational VMS system.

4.        Vessels >24m and fishing for other tuna will participate in the ICCAT pilot project on electronic vessel monitoring (VMS).

Trolling

1.        Trolling operations will be subject to 5% observer coverage required by the fleet (Included in the 133 days stated above).

2.        The requirement that all lines remain attached to the vessel at all times will be lifted for vessels carrying observers for the 2004 season and until further notice.

3.        Additional observer coverage will be at the discretion of the individual license holder if they wish to keg while trolling. Higher observer coverage levels are encouraged to accelerate data collection and evaluation of bluefin by-catch rates and condition of release for future management decisions.

4.        Carrying concurrent bluefin and swordfish / other tuna licenses will not be permitted on trolling trips.

Dead Discard Reduction Measures

1.        In an effort to reduce bluefin tuna dead discards, those individuals that fish both other tuna longline licenses and bluefin tuna licenses will be required to retain bluefin tuna that would otherwise be discarded dead from their longline catch. Therefore it is incumbent on the license holder to insure that they have sufficient tags available to cover all bluefin tuna by-catch before hailing out on a concurrent trip.

2.        In an effort to reduce bluefin tuna dead discards, other tuna license holders will be permitted to retain and land bluefin tuna if they have arranged a transfer of bluefin tuna tags from a bluefin tuna license holder from either of the seven bluefin fleets or from the offshore tuna operation.

3.        On a trial basis for 2004, the swordfish / other tuna license holders will operate under the alternative small swordfish protocol of 125cm with a 15% tolerance. The 15% will be calculated for the fleet on a trip basis, as per the Atlantic Fisheries Regulations. For operational purposes, the 15% tolerance allows each vessel to retain 15 swordfish under the 125cm. requirement for every 100 fish retained that are over the 125cm. length requirement.

Central North Atlantic Bluefin Tuna

1.        With reference to ICCAT Recommendation 02-07, the longline quota for bluefin tuna catch that can be retained to account for by-catch related to their directed longline fisheries in the management area boundary will be 15 mt.

2.        A carry forward of 13.425 mt of unused quota from the 2003 season will be added to the initial allocation of 15 mt. for a total allocation of 28.425 mt for 2004.

3.        Holders of Other Tuna License Conditions issued may purchase bluefin tuna tags issued for the management area boundary to be used only in the management area boundary.

4.        Tags to be issued to Other Tuna License holders on request for a fee of $150.00 per tag.

5.        The number of tags issued each year will be based on the 15mt. allocation and the average size of the individual fish taken from the area of the management boundary in the previous year.

6.        A bluefin tuna tag will be attached to the ninth finlet from the tail of each bluefin tuna when it is brought onboard the vessel. The tag number, estimated dressed weight (in pounds), flank and dressed length (in inches), set location, date and time of set will be recorded in the logbook upon completion of each set.

7.        Hail in / hail out provisions to remain the same as those currently in place. In addition to this, vessels that catch and retain bluefin tuna in the management area boundary will hail their catches of bluefin tuna on a daily basis at the end of each set. The hail will be made as per license condition.

8.        Observer coverage will be part of the standard 5% required by the fleet.  Strategic deployment of the 5% will enable the Department to monitor activities in the management boundary area.

9.        The area will be closed when the 15mt. allocation is caught.

10.     Individual license holders fishing in this area will be permitted to pick up a maximum of 10 bluefin tuna tags per trip, on a first come, first service basis up to the maximum number of tags assigned to the fleet.

11.     Any unused portion of the 15mt. longline allocation of bluefin tuna remaining at the end of the fishing year will be rolled forward and added to the longline quota in the following year.[4] Conversely, any overrun in a given year by the longline fleet will be deducted from the longline quota in the following year.

12.     All vessels that fish bluefin tuna by-catch in the management boundary area will be equipped with an approved and fully operational VMS system.

Incidental By-Catch Reduction Measures

1.        In an effort to reduce post release mortalities and to facilitate better release practices for incidentally caught sea turtles, the Nova Scotia Swordfishermen's Association has purchased, through a joint project with Environment Canada, under the Habitat Stewardship Program, thirty (30) sets of line clipping and dehooking equipment.

2.        The Nova Scotia Swordfishermen's Association has undertaken a training program with its members in the use of the line clipping and dehooking equipment.

3.        The Nova Scotia Swordfishermen's Association will be deploying, on a first come first service basis, the above mentioned equipment to active fishing vessels for use during the 2004 season. In 2003 there were 39 vessels active, with 33 deploying longline gear.

4.        On a voluntary basis, beginning in 1996, in an effort to better facilitate the live release of unwanted and unintentional by-catch, including that of sea turtles, the swordfish / other tunas longline fleet began switching from the exclusive use of J-hooks to 16/0 circle hooks.

a.        As circle hooks are seldom ingested by any by-catch species, typically lodging in the corner of the mouth, they do not cause internal injuries to unintentionally caught by-catch.

b.       Further, circle hooks, by nature, do not foul hook animals, reducing the likelihood of incidentally hooking leatherback turtles as most documented interactions with leatherback turtles were by way of entanglement or foul hooking, as they do not eat squid or mackerel, the preferred baits used by the fleet.

c.        During the 2003 fishing season, the swordfish / other tuna longline fleet, used circle hooks (size 16/0) on 75% of all trips, either swordfish directed or other tuna directed.

d.       Further investigation has shown that over 90% of the vessels directing for other tunas currently uses 16/0 circle hooks and those vessels still using J-hooks are using them on swordfish directed trips.

e.        Due to the feeding nature of swordfish, more than 15% of the catch is attributed to foul hooking and since very few fish are foul hooked using circle hooks, there would be a significant catch reduction in this portion of the fishery if J-hooks were not used, thus the reluctance for the complete switch to circle hooks.

Fee Structure 

1.        License fees will be paid based on actual tonnage allocated to each license. The rate has been established at $345.00 / tonne of swordfish and $150.00 / tag for bluefin tuna.

2.        All license holders will be required to have an approved Conservation Harvesting Plan in place and will have appropriate observer coverage plan in place before either a license condition is issued or transfers in quota are permitted by any individual each year.

3.        Quota transfers, under this plan, will only be permitted between Nova Scotia Swordfishermen's Association members.

Season 

1.        The swordfish longline season will be twelve months in duration. The season will run each year from April 1st to March 31st, noting that Bluefin Tuna quota management runs on a calendar year.

Accumulation of Quota Guidelines

1.        No individual license holder may accumulate more than 5% of the overall swordfish longline quota on a permanent basis.

Minimum Quota Required to Conduct a Trip

1.        There is a minimum quota of 0.5mt of swordfish required to start a trip. Individual license holders will endeavor to have or be able to obtain a transfer of fish to cover the catch for a given trip.

Appendix A

Quota Transfer Guidelines

Nova Scotia Swordfishermen's Association 

1.        Quota transfers between license holders are to be approved by Quota Analysis Unit, Halifax upon application.

2.        Both parties must have a validated fishing license for the current fishing year.

3.        Both parties must have a valid membership with the Nova Scotia Swordfishermen's Association.

4.        The license holder (or an officer of a corporation with signing authority in the case of a corporation owned license) must sign the application. If it is a permanent transfer application, a Commissioner of Oaths or Notary Public must also sign the application.

5.        The name and address of both license holders are to be verified with the DFO computerized licensing system.

6.        A license holder will not be permitted to hold an amount of quota that exceeds 5% of the fleet quota on a permanent basis.

7.        All temporary quota arrangements will expire at the end of the fishing year. Beginning in 2004, the fishing year for the Nova Scotia Swordfishermen's Association will be from April 1st to March 31st annually.

8.        When a permanent transfer of all quota is requested, the transferring license holder will only be eligible to receive quota by transfer from another license holder. This means that they will not be eligible for quota should the TAC be increased.

9.        In the advent of an overage of an individual's quota at the conclusion of the season, an individual will have 30 days to arrange for a transfer or transfers to cover said overage.

10.     A license holder will not be permitted to transfer or receive quota until the access fees for the current year and any outstanding fees from previous years have been paid.
 

(C)          Offshore Tuna Licence CHP

2004

Background

The offshore tuna license is unique in Canada. It is issued by the Department and understood by the recipient that the licence requires directing for Bigeye, Yellowfin, and Albacore Tuna so as to minimize the by-catches of Bluefin Tuna and Swordfish.

Quotas, Tags, and Transfers

1.1.               Directed Offshore Tuna Fishery will begin April 1, 2004, with an initial swordfish quota of 5.0 mt. and a 20 mt. bluefin tuna quota, both of which will be used as by-catch in a directed other tunas fishery. Unused quota may not be rolled over.

1.2.               Additional swordfish quota may be transferred, on a temporary basis only, from the ITQ swordfish longline licence(s) held by 10474 Nfld Ltd. In order to facilitate quota tracking both within DFO and the Nova Scotia Swordfishermen's Association (NSSA), all transfers will be conducted in accordance with the guidelines set up under the NSSA.

1.3.               The offshore tuna license will be responsible for payback of any over-runs and ICCAT penalties they may incur.

1.4.               In an effort to reduce bluefin tuna dead discards in the swordfish / other tunas longline fishery, the Offshore Tuna License will be permitted to transfer a portion of its bluefin tuna allocation to the ITQ longline vessels.

1.5.               An initial allocation of fifty (50) bluefin tuna tags will be issued to the Offshore Tuna License. The remainder of the tags will be held by the Department and issued at a later date to the Offshore Tuna License upon written request for their own use or for transfer to swordfish longline vessels. The Offshore tuna licence holder will take responsibility that the estimated catch capacity of the total number of tags issued does not exceed 20mt.

1.6.               Total landings on tuna species other than bluefin will make up at least 75% of the overall tuna landings on a seasonal basis during the operation of the Offshore Tuna Licence. Previously, the requirement was that at least 50% of all tunas landed must be tunas other than bluefin. This change, in conjunction with amended observer coverage requirements under item 1.13 of this CHP, is being implemented on a trial basis for 2004.

Fishing Area

1.7.               With the exception of closed areas specifically identified in the condition of license, fishing operations may be conducted in the North Atlantic Ocean, north of 5 degrees North Latitude and west of 45 degrees West Longitude, and inside a Central North Atlantic area defined as north of 5 degrees North Latitude and between 45 degrees West Longitude and 30 degrees West Longitude, hereinafter refered to as "ICCAT Area 3".

Closed Areas

1.8.               The area known as the "Hell Hole" and delineated by lines joining the coordinates as below will be closed to the Offshore Tuna Licence from July 1st to November 30th inclusive.  If it is determined that the closure needs to be extended for conservation reasons, this will be done through variation order.

Point                               Latitude (N)                           Longitude (W)

1.                                     42 06'00"N                             65 41'24"W
2.                                     42 06'00"N                             65 27'30"W
3.                                     41 55'48"N                             65 27'30"W
4.                                     41 55'48"N                             65 41'24"W
5.                                     42 06'00"N                             65 41'24"W

1.9.               The area delineated by lines joining the coordinates as below, between Cape Sable Island and Liscomb, N.S., and referred to, as the "Bluefin Exclusion Area" will be closed to the Offshore Tuna Licence throughout the season.

Point                               Latitude (N)                           Longitude (W) 

1.                                     43 23'18"N                             65 37'10"W
2.                                     43 10'48"N                             65 37'10"W
3.                                     44 42'00"N                             62 00'00"W
4.                                     45 00'00"N                             62 00'00"W

1.10.            The portion of Division 4W known as 4Wd enclosed by lines joining the following points will be closed to the Offshore Tuna License throughout the season:

Point                               Latitude (N)                           Longitude (W)

1.                                     45 43'00"N                             60 15'00"W
2.                                     45 40'00"N                             60 00'00"W
3.                                     44 50'00"N                             60 00'00"W
4.                                     44 50'00"N                             61 30'00"W
5.                                     45 05'24"N                             61 42'00"W

1.11.            Also closed throughout the season to the Offshore Tuna Licence are NAFO Division 4Vn, Canadian Fishing Zones 1 and 2 (Bay of Fundy and Gulf), and along the coast inside the Territorial Sea boundary.

1.12.            The area west of 65 30' 00" West Longitude and outside of the Hell Hole that was previously closed before August 1st will be opened in 2004. The Cabot and Funk Island closures (Newfoundland) identified in previous plans are lifted.

Monitoring

1.13.            For 2004, when fishing outside of 50 miles from shore, a minimum of two observed trips are required per season.  Trips should be representative in duration (one trip in the east approximately 20 days and one in the west approximately 12 days). Previously, coverage outside 50 miles was set at 50 - 100%. The change is being implemented on a trial basis for the purpose of supporting a stronger emphasis on other tunas, noting that these trips are concentrated in distant eastern areas where the duration of trips results in prohibitive observer coverage costs.

1.14.            When fishing inside of the 50 mile boundary, 100% observer coverage is required.

1.15.            Additional observer coverage may be assessed at the expense of the operator, if the Department receives incident reports or if they fail to abide by the minimum performance standards as outlined in the license conditions.

1.16.            The Offshore Tuna License holder agrees to abide by the conditions of license, including but not limited to the following:

1.16.1.              Hail-outs and hail-ins are required for every trip. Hail-ins will be number of fish by species and  accurate weight by species.

1.16.2.              Daily hails at the end of each haul back when bluefin is caught.

1.16.3.              DMP will be 100%.

1.16.4.              2003 logbooks will be used. Tally sheets to continue to be used.

1.16.5.              By-catch of shark species permitted, with the "no finning" provision.

1.16.6.              Traditionally caught, quota and non-quota species of finfish such as mahi mahi, marlin, porbeagle shark, mako shark, etc. may continue to be retained.

1.16.6.1.         Note: In the case of white and blue marlin, only those fish found dead on the gear at the time it is retrieved are kept, all others are released alive.

VMS 

1.17.            An electronic vessel monitoring system (VMS) is mandatory for any vessel operating the Offshore Tuna License.

2.       By-Catch and Dead Discard Reduction Measures

2.1.               On a trial basis for 2004, the Offshore Tuna License holder will operate under the alternative small swordfish protocol of 125cm with a 15% tolerance. The 15% will be calculated for the fleet on a trip basis, as per the Atlantic Fisheries Regulations. For operational purposes, the 15% tolerance allows each vessel to retain 15 swordfish under the 125cm. requirement for every 100 fish retained that are over the 125cm. length requirement.

2.2.               The Offshore Tuna License, to minimize as much as possible sea turtle interactions, will conduct fishing operations in accordance with the guidelines outlined in the "Code of Conduct for Responsible Sea Turtle Handling and Mitigative Measures", prepared by the Nova Scotia Swordfishermen's Association.

Season

2.3.               Notwithstanding item 2.5, the Offshore Tuna season will be twelve months in duration. The season will run each year from April 1st to March 31st, noting that Bluefin Tuna quota management runs on a calendar year.

2.4.               The vessel "I.V.Y." or "Ivy Rose" will be used to fish the licence.

2.5.               The vessel registered to the Offshore Tuna Licence will cease fishing when the 20mt. bluefin by-catch quota associated with this licence is reached. This includes quota landed by the Offshore Tuna Licence vessel and any swordfish longline vessels to which bluefin tags have been transferred

[1] Correction:  1418.4t before dead discard adjustment.
[2] Correction: the authorized area extends north of 5ºN to 45ºW, then north of 10ºN between 45ºW and 30ºW.
[3] In the case of marlins, only those fish found dead on the gear at the time of its retrieval are kept.  All others are released alive.
[4] Correction:  DFO has authorized the roll over of any unused quota after deduction of dead discards in excess of the 5.6t allocation from the previous year.

(D)  4Vn Harpoon CHP[1]

[1] Applies to members of the North of Smokey Fishermen's Association, including Gulf Fishers, and of the Northside Fishermen's Association.

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