Groundfish fisheries in St. Georges Bay consist
of a diverse combination of fishing gears and species. There are important
technical interactions among the fisheries due to the multi-species
nature of the catches, competition for fishing grounds among vessels,
and differences in size selection of different fishing gears. It is
important to better understand these interactions, in particular in
the current situation in St. Georges Bay where some of the principle
species (white hake and cod) are in a depressed state and require
stock rebuilding. The multi-species and multi-gear nature of groundfish
fisheries in St. Georges Bay is distinct from that for lobster and
herring fisheries which are exploited in a single-species, single-gear
manner.
This report concentrates on the
groundfish fisheries specifically and describes the
relatively complex combination of species and fishing
gears involved. We have examined the main fishing gears
used, the species caught with each, and the evolution of
gear/species combinations over the past 13 years (1985 -
1997). Fishery types are defined based on similarities in
species composition of the landings. Catch rate indices
of individual species are developed and are discussed in
relation with changes in overall and local stock
abundance. Some of the factors which have influenced
these changes are discussed, but several questions remain
unanswered. Improved understanding of the social and
biological factors which influence the conduct of these
groundfish fisheries will aid in the interpretation of
fisheries data in relation to stock status and and in
formulating effective management measures. Within the
context of the St. Georges Bay Ecosystem Project, the
intent of this report is to provide industry stakeholders
with information they need to make decisions about how
they wish to manage their fisheries.
This is a first draft of the report and it
is hoped that it will stimulate the interest of readers and encourage
further discussion using the GBEP
listserv. Please don't hesitate to
provide comments
via the guestbook either.
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