Another big Maritime fishery quota cut looming

Another big Maritime fishery quota cut looming

Source: CBC News

5/6/2022

Credit: Robert F. Bukaty/The Associated Press

Another Maritime fishery is facing a big quota cut this year — the only question is how big.

This time it is the large herring fishery in southwestern Nova Scotia and the Bay of Fundy.

The stock is in the critical zone where serious harm is occurring, but the fishery employs hundreds of people in Nova Scotia and New Brunswick.

What happens next will again test how far Canada's fisheries minister is willing to go to rebuild a depleted stock.

63% cut looms

If DFO decides to use a new modelling process, the quota would likely be slashed to 13,050 tonnes from 35,000 tonnes — a 62.7 per cent cut.

That advice is the result of a management strategy evaluation, which is being used to produce a total allowable catch for this herring fishery for the first time.