Redfish rebound in Gulf of St. Lawrence show no signs of slowdown

Redfish rebound in Gulf of St. Lawrence show no signs of slowdown

By Paul Withers

Source: CBC News

5/12/2019

The rebound of redfish in the Gulf of St. Lawrence continues to amaze the region's fishery and marine biologists.

Redfish biomass surged by 20 per cent last year and is now estimated at a staggering three million tonnes, according to Canada's Department of Fisheries and Oceans.

"The biomass that we're seeing right now is something that we have never seen before," said DFO biologist Caroline Senay of the redfish, also known as ocean perch.

The massive population is primarily made of of fish live born — not hatched from eggs — from 2011, 2012 and 2013.

The region's fishing industry has been licking its chops for several years over the prospect of a redfish bonanza.

The average size within the population reached 22 centimetres, the minimum for harvest, in 2018, Senay said.