The redfish management working group, made up of representatives from DFO, Indigenous groups, industry, the Atlantic provinces and Quebec, as well as environmental NGOs, developed five long-term management options, each of which included a science-based harvest control rule to ensure catch levels resulted in a healthy, rebuilt stock.

Robert Rangeley, director of Science at Oceana Canada, an independent charity established to restore Canadian oceans, said some scenarios were more precautionary than others, but using models and predictions is a perfectly good way to inform decisions.

However, at the last minute, he said other untested options were put on the table by industry players and the process collapsed, with DFO announcing it would not be pursuing a rebuilding plan.

“The federal government had committed to a rebuilding plan for 19 stocks. Now they’ve postponed that for a year. The process died on the table,” Rangeley said. “(Industry) couldn’t accept the scientific options, now the minister has to make a decision (about the quota) before the fishery opens on June 15. We’re saying don’t increase it. Get on with the rebuilding plan.”