Reducing Cod Bycatch

Geographical location:

North America > North America > Canada

Summary

The Grand Banks Ecoregion, located in the Atlantic Ocean just off the east coast of Canada, is one of the world's most productive ecosystems.

However, decades of commercial overfishing have seriously altered marine communities and current fisheries practice and management approaches continue to be unsustainable.

Despite more than a decade of moratoria on critically depleted cod stocks in the region, there are no measurable signs of recovery. A recovery action plans which focuses on the reduction of cod bycatch is required to enable the rebuilding of these once bountiful resources.

Background

The incidental catch of non-target species is known as bycatch and is a significant threat to biodiversity in the Northwest Atltantic. The Grand Banks are a series of raised plateaus with shallow banks located off Newfoundland and Labrador. Conditions surrounding the Banks create one of the most productive grounds in the world providing nursery and feeding ares for several fish species.

The Grand Banks is the defining feature of one of WWF's global ecoregions - areas of conservation priority around the world. The Grand Banks was historically one of the world's richest fishing grounds, however, Atlantic cod is now less than 10% of historical biomass levels. Bycatch of cod is inhibiting the recovery of this severely depleted fishery.

Objectives

a) Develop and implement a coordinated WWF Network strategy to reduce cod bycatch in the North Atlantic by strengthening management and creating market incentives (ie. Cod Bycatch Initiative).

b) Canada adopts a comprehensive southern Grand Banks cod recovery plan that includes specific bycatch reduction measures.

c) The Northwest Atlantic Fisheries Organization (NAFO) adopts more stringent southern Grand Banks cod bycatch reduction measures in 2008.

d) By January 2009, the Canadian yellowtail flounder fishery enters the pre-assessment phase of Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) Ceritification.

e) Bycatch of the southern Grand Banks cod is reduced to 50% of 2006 levels (ie., to no more than 300t) by December 2009.

f) The Canadian yellowtail flounder fishery receives MSC certification by June 2010.

g) Key recovery requirements are identified for other priority Northwest Atlantic cod populations by June 2009.

Solution

The project will seek to reduce bycatch by:
- working with scientists and the fishing industry to identify where, when, and in which fisheries bycatch is most prevalent;
- helping to develop new regulations;
- protecting key habitats;
- encouraging new gear technologies.