Is the Newfoundland redfish fishery sustainable? : modelling recovery strategies for two redfish stocks

Goetting, Kathryn (2010) Is the Newfoundland redfish fishery sustainable? : modelling recovery strategies for two redfish stocks. Masters thesis, Memorial University of Newfoundland.

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Abstract

Marine resources have supported the economy and culture of Newfoundland and Labrador (NL) for over 500 years. Stock abundance has fluctuated in most species due to increased pressure to fulfill new markets, the development of new gear, and survive in a competitive industry. In some cases, declines in resource abundance led to closures or moratoriums. The redfish (Sebastes species) fishery in NL has stocks that have remained opened but have experienced declines in total allowable catch (TAC), while others have been closed in hopes of recovery. -- This thesis models the recovery strategies of two Newfoundland redfish stocks, Unit 1 (Gulf of St. Lawrence) and Unit 2 (Laurentian Channel), using the Schaefer model. This analysis examines the potential for these stocks to reach biologically sustainable biomass levels under different harvesting levels. Due to the slow growing nature of the Sebastes species, recovery is slower than in other groundfish species. Despite this obstacle, and other opposing factors, neither stock examined for this research has reached a critical point from which recovery is impossible. However, conservation and precaution are key components for the future of this fishery in this region.

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