Seafood Results

Summary

Abundance: While bluefish biomass has slightly declined, the decline does not appear to be due to overfishing, as fishing mortality rates are low.

Management: Management strategies have been effective in meeting objectives to maintain the health of harvested stocks of this species.

Bycatch: Harvest method incurs minimal bycatch and as such it is not a major concern in this fishery.

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• Handlines and Pole-and-Lines (Hand-Operated)

Summary

Abundance: While bluefish biomass has slightly declined, the decline does not appear to be due to overfishing, as fishing mortality rates are low.

Management: Management strategies have been effective in meeting objectives to maintain the health of harvested stocks of this species.

Bycatch: Harvest method known to interact with numerous protected species including whales, turtles and Atlantic sturgeon. Generally, bycatch is not considered a significant problem in this fishery, however, lack of observer coverage across this fishery make it difficult to understand the true nature of bycatch in the fishery.

Habitat: Bottom trawls have the ability to cause significant negative impacts on bottom habitat however, bottom trawls cause less disturbance on muddy and sandy habitats in comparison with highly structured/rocky bottoms.

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• Trawls (Bottom / Demersal)

Summary

Abundance: While bluefish biomass has slightly declined, the decline does not appear to be due to overfishing, as fishing mortality rates are low.

Management: Management strategies have been effective in meeting objectives to maintain the health of harvested stocks of this species.

Bycatch: Harvest method known to interact with numerous protected species including whales, turtles and Atlantic sturgeon. Generally, bycatch is not considered a significant problem in this fishery, however, lack of observer coverage across this fishery make it difficult to understand the true nature of bycatch in the fishery.

Habitat: Sink gillnets have the potential to affect the bottom, even though only part of the gear that touches the bottom (anchors used to sink the nets, and the weights on the bottom of the nets). Anchors and weights can damage bottom structures such as rocky outcrops and reefs when they are set and hauled back. Though this fishery operates primarily where the bottom is sandy and there is little bottom structure for gillnets to damage, the potential impacts of this gear on sensitive bottom habitats is of some concern.

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• Gillnets (Set / Anchored)