MSC pre-assessment made public 

Participants confirmed

Updated 2023 workplan

Workplan made public

The Scotia-Fundy Herring Advisory Committee met to review and discuss the most recent status information for the Nova Scotia / Bay of Fundy stock of Atlantic herring; based on 2023 data, the stock status still appears to be below target levels.

In July, a new Minister of Fisheries was appointed and established a TAC of 21,000 tonnes, which represents a 10% reduction from the 2022 season's TAC of 23,450 tonnes.

Preliminary acoustic survey results, obtained from a partial point in the season, show a decrease in biomass at the Scots Bay spawning ground following a substantial increase in the previous year.

Preliminary data from the 2022 fishing season and acoustic surveys has been compiled into a presentation and will be peer-reviewed in spring 2023.

A review of MSE options was conducted by independent consultants hired by the FIP. The main issues identified in the existing MSE framework and subsequent recommendations were presented at the Scotia Fundy Herring Advisory Committee Meeting.

DFO has provided information on the 2022 TAC to Connor Bros via a letter; the TAC for the 4VWX herring has been reduced by 33%, from 35,000 tonnes to 23,450 tonnes.

The tagging and sampling programs continue to collect data; over 17,000 tags have been applied to both spawning and feeding herring in the Bay of Fundy/ Scotian Shelf since June 2022 and 19 plankton samples have been collected from the herring spawning grounds in Scots Bay and German Bank.

Letter from the Fisheries Minister to Connor Bros noting the need for a review of the MSE framework and candidate management procedures to date.

The Herring Science Council has conducted 11 acoustic surveys so far this season with 8 surveys conducted in Scots Bay and 3 surveys conducted in German Bank/Seal Island. The initial data from the surveys show that herring is increasing in Scots Bay.

Catch report data has been made public from 2019-2021; the data supports that the TACs were not exceeded within this time frame

Letter to Oceans Outcomes from DFO to request information on the fishery's management measures

Tagging program update for the first field season has been made available; 31,610 tags were deployed and the data has been provided to DFO

Several meetings have been held with DFO wherein several management strategies and operating models have been presented for analysis and discussion. Meetings continue to be ongoing

Industry stakeholders have continued to participate in framework, MSE, and IFMP processes over emails via the SFHAC

The Herring Science Council signed a collaborative agreement with DFO to assist with and help cover ongoing acoustic surveys

Collaborative agreement to initiate acoustic surveys between the Herring Science Council and DFO 

MSE workshops and meetings have been held from late 2019, throughout 2020, into 2021

 Summary of herring surveys and map as of January 2021 published 

The 2022 stock assessment for the 4VWX herring has been published

The FIP has provided a summary of acoustic survey results from the German Bank that have been shared with DFO; this new information is being used to help inform the stock assessment of the 4VWX herring.