Mackerel fishing quota increase disappointing, says group, while stock at 'critical level'

Despite Atlantic Canadian mackerel stock still remaining at a "the critical zone," Fisheries and Oceans Canada announced an increase to the total allowable catch limit formackerelfrom 8,000 tonnes to 10,000 tonnes something that worries the Ecology Action Centre.

Landings have been decreasing since 2006, according to theAssessment of the Atlantic Mackerel Stock for the Northwest Atlantic,and reached the lowest point inCanadian history in 2015.

According to the assessment,DFO believes total catches should still be low enough for the stock to rebound.

"Considering that the stock is in the critical zone, total catches (declared plusunreported) should be low enough to facilitate recovery," it reads.

DFO'sdecision putting 'pressure' on the stock

"We're disappointed in this decision because the stock is in the critical zone the response from the DFO should be to keep catches at an absolute minimum," said Katie Schleit, senior marine campaign coordinator at the Ecology Action Centre.

"Any increase really isn't acceptable for a stock that's in the critical zone."

Schleitsaid the increased quota doesn't consider the needs of predators like tuna, sharks and whales that rely on Atlantic mackerel.

"We are sacrificing any recovery and putting more pressure on the stock the quota DFO decided to set didn't consider predators, we aren't considering their needs when setting the quota either."

What should happen, Schleit argues, is that DFO puttogethera rebuilding plan to getthe stock above critical levels and "back into a place where we have more confidence in the stock being able to sustain itself."

'This will support rebuilding the stock': DFO

According to a spokesperson from the DFO, government hasinitiated a rebuilding plan for the stock and plans to meet over the coming year to develop a plan for consideration by theAtlantic Mackerel Advisory Committee.

"This will support rebuilding the stock into the healthy zone of the precautionary approach framework," a statement from DFO said.

In response to criticism from the Ecology Action Centre, it said the quota increase is to fit a stock that industry says is "significantlylarger than the science would indicate" based on last years fishery.

"The established harvest level allows for a greater than 75 per centchance that the stock biomass will grow over the next two years. This corresponds to a high probability of growth."

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