The Alberta GPI Accounts: Fish and Wildlife

Fisheries

Marine Policy, 2016

An important component of science-based fisheries policy is the provision of habitat adequate for population renewal. In Canada, the Fisheries Act pays little attention to managing fish habitat, and was further weakened by changes enacted in 2012. Specifically, determining the role of fish habitat in contributing to fisheries and fish stock recovery is challenging when many stocks have severely declined and no longer occupy former habitats. This study compared the abundance of juvenile fish in coastal vegetated habitats before and after collapse or decline of groundfish stocks in Atlantic Canada. This comparison was done by compiling past studies that surveyed juvenile Atlantic cod (Gadus morhua) and pollock (Pollachius virens) in vegetated habitats across three provinces. Two studies were repeated, and one that already had post-collapse data was analyzed to quantify long-term changes in juvenile abundance. In all three cases substantial reduction in juvenile abundance coincided with declines in adult stocks. However, juvenile fish still occur in coastal habitats and could aid in adult stock recovery. The current version of the Canadian Fisheries Act requires presence of an ongoing fishery to trigger habitat protection. This is problematic as low fish abundance may lead to lowered habitat protection and potentially habitat degradation, with less or lesser-quality habitat for fish in the future. Thus, recommendations are made to repeal the 2012 Fisheries Act changes and enhance current fish habitat legislation. Using a precautionary approach for coastal fish habitat management, particularly in valuing its potential for fish stock recovery, would strengthen Canadian fisheries management.

Fisheries, 2014

Fisheries and Oceans Canada has collected a unique, long-term data set on the social, biological, and economic dynamics of Canada's recreational fisheries. Starting in 1975, these data were collected through mail surveys to recreational anglers at 5-year intervals. A longitudinal analysis revealed that there was an average of 4.5 million licensed anglers catching an annual average of 255 million fish. Release rates were relatively high (53% of fish released on average), with recent survey data (2010) suggesting that release rates had exceeded 60%. Recreational anglers also contribute an average of $8.8 billion each year to the Canadian economy. However, recreational angling has become less popular over time, and the average age of participants has increased. The data were also useful for characterizing Canada's fisheries, including speciesspecific catch and harvest. Canada is one of the few countries to collect such extensive recreational fisheries data at a national scale and to do so at regular intervals, an approach that could be modeled by other countries.

Canadian Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences, 2011

No net loss of productive capacity (PC) of fish habitat has been the central concept guiding Canadian fish habitat management policy since 1986. The purpose of this paper is to describe the concept of PC, to review the history and application of the fish habitat management policy in Canada, and to provide a critical review of the range of potential approaches to estimating PC. The approaches were grouped by their central focus: habitat, individual, population, and communityecosystem. A set of case studies is used to illustrate the use of some approaches drawn from freshwater and marine contexts. Ten components to assessing no net loss of PC were developed and used in the review of approaches for evaluating potential limitations. The review also highlighted the likely future direction of method development, with increasing emphasis on dynamic models integrating population responses to habitat supply characteristics. More work needs to be done to turn research-based metrics of PC into practical operational management assessment tools and to better quantify the link between habitat structure and function and fisheries productivity. The evolving approaches to measure PC reinforce the ties that fish habitat management has to the emerging practices in ecosystem-based management.

Canadian Water Resources Journal, 1995

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Acta Ichthyologica Et Piscatoria, 2011

Background. Fishes are important both economically and as indicators of environmental health. Questions on the health of aquatic habitats, on the potential effects of planned and accidental changes to the environment, and on the utility of adding sport and other fishes to a water body are best answered by an analysis which is known to be sensitive to changes. Materials and methods. As an initial test study I examined 107 fish species in and around the National Capital Region of Canada (50 km radius of the Peace Tower at the Parliament Buildings) in terms of 56 parameters. The parameters include life history characteristics such as size, lifespan, breeding season, egg numbers, and feeding, as well as zoogeographic origins, distribution, and risk status. Non-parametric tests and a logistic regression were used to analyze the data. Results. A test case comparison of sport versus non-sport fishes confirmed the empirical observation that sport fishes are predominately large piscivores. Critical parameters for threatened versus non-threatened species included piscivory and egg production, for present versus absent species feeding habits and refugial origin, and for refugial origin parameters associated with spawning. Conclusion. The parameter database can be of potential use to determine which species are at risk and which parameters are critical, why certain species are absent, and what parameters characterize sport fishes. The analysis forms a preliminary basis for more detailed field studies which can then be directed to specific life history traits and environmental variables.

Fisheries, 2002

al 2 I 1-4C "M ~~~ I m, ri , Canada's Recreational Fisheries: The Invisible Collapse?

Proceedings of the Nova Scotian Institute of Science (NSIS), 2013

The Tangier Grand Lake Wilderness Area (16,000 ha) is located about 100km east of Halifax, Nova Scotia, and supports a popular fishery for speckled trout. The purpose of this study was to assess the status of the trout fishery and address concerns related to over-exploitation. Angler check points were occupied during 1979 and 2007 on an access road to sample the catch of anglers during the May-June period of heavy angler activity. In 1979, a total of 1380 interviewed anglers spent 6889 hours to catch 1852 trout. In comparison, a total of 178 interviewed anglers spent 1363 hours to catch 593 trout during 2007. The differences associated with sample size between survey years reflect sub-sampling in 2007 rather than a change in angler activity. The majority of anglers retained less than three trout and of the total trout caught, anglers released 19% in 1979 and 50% in 2007. Catch per hour, size, age, and growth rate of trout were similar between surveys. Results indicated that there wa...

Fisheries, 2017

Even with long‐standing management and extensive science support, North American inland fish and fisheries still face many conservation and management challenges. We used a grand challenges approach to identify critical roadblocks that if removed would help solve important problems in the management and long‐term conservation of North American inland fish and fisheries. We identified seven grand challenges within three themes (valuation, governance, and externalities) and 34 research needs and management actions. The major themes identified are to (1) raise awareness of diverse values associated with inland fish and fisheries, (2) govern inland fish and fisheries to satisfy multiple use and conservation objectives, and (3) ensure productive inland fisheries given nonfishing sector externalities. Addressing these grand challenges will help the broader community understand the diverse values of inland fish and fisheries, promote open forums for engagement of diverse stakeholders in fi...