American lobster

Stock indicators show that the lobster biomass in Southwest Nova Scotia (LFA 34) and the Bay of Fundy (LFA 35-38) is high, above the proxy for BMSY. Reference points are not available for fishing pressure in the Bay of Fundy, however, in Southwest Nova Scotia (where most landings occur), indicators suggest that overfishing in not taking place. Therefore, there is no concern for biomass or fishing pressure.Canadian lobster fisheries are managed by Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO). Lobster stocks are assessed by 45 Lobster Fishing Areas (LFAs). The most recent stock assessments for this area were carried out in 2021. As there are not reference points in relation to MSY for fishing pressure for all LFAs, route 2 (data limited) scoring has been used. American lobster has a moderate-high vulnerability to fishing pressure (0.46).Southwest Nova Scotia (LFA 34) produces the highest landings of all LFAs in Canada, accounting for around 20% of all Canadian landings and 10% of all North American lobster landings. There has been a nearly 600% increase in landings in Southwest Nova Scotia since 1980 and landings peaked in the 2015-2016 season at 29,133 tonnes.Relative fishing mortality has been calculated for Southwest Nova Scotia from the commercial biomass surveys and in each survey, the current fishing mortality estimate is below the removal reference indicator, suggesting that overfishing is not taking place.In the Bay of Fundy, reference points for fishing pressure have not been defined, however, there are no indicators that overfishing is occuring. Therefore, there is no concern for fishing pressure.In Southwest Nova Scotia, the primary indicator for stock abundance is commercial biomass from fishery-independent surveys. The 3-year running median commercial biomass is above the upper stock reference (USR) in all four surveys and has been at a very high level relative to the time-series average in recent years. However, there have been some declines since the previous stock assessment.In the Bay of Fundy, the primary indicator for stock status relative to reference points is Catch Per Unit Effort (CPUE). The CPUE indicator shows that commercial biomass is at or near the highest in the time series for LFAs 35-38. Therefore, there is no concern for biomass.

There are trap limits and a minimum size limit in place, however, management would benefit from harvest control rules.Canadian lobster fisheries are managed by Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO). Lobster stocks are assessed by 45 Lobster Fishing Areas (LFAs). In this area, the lobster fishery is managed using fishing effort controls to regulate the number of licenses, number and size of traps and the duration of the fishing season.Management measures per area:LFA 34 - season last Monday in November until May 31st, minimum size of 82.5mm carapace length (CL), there are 979 licenses, with between 375 to 600 traps allowed, depending on the type of licenseLFA 35 - season October 14th to December 31st and last day in February to July 31st, minimum size of 82.5mm CL, there are 94 licenses, with between 90 to 450 traps allowedLFA 36 - season 2nd Tuesday November to Jan 14th and March 31st to June 29th, minimum size of 82.5mm CL, there are 177 licenses, with between 90 to 450 traps allowedLFA 38 - season 2nd Tuesday November to June 29th, minimum size of 82.5mm CL, there are 136 licenses, with between 112 to 562 traps allowedFishing seasons protect spawning, molting, and extrusion periods. The minimum sizes in place protect juvenile lobsters, however, in some areas, lobsters may be below the size at 50% maturity. Closed windows and maximum sizes are in place in some LFAs to protect breeding femalesV-notching of lobsters requires removing a V-shaped piece of exoskeleton from the uropod (inner tail flap) of female lobsters of reproductive size which are carrying eggs, then returning the lobster to the sea. This allows other fishermen to know not to land this lobster as it is reproducing. V-notching has been shown to be successful at protecting egg-bearing females from fishing mortality. The mandatory release of all v-notched lobsters is required in all LFAs in Southwest Nova Scotia and the Bay of Fundy.The North Atlantic right whale (NARW) is listed as Endangered under the Canadian federal Species at Risk Act (SARA). Canada has a suite of fisheries measures and initiatives in place in Atlantic Canada and Quebec to prevent entanglements. In 2019, new management measures to minimise the risk of interactions with North Atlantic right whale were announced. This includes adjusting the area closed to snow crab, lobster fisheries and all other non-tended fixed-gear fisheries to include the area where 90% of the North Atlantic Right Whale were sighted last year during the prime fishing season. If a North Atlantic Right Whale is seen in waters between the 10 and 20 fathom shallow water protocol lines, a temporary closure will occur and license holders will be required to move their fishing gear close to the coast. No surface floating rope attaching a trap to a primary buoy, or to another trap, is permitted after a trap has been set. All gear must be clearly identified and any lost gear must be reported within 72 hours of discovery. Since the management measures were introduced, there is not thought to be any reported North Atlantic Right Whales bycatch in Canadian waters.There is a Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) certified lobster fishery in this area. The Maritime Canada inshore lobster trap fishery covers five Units of Assessment over many LFAs. The certification has a condition in place that 'the client shall provide evidence that the combined effects of the MSC Units of Assessment on the North Atlantic right whale are known and are highly likely to be within the national limit'.

In Southwest Nova Scotia & Bay of Fundy, entanglement in vertical lines used in trap fishing gear is likely leading to the decline of the critically endangered North Atlantic Right Whales (NARW) in Atlantic Canada.In Canada, lobsters are caught in traps, and can be fished individually or as part of a fleet of up to several hundred pots, depending on the size of the boat and crew, and license restrictions. Pots are portable traps made of wood or steel wire and plastic. The lobster is baited into the initial part (the chamber) and moves into the secondary part (the parlour) where it becomes trapped.Habitat impacts from potting are low but can occur during deployment, soak time or hauling of the pot, impacting the benthic habitat and associated species through contact with the pot or end weight, or by scouring from ropes. Research that has taken place suggests that while some damage does occur to the sediment, it is unlikely to be significant unless potting intensity is high (defined as approximately 30 pots per 500 square metres). Most damage occurs where traps are set in rocky habitats that are home to corals, sponges, sea whips and other large emergent species. These habitats and species provide nursery areas, refuges from predators and habitat for the settlement of invertebrate spat.Pot fisheries tend to be highly selective as undersized animals can be returned to the sea alive and survival rates for non-target organisms are thought to be high. More than half of the bycatch caught are predicted to survive, although there is little available research to prove this. Measures to further reduce bycatch include the use of escape panels to allow undersize animals and bycatch to escape pots. In some circumstances, there can be instances of ghost fishing, when lost fishing gear continues to fish and can entangle a variety of species, but this can be minimised by using appropriate gear and release devices.Entanglement in vertical lines used in pot fishing gear is thought to be one of the main threats to the critically endangered North Atlantic Right Whale (NARW). NARW migrates annually from calving grounds in the southeastern U.S. to feeding grounds in Atlantic Canada, where it is most commonly found in the Gulf of St Lawrence. NARW have rarely been reported in the Newfoundland and Labrador region and in the East Cape Breton region, although there is a lack of observer coverage and they may be found in these areas in the future. Population estimates of NARW vary, and recent literature suggests that there were fewer than 350 in 2020, with fewer than 100 reproductive-age females. With so few breeding individuals, the death of a single animal from any cause could pose a threat to the continued existence of the species.More than 90% of NARW entanglements are not identifiable to gear. In 2017, 12 NARW mortalities were known to have occurred in Canadian waters (all in the Gulf of St Lawrence), with both entanglements and ship strikes identified to be causes for mortalities. Only one of the whales had gear present when examined. Rope strengths in the pot fishery have increased in recent decades due to manufacturing, which could reduce the ability to breakaway when entangled in gear.Since management measures were introduced in 2018, the number of NARW mortalities in Canadian waters is thought to have decreased. In 2018, no NARW mortalities were recorded in Canadian waters. In 2019, a total of 9 NARW were found dead in Canadian waters but the cause is unknown (necropsies attributed vessel strikes to 4 out of 5 whales that were examined). No mortalities have been reported for 2020 and 2021 however there has been one report in each of 2021 and 2022 of a NARW seen alive with gear entangled. Management targets in Canada are for zero NARW deaths and it is thought that the recent measures introduced have been effective in helping reach that target.