In place since 1994 in eastern Canada, the sentinel fisheries program is the result of a collaboration between Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO) and commercial fishermen. Under this program, contracts are awarded by tender to fishermen to carry out fishing activities according to scientific protocols developed by DFO.

Description of mobile surveys

The mobile gear sentinel fisheries of the northern Gulf of St. Lawrence are conducted in the divisions 4R, 4S, 3Pn and the northern part of the division 4T of the Northwest Atlantic Fisheries Organization (NAFO). This program follows a stratified random survey plan according to depth strata. A standard tow is 30 minutes long and made at a speed of 2.5 knots. The fishing gear is a 300 Star Balloon trawl mounted on a Rock Hopper footgear. The trawl mesh size is 145 mm with a liner of 40 mm in the codend. Data are collected by at-sea fisheries observers from Biorex (Quebec) or Seawatch (Newfoundland).

Data

For each trait, the total catch is sorted and weighed by species. Biological data such as length, weight (sampled, per individual, gonad, liver and stomach), sex and maturity are then collected on a subsample of many species such as Atlantic halibut, Greenland halibut, lumpfish, Atlantic cod, herring and capelin. Otoliths are only sampled on Atlantic cod.

The catches per tow (presence or absence, count by species, length frequency and catch weight (kg)) for the Atlantic halibut, Greenland halibut, Atlantic cod and redfish are available below. This data is also available via the 'Biodiversity' application on the St. Lawrence Global Observatory (SLGO) website.

* The most recent survey is not available

** This record consist of raw data and quality has not been verified

In place since 1994 in eastern Canada, the sentinel fisheries program is the result of a collaboration between Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO) and commercial fishermen. Under this program, contracts are awarded by tender to fishermen to carry out fishing activities according to scientific protocols developed by DFO.

Description of mobile surveys

The mobile gear sentinel fisheries of the northern Gulf of St. Lawrence are conducted in the divisions 4R, 4S, 3Pn and the northern part of the division 4T of the Northwest Atlantic Fisheries Organization (NAFO). This program follows a stratified random survey plan according to depth strata. A standard tow is 30 minutes long and made at a speed of 2.5 knots. The fishing gear is a 300 Star Balloon trawl mounted on a Rock Hopper footgear. The trawl mesh size is 145 mm with a liner of 40 mm in the codend. Data are collected by at-sea fisheries observers from Biorex (Quebec) or Seawatch (Newfoundland).

Data

For each trait, the total catch is sorted and weighed by species. Biological data such as length, weight (sampled, per individual, gonad, liver and stomach), sex and maturity are then collected on a subsample of many species such as Atlantic halibut, Greenland halibut, lumpfish, Atlantic cod, herring and capelin. Otoliths are only sampled on Atlantic cod.

The catches per tow (presence or absence, count by species, length frequency and catch weight (kg)) for the Atlantic halibut, Greenland halibut, Atlantic cod and redfish are available below. This data is also available via the 'Biodiversity' application on the St. Lawrence Global Observatory (SLGO) website.

* The most recent survey is not available

** This record consist of raw data and quality has not been verified