Prince Edward Island Fishermen's Assoc.

The Halibut Research Project initiated by the PEIFA Groundfish Advisory Committee has been gaining momentum and interest from fishers, scientist and Government departments this past summer. Since our last newsletter, work on the Halibut Life History and Population Genetics Project has officially begun. The project has been successful at garnering integral funding partners and awaits final approval from the remaining proponents who are set to meet this fall. We have secured a UPEI Master’s student, Travis James, to devote to the project for the next two years. He’s been accompanying our Sentinel Survey participants and successfully tagged and released approx. 80 halibut so far this year! Otoliths (inner eardrums) and fin clippings from commercially landed halibut on PEI were also collected following the 12-hour annual fishery and will be used in the genetics portion of the project and should be able to demonstrate where the fish was born (origins). This fall, we’re hopeful to tag 5 halibut with satellite pop up tags to be placed on halibut off PEI waters. The tags are programmed to pop off the fish in approx. one year. Data is then transferred to a satellite. Spawning locations and migration patterns of where the fish has travelled would be amongst the important data that is retrieved. We’re hopeful to acquire additional funding in the coming year to apply for upwards of 20 pop up satellite tags.

Regular updates on the project will be shared at www.peifa.org or contact Laura Ramsay (researchpeifa@eastlink.ca) @ 566-4050 or your local Groundfish Advisory representative for more info.