Prince Edward Island Fishermen's Assoc.

ICCAT Grande Bluefin Year Program (GBYP): Canada’s sampling contribution

As part of their contribution to the ICCAT GBYP, Canada is developing a biological sampling program of bluefin tuna caught in the Canadian Atlantic Zone. The objectives of this program are to improve understanding of key biological and ecological processes, such as mixing rates between the eastern and western Atlantic Bluefin tuna stocks, and determining the age of the catch. Improved knowledge of the stock origin and age of the catch will allow advances in the stock assessment for bluefin tuna, by enabling the development of more biologically realistic models of the population.

As previously mentioned, the main objective will be to determine natal origin and age of the Canadian catch of bluefin tuna. Sampling will consist of extracting otoliths (earbone) from commercially caught bluefin tuna, which enables us to determine both age and natal origin of the fish. Please find below an example of the sampling process of a bluefin tuna landed in North Lake (PEI).

If you would like to participate in this biological sampling project or would like more information, please feel free to contact or :

Dheeraj Busawon: Tel: 506 529-5889, E-mail: Dheeraj.Busawon@dfo-mpo.gc.ca
Dr. John Neilson: Tel: 506 529-5913, E-mail: John.Neilson@dfo-mpo.gc.ca
or Laura Ramsay (PEIFA) 902 566-4050, Email: researchpeifa@pei.eastlink.ca

*Images will be added as soon as possible