Prince Edward Island Fishermen's Assoc.

TUNA

ICCAT Grande Bluefin Program

Collection of Tuna Information on PEI and Canada

July - October, 2013

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. NEW TO 2013: We will also be collecting the first ray of the Tuna's fin along with the otolith when possible. Contact Dheeraj or Laura for more infomation on this.

Some of the preliminary results are in from 2010 and 2011's sampling program and are available in the member's section of the PEIFA website or contact the PEIFA for a copy. More info on age determination should be available this winter.

Many thanks to the PEI commercial tuna fishers who have assisted with the project in the past and who continue to contribute their time and effort into the collection. Also a special thanks to Royalstar Foods (Tignish), Alberton Fisheries, Sheila Eastman (North Lake Harbour Authority), Eastern Cold Storage, Machon's Point Coop and the PEIFA Tuna Advisory Committee for their crutial participation in the project.

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

or Laura Ramsay (PEIFA) 902 566-4050, Email: researchpeifa@pei.eastlink.ca