Prince Edward Island Fishermen's Assoc.

2013 Conservation Harvesting Plan For Bluefin TunaWithin the PEI Tuna Fleet Sector

Contents
I. INTRODUCTION 3
II. APPLICATION 3
III. NOTICE TO CHANGE 3
IV. COMMERCIAL FISHERY 4
ALLOCATION 4
HOME AREA – GULF 4RST/4Wd 4
A. Fishing Seasons: 4
B. In-season Adjustments 5
C. Issuance of tags 5
D. Transfer of Tags 5
E. Re-allocation 5
F. Management Measures 6
EX-SECTOR – SCOTIA FUNDY 4VsW,4X and 5 9
A. Opening Date 9
B. Re-allocation 9
C. Fleet Quota 9
D. EX-sector Participation 9
E. Ex-Sector Reporting and Procedures 9
F. Commercial Communal License Holders 10
G. Fishers 10
H. Management Measures 10
V. HOOK AND RELEASE FISHERY 12
ALLOCATION 12
HOME AREA – GULF 4RST 12
A. Fishing Seasons 12
B. Management Measures 13
VI. COMMERCIAL COMMUNAL FISHERY 16
INTRODUCTION 16
SPECIFIC EXEMPTIONS 16
GENERAL 16
A. SECTION IV – COMMERCIAL COMMUNAL FISHERY 17
B. SECTION V – HOOK & RELEASE FISHERY 17
VII. NOTICE TO FISHERS 17

I. INTRODUCTION
The Prince Edward Island tuna fleet is made up of 359 licensed harvesters, 11 commercial communal license holders and 348 commercial license holders. The Department of Fisheries and Oceans (DFO) has worked with the Prince Edward Island Fisherman’s Association Tuna Advisory Board, (PEIFATAB), the Prince Edward Island Charter Boat Association, (PEICBA), the Native Council of Prince Edward Island, (NCPEI), and the Mi’Kmaq Confederacy of Prince Edward Island, (MCPEI) with the aim of having an integrated commercial Bluefin tuna fishery and fulfilling its obligations to have open and transparent consultations.
The 2013 Conservation Harvesting Plan (CHP) represents an integration of the views/interests in the Bluefin tuna fishery by the various organizations, recognizing ongoing dialogue / consultations is required to develop a multi-year CHP satisfactory to all parties for future years.
II. APPLICATION
This CHP applies to all vessels operating from a homeport in Prince Edward Island directing for Bluefin Tuna in NAFO Division 4RST-4Wd with historical fleet access into NAFO Division 4VsW, 4X and.5.

This plan covers the fishing for Bluefin tuna:

1) commercially including commercial communal licences using angling gear, tended lines or electric harpoon as stipulated in subsequent conditions of licenses issued under this plan, and

2) Vessels operating a Catch and Release fishing vessel under a License issued to qualified members within the PEI Tuna Fleet Sector, fishing for Bluefin tuna with rod and reel only using barbless hooks from a home port in the Province of PEI.
III. NOTICE TO CHANGE
It should be noted that the CHP is subject to change further to ministerial decisions and/or annual review with affected harvesters subject to DFO approval.

IV. COMMERCIAL FISHERY
This Section of the Conservation Harvesting Plan (CHP) applies to vessels operating from a homeport in Prince Edward Island directing for Bluefin Tuna in NAFO Division 4RST-4Wd with historical fleet access into NAFO Division 4VsW, 4X and.5.
ALLOCATION
The PEI fleet share of the 2013 Canadian Bluefin Tuna Quota is 126.724 MT.

In support of the PEI’s 2013 CHP for the catch and release of Bluefin Tuna, (attached within this document), the PEI Commercial Fleet Share will be reduced by no more than 0.7455t as part of an agreement between the PEICBA and the PEIFATAB based on a 2008 tuna transfer agreement brokered by the PEICBA and managed within the PEIFATAB fleet share. Based on 2012 historical landings of average tuna weights, an allocation of 2 tags from the 2013 PEI fleet share to the PEICBA, shall be assigned to valid charter vessel license holders to be used during sport fishing campaigns in the Eastern, (1 tag), and Western (1 tag) parts of PEI. The tags will be assigned by the PEICBA to commercial license holders for the specific purpose to actively promote and support the Catch & Release fishery.

Therefore, the initial current commercial fleet share for 2013 is therefore set at 125.979 MT, pending further adjustments.

In the event of additional re-allocations of quota, the conservation principles and tools within this plan will apply to all directed activity on the resource.
HOME AREA – GULF 4RST/4Wd
A. Fishing Seasons:
The PEI Tuna Fleet Sector is requesting an opening date of, July 15th, 2013, at 05: 00hrs (Atlantic Daylight Time) and will close on October 1st, 2013, or once the allocation is captured, or the presumed effort exceeds the available resource.

A review of the seasonal activity will occur on Oct 1st, where remaining quota and unused tags will be taken into consideration for a re-opening on October 4th, 0500hrs, following discussions with representatives of the commercial and commercial communal representatives, namely the PEIFATAB, NCPEI, and MCPEI.
B. In-season Adjustments
Further season openings or closures, reallocation or adjustment to the 2013 PEI fleet share will be carried out based on consultations with the various organizations through the PEI Tuna Working Group.
C. Issuance of tags
Each licensed harvester, (commercial communal and commercial), who chooses to enter the commercial harvest during the first season, (July 15-Oct. 1st), will be allowed 1 tag to enter the fishery. Further allocations will be determined based on anticipated effort and available resource.

The sequence for the re-issuance of tags during re-allocation will commence with the agreed upon Commercial Communal allocations and then the remaining commercial tags based on the remaining resource, (refer to section E on re-allocation for details)
D. Transfer of Tags
There will be no tag transfers among fishers.
E. Re-allocation
The sequence for the re-issuance of tags during re-allocation will commence with the agreed upon Commercial Communal allocations, then the issuance of the remaining commercial tags based on the remaining resource.

A pre-arranged formula will be implemented to determine the remaining commercial tags available for re-allocations to eligible participants to ensure that the entire 2013 allocation is captured. Following analysis of the remaining quota, an allocation of approximately 90 % of available tags will be issued for the October 4th re-opening. A re-evaluation of catch rates and available quota will occur the week of October 14th with all remaining tags issued by October 18th. The fishery will close once the allocation approaches/reaches 0 mt.

The re-allocation of commercial tags, if required, will be done by draw in consultation with the PEIFATAB and DFO officials. The draw will be comprised of the all active commercial harvester as per the definition for active licence, minus any commercial fisher who has become ineligible. Tags will be issued in numerical order commencing with the first person drawn to the last.

Any tags issued from this re-allocation and not picked up may be reissued on the second re-allocation, if required.

Eligible commercial fishers (active) who have valid tuna tags issued to them will retain those tags during the re-allocation process.

F. Management Measures
1. Number of Fish
Maximum of one (1) fish per day per vessel and a fish is considered caught when the fish is brought next to the vessel and includes swimming it to cool it down.
2. Stowing of Gear
All gear must be stowed following the landing of that fish at dockside, as well no tuna gear will be allowed on-board the vessel at any time the tuna license is not active.
3. Activation of Commercial Fishing
Activation of commercial fishing will be coordinated through an approved Dockside Monitoring Company as per license condition and on a daily basis.

An ‘Active Licence” will be defined as a licence to which a tag has been assigned to it by condition of license, has registered at least 1 hail-out with a DMC during the regular season, ( July 15 – Oct 1st), and/or landed a fish within that timeline.
4. Hail-out/Hail-In
HAIL-OUT means: “to call in or communicate the information requested below to the appropriate person/company”. The requested information must be hailed by the captain / licence holder to a designated Dockside Monitoring Company at least one (1) hour prior to leaving port, or changing fishing area to go fishing. A ‘Hail-Out’ to a designated Dockside Monitoring Company may be made up to seven (7) days prior to leaving port to go fishing.

HAIL-IN means: “to call in or communicate requested information to a Dockside Monitoring Company immediately after a tuna has been caught and tagged”. A fish is considered caught when the fish is brought next to the vessel and includes swimming it to cool it down. This ‘hail-in’ must be done by the captain/license holder and a confirmation number will be issued by the designated Dockside Monitoring Company.
5. Conditions of License
Fishers must fish under the conditions of the licence in whatever area they are fishing and licensed to fish.
6. By-catches
i. The incidental catching and retention of certain species of shark is allowed subject to specific license conditions which include, but are not limited to the dressing, the handling, and the mandatory reporting of these fish. The release or discarding of any shark carcass is prohibited.
ii. The retention of an incidental catch of any other species of tuna, other than Bluefin tuna, is prohibited.
iii. Pursuant to the Species at Risk Act (SARA), no person shall kill, harm, harass, capture, take, possess, collect, buy, sell or trade an individual or any part or derivate of a wildlife species designated as extirpated, endangered or threatened.
iv. At the time this Management Plan is promulgated, the Atlantic species targeted by these measures are the following ones: Spotted Wolfish (threatened), Northern Wolfish (threatened), Leatherback Turtle (endangered) and Atlantic Walrus (Northwest Atlantic population) (extirpated). New species could be added to the SARA within the year.
v. All by-catches of species identified above must be returned to the water and released in the exact capture location and, if the fish is still alive, with as little harm as possible. The information related to species at risk shall be collected for each fishing trip where such a species is caught. This information must be entered into the logbook and reported to Fisheries and Oceans Canada immediately after the fishing trip.
7. Fishing Effort
Given the importance to conservation on this resource and the important commercial value during the commercial fishery there will be limits on the effort in this fishery, namely:

i. the number of boats on the water
ii. the duration of the fishery,
iii. the amount of fishing gear used, and
iv. the amount of fish landed per trip.
8. Logbooks
Logbooks are mandatory for all vessels participating in this fishery.
9. Coverage at Sea by Observers
Gulf Region fishers maybe required to carry Observers (at-sea) on board their vessels. If required to do so the license holder/captain/operator is to contact the DFO Vessel Hail-Out System at 1-800-561-2467, at least 10 hours prior to leaving port, or changing fishing areas to go fishing.
10. Monitoring of Landings
100% dockside monitoring is obligatory, with random sampling. “Hail-In” means to call in or communicate requested information to a Dockside Monitoring Company immediately after a tuna has been caught and tagged. A fish is considered caught when the fish is brought next to the vessel and includes swimming it to cool it down. This ‘Hail-In’ must be done by the captain/license holder and a confirmation number will be issued by the designated Dockside Monitoring Company.
11. Bluefin Tuna Catch Document
Pursuant to section 61 of the Fisheries Act, the license holder/operator is required to complete a Bluefin Tuna Catch Document that is available from the Department of Fisheries & Oceans.
12. Other Management Measures
Notwithstanding the preceding, the Department and the industry may agree on another approach to adapt the fishing effort to the intended objectives of this fishing plan.

Further, industry representatives should advise all participants in the commercial fishery that an initiative toward the mandatory use of circle hooks in this fishery is being recommended to the DFO and harvesters are encouraged to begin transitioning their tackle for the eventual mandatory enforcement by condition of license on circle hooks in the future.
EX-SECTOR – SCOTIA FUNDY 4VsW, 4X and.5
A. Opening Date
TBA. The PEI Tuna Working Group will determine an opening date, if required, but will not be before October 1.
B. Re-allocation
TBA
C. Fleet Quota
As begun in 2004, 2013’s tuna quota is being allocated by Fleet Sector. As in previous years, the ex-sector fishery, if allocated tuna, will be closed once that allocation is reached. Ex-sector quota could be a maximum of 35 MT or less.
D. EX-sector Participation
To commence in any one of the zones, i.e. ex-sector, each fisher must commence with a two-tag minimum. In the ex-sector, a maximum of 7 tags will be allowed per trip/vessel in 2013; and fishers cannot begin a fishing trip with only one tag on board except off Halifax. (4X). Fishers will decide at the fleet meeting how many tags must be filled before a fisher/vessel is eligible for re-allocation.
E. Ex-Sector Reporting and Procedures
Fishers must report to the ex-sector, with their vessel, 24 hours prior to any announced opening date. Reporting must be to the Dockside Monitoring Company (DMC) with which you plan to register. The DMC must verify your reporting time and provide verification to DFO prior to the ex-sector meeting.

A fleet meeting will be held prior to the fisheries opening and a fishermen’s fleet representative will be elected, along with alternate contacts. A draw will also be held at this meeting, among eligible fishers, to establish a list to determine the ex-sector tag distribution.

Prior to being licensed, (issued with ex-sector license conditions) each fisher is required to show proof of (a) having DMP coverage, (b) at-sea observer coverage, and (c) effective communications for at-sea hails (where applicable).
F. Commercial Communal License Holders
Aboriginal commercial communal license holders may fish in the ex-sector without participating in any registration or draw process, but will need to meet other provisions of the harvesting plan to ensure that effort matches the resource available.
G. Fishers
TBA –
H. Management Measures
1. Number of Tags
Fishers will be allocated no more than 7 tags on the fishery opening date. The amount of tags to be distributed to the fleet in the initial allocation will be determined at the fleet meeting and will take into consideration the trend in Bluefin tuna average weight over the last few years in the ex-sector and the number of fishers participating in the ex-sector fishery. This number, however, will not exceed 7 tags per fisher/vessel.
2. Tag Transfers
Tags are only permitted to be transferred within the PEI Ex-sector fleet. Transfers are only permitted when a fisher has two (2) or less tags remaining on their license conditions.
3. Re-allocation
The re-allocation of tags, if required, will be done in consultation with the active ex-sector harvesters and DFO officials. A new draw process among eligible fishers will be conducted once each fisher from the original draw list has received an equal number of tags.

Any tags issued from this re-allocation and not picked up may be reissued on a second re-allocation, if required.

If a fisher has received a lesser number of tags, (less than other fleet members from the original draw only) any tags turned in before the re-allocation date will automatically (at the time of surrender) go to the next fisher on the original draw list. This practice stops when each fisher from the original draw list has received an equal number of tags. Eligible fishers who have valid tuna tags issued to them will retain those tags during the re-allocation process. This section does not apply to Aboriginal commercial communal license holders.
4. EPIRB
All Bluefin tuna license holders are required by Transport Canada’s Ship Station (Radio) Regulations 1999 to carry an approved Emergency Position Indicating Radio Beacon (EPIRB) onboard their vessels if fishing beyond 20 nautical miles offshore. This regulation applies to all Bluefin vessels fishing the Hell Hole and vicinity.
5. At-Sea-Observers/Monitors
A representative will be asked to be present at a fleet meeting to provide registration services for the ex-sector.
6. Other-ex-sector
Fishers and their designated vessel, when registered and accepted for the ex-sector tuna fishery, cannot leave the ex-sector with that vessel until the fisher utilizes his full allocation or fishes down to 2 or less tags remaining. If a fisher does leave the ex-sector with the vessel without fulfilling the above condition, they will forfeit the tuna tags and their re-allocation privilege.

If the fisher utilizes his full allocation in the ex-sector, he will be eligible for re-allocation, whether the fisher is in the ex-sector or not with his vessel.
V. HOOK AND RELEASE FISHERY
This section of the Conservation Harvesting Plan (CHP) applies to vessels operating and identified under a Section 52 F(G)R license issued to qualified members within the PEI Tuna Fleet Sector, fishing for Bluefin tuna with rod and reel only with barbless hooks in NAFO division 4RST, between July 15th, 2013 and October 1st, 2013.

In order to fish under the Section 52 licence, harvesters must hail out 10 hours in advance to a certified At-Sea-Observer company for an entire calendar day and may not fish their commercial licence during that same day. A day is considered the 24 hour period beginning 00:01.

This activity is strictly catch and release only, and an allocation of 10 MT has been identified in the 2013 Atlantic Bluefin Tuna Management Plan that all fleet Hook & Release activities will be monitored against this 10mt allocation at an anticipated mortality rate of 3.4 %. The quota and fishing activity will be collectively monitored and licences will be issued on a predetermined set of criteria to ensure the effort does not exceed the available quota.
ALLOCATION
There is an allocation of 10 MT in the 2013 Bluefin Tuna Management Plan to cover off the mortality rates in all hook and release fisheries of participating fleets. The mortality rate has been established at 3.4%.
HOME AREA – GULF 4RST
A. Fishing Seasons
The initial fishing period is starting at 6:00 am (Atlantic Daylight Time) on July 15th, 2013 and ending on Oct. 1st, 2013. Requests to extend access for hook and release activity into October must be made to the Chief-Resource Management-PEI by 1600hrs, Sept. 20, 2013, to ensure new conditions of licenses are available by Oct 1st .
This fishing period may be modified due to anticipated effort exceeding available quota to cover off the 3.4% mortality rate, or following future discussions between the participants and DFO.
B. Management Measures
1. Fishing gear/Fishing Vessel
Rod and Reel only
Barbless Circle Hooks, (maximum of one (I) hook per unit and non-offset is recommended)
Maximum # of Units = 4 rods
Minimum of 180 lbs. test line on all tackle and onboard the vessel. (It is also recommended that the use of braided Dacron line not be used within 150 feet of the hook)
Vessel/Operator meets Transport Canada Certification for Passenger Transport
2. By-catches
By-catches of other species are not anticipated and the license will dictate that all incidental catches of other species shall forthwith be returned to the water from which they were taken in a manner that causes them the least harm.
3. Fishing Effort
The option of entering the catch and release fishery is open to all commercial and commercial communal licence holders who meet the eligibility criteria within the national “Atlantic Bluefin Tuna Catch and Release Fishery Guidelines” for this activity and any additional requirement of this CHP.
Given the importance to conservation on this resource and the important economic spin-offs from participants in the catch and release fishery limits on the amount directed effort managed through this harvesting plan will be controlled namely by:
• the number of boats on the water based on the eligibility criteria,
• the duration of the fishery (season), ,
• the amount and type of fishing gear used,
• the amount of strikes/hook-ups per trip, (maximum of 4 interactions, with no more than 1 hook-up per day)
• the number of trips per day, and
• The amount of resource available to cover the mortality rate associated with all of the above activity.
4. Fishing Seasons
The initial fishing period is starting at 6:00 a.m. (Atlantic Daylight Time) on July 15th, 2012 and ending on October1, 2013, Requests to extend any hook and release activity into October must be made to the Chief-Resource Management by 1600hrs, Sept 20th. This fishing period may be modified due to anticipated effort exceeding available quota to cover off the 3.4% mortality rate, or following future discussions between participants of this fishery, the representatives of the commercial fleet, and DFO.
5. Licensing
For the proper management and control of the fishery, access will be provided via Section 52 F(G)R licence. Licences issued for the beginning of the fishery on July 15, 2013, will be valid until October 1st, and requested extensions will be valid from 0600hrs October 2nd until Dec. 31, 2013.
6. Logbooks/Weekly Monitoring of Activity
Logbooks are mandatory for all vessels participating in this fishery. Participants in the fishery will submit their weekly log sheets to the Chief/Resource Management, Fisheries and Oceans Canada, PO Box 1236, Charlottetown, PEI, C1A 7M8. This can be done by e-mail to the following address: Colin.MacIsaac@dfo-mpo.gc.ca weekly.
7. Coverage at sea by observers
Each participant will also be responsible to retain an At-Sea-Observer coverage contract at a level of 5% as an initial prerequisite for license issuance. Each applicant (captain) is responsible to obtain their own contract with a certified At-Sea-Observer company and report this number to DFO. Additional coverage may be required under certain circumstances.
8. Other management measures:
Notwithstanding the preceding, the Department and the industry may agree on another approach to adapt the fishing effort to the intended objectives of this fishing plan. It should be noted that any license and condition issued under the direction of this CHP will be null and void during any identified commercial fishing trip that may coincide with the dates of this harvesting plan.
Conditions of license that participants will be required to abide by include, but may not be limited to:
i. When a Bluefin tuna is hooked all other lines must be removed from the water

ii. Any Bluefin tuna brought alongside the vessel must be released forthwith in a manner that causes the least amount of harm to the fish. The Bluefin tuna should not be held stationary beside the vessel and the vessel should remain in motion while the gills and mouth of the Bluefin tuna remain underwater. At no time are tuna permitted to be removed from the water.

iii. A maximum of one (1) hook-up per trip is permitted, and a hook-up is defined as a fight time that lasts a minimum of 45 minutes and does not exceed 60 minutes in length or the bringing alongside of the tuna within that timeline. Between the 45 and 60 minute timeline every effort should be made by the operator to bring the tuna alongside before the line is cut at the maximum 60 minute mark. Once one (1) hook-up has been met, all lines are to be removed from the water for the rest of the fishing trip.

iv. A maximum of 4 strikes per day is permitted which includes any combination of hook-up (defined above) or strike. A strike is defined as a fight time that lasts a minimum of 5 minutes up to the 45 minute mark noted in (iii) above. The license only authorizes the hook and release of Bluefin tuna.

v. The license is only valid when operated from a vessel that is certified by Transport Canada as a vessel that meets the requirements for passenger transport and is operated by a qualified Captain according to such certification.

VI. COMMERCIAL COMMUNAL FISHERY
INTRODUCTION
Whereas, ‘Government of Canada in carrying out its activities, will respect potential or established Aboriginal or Treaty rights of First Nations, Metis, and Inuit people’ by consulting with Aboriginal groups ,
Whereas, aboriginal organizations seek to develop economically viable commercial fisheries enterprises, improved governance and capacity building in commercial fisheries operations; and desire a more effective voice in fisheries co-management, and
Whereas, DFO encourages aboriginal organizations to, ‘build their capacity to manage successful commercial fishing enterprises and participate in the co-management of the integrated commercial fisheries along with other commercial harvesters’ .
This section therefore sets out those provisions specific to all commercial fishing activities carried out under the ‘Aboriginal Communal Fishing Licences Regulations’, in particular that all fishing will be operated in accordance with the provision of Sections IV - Commercial Fishery and V - Hook and Release Fishery outlined in this CHP, except as otherwise indicated in this section.
SPECIFIC EXEMPTIONS
GENERAL
Issuance of Commercial Communal Fishing Licences for commercial activity shall be issued in accordance with the ‘Aboriginal Communal Fishing Licences Regulations’.
In accordance with the provisions of Section 4 of the Aboriginal Communal Fishing Licences Regulations, aboriginal organizations may designate, in writing, those persons and/or vessel to be used to fish under the authority of the Commercial Communal licences.
A. SECTION IV – COMMERCIAL COMMUNAL FISHERY
HOME AREA – GULF 4RST/4Wd
1. Allocation
Communal Commercial Licence holders who participate in the PEI catch and release fishery are advised that their designated operators must choose between commercial communal activities or hook and release activity on a daily basis.
2. Issuance of Tags
The transfer of Tags is permitted among commercial communal licence holders.
B. SECTION V – HOOK & RELEASE FISHERY
As the current Catch and release fishery is still considered a developmental fishery, conducted under a Section 52 F(G)R License, all Hook and Release Fishing activities will be in accordance with National Guidelines for the Catch & Release of Bluefin Tuna and will be subject to the same criteria identified within this CHP for Hook & Release activity. All Catch & Release Licences are to be issued to an aboriginal organization and not an individual.
VII. NOTICE TO FISHERS
All fishers are encouraged to familiarize themselves with this Bluefin Tuna CHP and the Integrated Fisheries Management Plan (IFMP) for Atlantic Bluefin Tuna as there are additional items in that plan which is not presented here.