The Department of Agriculture and Fisheries is providing up to $10,000 to the Prince Edward Island Fishermen’s Association (PEIFA) to assist in conducting science and research on Bluefin tuna, says Minister of Agriculture and Fisheries Alan McIsaac.
“Our department is pleased to work with industry to gather relevant information about the fishery at a time when solid scientific information is a must for effective management and decision making,” said Minister McIsaac. “Continued support for science and research will help provide valuable information for the future sustainability of our fisheries.”
Prince Edward Island fishers have recently acquired a 32.7-tonne increase, approximately 100 tuna, in allocation for Atlantic Bluefin tuna through a Canadian/Mexican quota transfer agreement signed by the Department of Fisheries and Oceans (DFO). As part of the transfer agreement, Prince Edward Island has joined with six other Bluefin tuna fleets to conduct additional science and research into the fishery.
Some of the projects Prince Edward Island fishers are involved in are the collection of otiliths (ear bones) and tuna flesh, deployment of ICCAT tags on released fish in the charter fishery, and further analysis of logbook data of recent years.
“Increased quota can mean an increase in profits for our Island fishers so it is important that we have solid information available to us,” said PEIFA President, Craig Avery. “We remain very optimistic that with increased science and research there will be the opportunity to demonstrate that the resource is healthy and abundant enough to allow for increased quota allocations.”
The province’s tuna fishery continues to grow with 359 commercial tuna fishers and an estimated landed value of over $1.9 million in 2014.
“The Island’s Bluefin tuna fishery is an important industry providing jobs and economic activity in communities across the province,” said Minister McIsaac. “Our government will continue to invest in initiatives that advance our Island food industries and position them for future growth and development as part of Canada’s Food Island.”