Average Size Of Canadian Bluefin From 288 To 335 Kgs ff

Source: Journal Pioneer

The Department of Fisheries and Oceans issued 96 tags the first of this week - six to First Nations and communal licenses and 90 to qualified fishermen who had their names picked in a reallocation draw last week.

Based on the average weight of fish landed during the regular allocation that ended Sunday, Sept. 30, DFO calculated it would take 96 fish to fill the rest of Prince Edward Island’s tuna allocation.

But Colin MacIsaac, P.E.I. Chief of Resource Management for DFO, said the fish landed Wednesday, the day the fishery reopened, were significantly heavier than what were brought to port in August and September. Average weight increased from 288 kg to 335 kg.

A decision was made Thursday morning to shut the fishery off at 6 p.m. Thursday.

“There will be no reimbursement of tags,” MacIsaac stated. “Never was. Never will be. Whoever doesn’t catch a fish (before 6 p.m. Thursday) is going to be left holding a tag.”

Of the 57 fish caught by members of the Island fleet on Wednesday, 55 of them were put through the Dockside Monitoring system by 7 a.m. Thursday and had a total weight of 18.44 MT.

“We had 23.784 tons (remaining) at 5 o’clock (Wednesday) morning. So, at 7 o’clock (Thursday) morning, after those 55 fish went in, there were 5.34 tons left.”

He estimated 15 to 20 more fish would fill the quota, and 11 of those were hailed in before noon.

“I would predict our quota will be fulfilled and there will be no extension,” MacIsaac said.

MacIsaac said the department issued what it estimated would be eight tags more than what would be needed to fill the quota just to make sure the whole quota would be caught, because there is to be no carryover to next year for unused quota.

“That’s why we put more tags out there. We didn’t want that to happen, for sure, and that is definitely not going to happen.”

Any overage, however, will be taken off of next year’s quota.