Fisheries and Oceans Canada has extended the closure of Atlantic mackerel commercial and bait fishing in Atlantic Canada and Quebec for the 2023 season.
In a notice to fish harvesters on Wednesday, the federal department said it was continuing the moratorium “to allow the stock to rebuild.” The moratorium has been in place since March 2022.
In its notice, Fisheries and Oceans Canada said results of a Canadian stock assessment found Atlantic mackerel “declined further in the critical zone since the last assessment, with spawning stock biomass at its lowest-observed value.” The critical zone means serious harm is occurring.
“The stock rebuilding potential is currently limited by a collapsed age structure due to overfishing, low recruitment, and high predation pressure,” the department said.
In a news release on Wednesday, Oceans North, an environmental group, said extending the closure of the fishery was “ultimately the only decision that could ensure the long-term health of the stock and the future prosperity of the fishery.”
In an interview with CBC News on Wednesday evening, Katie Schleit, fisheries director at Oceans North, said she expected Fisheries and Oceans Canada would extend the moratorium.