Observer companies dumped from monitoring accidental catch in N.S. lobster fishery

Fisheries and Oceans Canada has dropped two at-sea observer companies from a program to monitor the lucrative southwest Nova Scotia lobster fishery.

The decision "blindsided" one of the companies.

This season, DFO will rely solely on an inshore industry association to assess what other species are being accidentally captured — what's known as bycatch — in the lobster fishery from Halifax through the Bay of Fundy.

Observer companies Javitech Atlantic in Dartmouth and Halifax's Atlantic Catch Data have been part of the bycatch monitoring program since it was launched in 2018 to assess and demonstrate sustainability in the fishery worth half a billion dollars.

Both companies are out for now.

In recent years, they have not delivered anywhere near the sampling provided by the Yarmouth-based Southwest Lobster Science Society, which was created by five fishing associations to provide bycatch monitoring.

Company was not consulted

The pilot project initiated in lobster fishing areas 33, 34, and 35 mandated all licence holders to join Southwest Lobster Science Society or have an agreement in place with an at-sea observer company.

On Thursday, DFO manager Verna Docherty informed the industry the society will be the "sole service provider for at sea data collection in [lobster fishing areas] 33, 34, and 35 for the 2023/24 season."

In an interview, Javitech Atlantic general manager Albert Moore acknowledged the company failed to reach target coverage levels, blaming COVID-19 restrictions and a general scarcity of labour.

He said the company now has the people in place to provide coverage for the fishery and was "blindsided" by the decision.

"My only comment is that we were not part of this consultation process, we were not involved. We were informed after the fact and not directly by DFO," Moore told CBC News.

"So at this point, we do not agree with the decision or accept it and we've asked for a meeting with DFO officials to get more information on this."

The Southwest Lobster Science Society was an industry-led response to demands from DFO for better accounting of cod, cusk and other species caught inadvertently in lobster traps.

Last season, society technicians were on board for 275 trips, reporting when, where and what was inside 23,000 traps — its most successful season so far.

Still, it fell short of DFO's preliminary target to collect data from one per cent of commercial fishing trips within each LFA.

Voluntary bycatch monitoring is in place elsewhere in the region.

Infractions not reported

In a recent assessment of the program, DFO scientists said, "Although these sampling targets were not met, analyses suggested sampling was representative of the fishery in most [lobster fishing areas]."

Using modelling from data collected, DFO predicted annual bycatch of cod as:

• 139 tonnes in lobster fishing area 33.
• 243 tonnes in lobster fishing area 34.
• 7.7 tonnes in lobster fishing area 35.

The assessment found the society sampled more trips, more traps per trip and identified more species than Javitech and Atlantic Catch Data.

Society technicians do not report infractions — a fact it advertises.

"Unlike observer companies, [Southwest Lobster Science Society] does not report on any regulatory infractions. Our sole mission is to collect scientific data therefore our members don't need to worry about the added stress of compliance monitoring," it said on its website.

Speaking on behalf of the society, Colin Sproul said DFO's selection demonstrates collaboration between the industry and scientists "always comes up with the best data."

"That's what the Southwest Lobster Science Society is really all about — hard data for scientists to work with that reveals the good and the bad about the lobster fishery. Members are happy to be involved in the collecting of the data."

The society charges members $300 per year. Sproul says the data shows the fishery has very little impact on other species.

"The vast majority of bycatch consists of juvenile and berried lobster that are released back to the bottom. There are small incidences of bycatch of other species which are important to note, and that's the point of the Southwest Lobster Society is that we can assess the industry in all its parts — whether it be good or bad — and help regulators make better management decisions to keep us sustainable into the future," he said. 

"The government demands it, but also the market demands it and citizens demand it and we are keen on making sure our fisheries stay sustainable and people know with good science that's the truth."

In a statement to CBC after this story was posted, DFO said the non-profit society did a better job.

"The Southwest Lobster Science Society is the only at-sea observer provider serving [lobster fishing areas] 33, 34 and 35 that has demonstrated an ability to meet the increasing need for reliable fisheries data in the inshore lobster fishery and has provided the majority of data in recent years," spokesperson Debbie Buott-Matheson said.

The decision will deliver the at-sea data it needs while allowing other at-sea observer companies to focus on other fisheries, she said.