Northern shrimp stocks shrink to lower levels

Scientists in the federal Department of Fisheries and Oceans are warning that shrimp stocks have continued to decline in one of the key fishing areas of the Atlantic.

The scientific assessment done last year on shrimp fishing Area 6 shows there's been a further 16 per centreduction in the fishable biomass.

• 'Critical' situation: Major shrimp stock sees another big loss

It's the lowest measurement recorded. In total, it's estimated there were 87,000 tonnesin the zone that extends from the northeast coast of Newfoundland to the waters off southern Labrador.

Last year DFO labelled the stock as critical, cutting quotas for the second year in a row to 10,400 tonnes a 78 per cent reduction from 2015.

• Gutting of quota 'nail in the coffin' for inshore shrimp industry, says FFAW

Only 10 per cent of thefishable biomass is expected to be harvested this year. Healthier areas see twice that percentage caught.

"Predation, fishing and environmental factors influenced the decline in production in the shrimp stock," said Katherine Skanes, the stock assessment biologist for DFO.

She expects stock levels to remainlow for the next two to three years.

"Capelin is still relatively low in our waters. And for that reason shrimp are being predated on more than they used to be," she said.

"Unless the department reconsiders their approach, given the current status of the stock, harvesters will expect to see another cut to shrimp quotas again this year," Keith Sullivan, president of the Fish, Food and Allied Workers, said in a release.

Fishermen worried about further cuts

Bobby Noble, a 34-year-old harvester who fishes out of Carmanville,has already seen his quota for shrimp decline.

"Most of our fishing was shrimp, but right now shrimp is unfortunately a very small part because of recent cuts," he said.

Noble told CBC Radio's The Broadcast he hoped that the stock had bottomed out, so it was disappointing to see it go down further.

"I don't know how long people are going to keep going on because with shrimp there is so much cost, there's so much gear," he said.

Noble said fishermen have borrowed a lot to invest in boats and gear and to buy quota in recent years, so continued drops in the allowable catch could financially ruin some.

Union calls for changes to science

The union called for changes in the way shrimp stocks are studied, saying DFOis using the early 1990s, when groundfish such as cod were scarce allowing shrimp to thrive as its baseline.

The FFAW is also pushing for all of the quotain Area 6 to be given to inshore harvesters, arguing larger offshore trawlers can still catch shrimp in other areas.

The two fleets have waged a bitter and public battle for access to the resource. The 2016-17 quota was split between them with 70 per cent going to the inshore.