2002 evaluation of 4VWX herring : Évaluation des stocks de hareng dans 4VWX en 2002

Changes to management and recent research efforts have improved the knowledge of the fishery in four of the coastal Nova Scotia spawning areas, but there remains a problem of a lack of biological and fishery information for much of this component. [...] The main principle stated in the plan was “the conservation of the herring resource and the preservation of all of its spawning components” (DFO 1999). [...] In recent years, negative and mixed signals have prompted caution in establishment of the TAC and in the management of the fishery. [...] The relatively low landings in the gillnet sector in recent years is thought to reflect reduced effort due to lack of market and price, and the success of the recent years lobster fishery. [...] Sonars and sounders of the purse seine fleet, and sounders of the gillnet fleet were used to document the number, location and approximate size of herring schools.