"This first season opening of the commercial whelk fishery is a prime example of how the collaboration between harvesters and scientists can lead to a new and healthy fishery," said Parliamentary Secretary Mike Kelloway.
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The Canadian government has announced the opening of a new commercial whelk fishery in Eastern Nova Scotia, marking what it describes as a significant milestone for the region's fishing industry.
The first season of the whelk fishery off Eastern Cape Breton is officially underway, with the initial catch already landed in July.
The intention to open the fishery was first announced by Canadian authorities in August last year,
"The new commercial whelk fishery in Nova Scotia is officially open for business in its very first year in Eastern Nova Scotia," announced Diane Lebouthillier, Minister of Fisheries, Oceans, and the Canadian Coast Guard. "This is great news for the harvesters and processors in the province, and for international consumers of Canadian seafood."
Previously, the whelk fishery, located in the Northwest Atlantic Fisheries Organization (NAFO) Area 4Vs, was restricted to exploratory harvesting in order to assess the sustainability of the whelk population, and to gather biological data.
After positive findings, the fishery has officially transitioned to commercial status, and now supports "seventy good-paying jobs in Eastern Nova Scotia", government sources said in a press statement, calling the development "a prime example of how Canadian fish harvesters are at the forefront of innovation in their industry, developing new products and cultivating new markets".
"Cape Bretoners are at the forefront of the fishing industry. This first season opening of the commercial whelk fishery is a prime example of how the collaboration between harvesters and scientists can lead to a new and healthy fishery," added Parliamentary Secretary Mike Kelloway.
The waved whelk (Buccinum undatum), an edible mollusc or sea snail, is primarily exported from Canada to China, Japan, and Vietnam. The newly-established commercial fishery is thus expected to bolster the local economy by creating jobs and enhancing the international market presence of Canadian seafood.
In NAFO Area 4Vs, only one commercial whelk license is held, and due to privacy considerations, specific details on landings and landed values have not been disclosed by the Canadian government.
The Total Allowable Catch (TAC) for the whelk fishery in this area is set at 700 tonnes, with fishing activities typically taking place from July to December.
Canada maintains other commercial whelk fisheries in the waters off Québec, and in Newfoundland and Labrador, but the commercial activity in each of these has steadily declined over time, according to government statistics.
According to the Canadian government's Integrated Fisheries Management Plan, the waved whelk is particularly at risk from overfishing: "Because of its seemingly high 'catchability' (attraction to baited traps), low reproductive rate, and limited dispersal (both as larvae and adults), this species is thought to be susceptible to localized over-exploitation, and has been extirpated in some areas of its range," the documentation notes.