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Fishery:
British Columbia Spiny Dogfisheries (Squalus acanthias)
Status:
The certification body, Tavel Certification, has announced that the British Columbia Hook & Line Spiny Dogfish Fishery has entered full assessment.
Initially Tavel Certification seeks to open a dialogue with all organizations or individuals with a direct interest in the fishery. Anyone wishing to provide comments or information to the assessment process (relevant to the status of the stock, ecosystems interactions or fishery management practices) is invited to contact Steven Devitt at Tavel Certification.
Please refer to the downloads section for further information.
Last Updated: 17 April 2008
Location:
The fishery is located is the Canadian Pacific EEZ and British Columbia coastal waters.
Fishing Method:
Hook and Line (longline)
Management:
The spiny dogfish fisheries are managed by Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO) – Pacific Region. The Fisheries and Oceans mandate includes responsibility for the conservation and sustainable use of Canada's fisheries resources.
Dogfish fisheries management for all dogfish fisheries (First Nation, Commercial and Recreational) in British Columbia is conducted within the framework of the integrated fisheries management plan for groundfish.
There are six detailed integrated fishery management plans for the various groundfish fisheries including one for dogfish. These plans describe the policy framework of the fisheries, the objectives of the management plan, decision guidelines and specific management measures as well as the fishing plans for the First nations, commercial and recreational fisheries.
Licence conditions and commercial harvest plans lay out all the fishery management measures including seasons, closed areas for habitat or biological characteristic protection, vessel replacement rules, retention rules for other species and trip limit restrictions .
In 2006, 300 vessels qualified for Schedule II hook and line quota with approximately 15 of these directing for dogfish. Over the past few years, the directed dogfish hook and line fleet has typically been 30 or fewer vessels
Main Commerical Market:
Unlike many other species, dogfish are not filleted. The belly flaps are cut out, the fins removed and the body is skinned leaving a white loin or "back". The belly flaps are exported to Germany where they are smoked and sold as a delicacy in "beer gardens". The fins are frozen and exported to the Orient where they are used in Japanese-Chinese cuisine. The backs are wrapped and frozen either individually or in blocks for export to England where they are used in the "fish and chips" trade. Backs are also sold to the food service and retail trade in the UK and in continental Europe with some sales being made in fresh form shipped by air from BC. Other products include dried shark cartilage for the nutraceutical industry and process waste material converted into liquid hydrolyzed fertilizer for the agriculture and horticulture markets.
Assessment Process:
The assessment process is expected to take 12 - 18 months. Please see the download section for a detailed assessment timeline.
Client:
BC Dogfish Hook & Line Industry Association
7963 Webster Road
Delta BC V4G 1E4
Micheal Renwick
mrenwick@telus.net
Certification Body:
Tavel Certiciation Inc.
Suite 815, 99 Wyse Road
Dartmouth N.S. B3A 4S5
Tel: (902) 422 4511
Fax: (902) 422 9780
Steven Devitt
sdevitt@tavelcertify.com
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