The pelagic sector of our industry is primarily represented by herring, tuna, swordfish and mackerel. These species represent a significant contribution to the Nova Scotia fishing industry representing an estimated $40 million in landed value in 2005.

Herring is primarily fished by seiners in southern Nova Scotia and by inshore vessels on our Gulf coast. represents the most valuable pelagic in 2005, with an estimated landed value of $15 million. Herring is also an important bait fishery in coastal Nova Scotia and the Gulf of St. Lawrence in terms of personal use in related fisheries or for bait sales to other fishermen.

The tuna fishery had an estimated landed value in 2005 of $10 million. Gear used in this fishery includes handlines, rod and reel, longlines and a trap net fishery based in St. Margaret's Bay. The fleet is primarily an inshore small boat one.

Swordfish was worth an estimated $12 million in landed value in 2005. Seventy-seven longline licenses are issued in Atlantic Canada with over 90% of these based in Nova Scotia. In terms of value, a small harpoon sector also exists. Swordfish are caught primarily along the edge of Georges Bank, the Scotian Shelf, and the Grand Banks in vessels often less than 65 feet.

In Canadian waters, Nova Scotia historically accounts for the largest share of mackerel landing, which represented an estimated $ 9 million in 2005. This figure represents a 600% increase in five years. Fixed gillnet and trap fisheries are the main gear sectors. Mackerel was truly an inshore fishery with no real offshore sector until this year with the granting of offshore licenses. The outlook is a positive one for the pelagic sector in general with more gains anticipated for the coming years, especially for swordfish and mackerel.

Atlantic Herring

The pelagic sector of the Nova Scotia fishery has been relatively stable in terms of landings and value for a number of years. Pelagics are highly migratory, often defined as an "open seas or ocean" species, and most notably include herring, mackerel, tuna and swordfish. Atlantic herring is the most valuable pelagic to our fishery, consistently representing in the vicinity of $15 million in landed value.

Herring fishing methods in Nova Scotia are dominated by purse seine, gillnet and weir. Most herring fishing takes place on dense summer feeding, overwintering and spawning locations. Herring spawn in discrete locations which is presumed to be their home. This is an important consideration when it comes to making stock management decisions, especially when you consider a fundamental principle in herring management is the conservation of the resource through the preservation of all the spawning components. The herring fishery in the Gulf of St. Lawrence has been stable in recent years with a strong stock outlook. However, concerns in recent years with regard to the stock on the Atlantic coast has resulted in a 40% reduction in available quota. Fortunately,market price increases in 2005 helped offset quota reductions.

Issues in this sector often revolve around conflicts between gear types, most notably purse seiners in the Gulf of St. Lawrence and gillnet fishermen, science in terms of counting the fish and how much of the counted can be fished.

The herring fishery is a competitive fishery which utilizes TAC management and focuses management decisions on various spawning components, making multiple management areas. The total TAC, or catch limit for the Atlantic waters of Nova Scotia, is 50,000 tonnes with 80% allocation to the mobile gear sector and 20% to the fixed gear sector. On our Gulf coast, the TAC is also divided with 77% going to the fixed gear sector and 23% to the mobile (large seiners). The TAC for the Gulf is 70,000 tonnes for the fall herring fishery and 11,000 tonnes for the spring fishery. However, the Nova Scotia fleet ends up with less than 12% of this total, based on historical sharing arrangements. Last year, the landed value of herring decreased slightly to $15 million and the outlook for the near-term is stable, with strong Gulf stocks and a healthy export market anticipated.

Atlantic Mackerel

Mackerel is a familiar species to Nova Scotians and has been caught by fishermen and recreational enthusiasts for food and bait for generations. Landings in Nova Scotia are historically the highest of all Atlantic provinces. However, recent record landings in Newfoundland have replaced Nova Scotia's top landings. The landings and value of the mackerel fishery has been trending up for a number of years and topped out at an estimated $9 million in landed value for 2005.

On a smaller geographic scale, landings may fluctuate significantly from one year to the next. The fluctuations are due to great variability in seasonal migration patterns, although fishing grounds usually remain the same.

Although some spawning does occur along the coast of Nova Scotia, our fishery is primarily based on the stock that travel up the coast and spawn in the warmer waters of the southern Gulf of St. Lawrence. The main gear types used in the mackerel fishery are traps, gillnets and handlines. They are used near the shore and generally at the same locations year after year.

The mackerel fishery is a competitive fishery with a Canadian TAC of 75,000+ tonnes, which has never been caught. This TAC is shared 60% for the traditional inshore fishery and 40% for an exploratory mobile gear fishery.

The outlook for the mackerel fishery in Nova Scotia is positive and includes a very large 1999 year class which has enter the fishery. Issues expected to confront the fishery in the near term include the potential development of the offshore mackerel fishery, changing distribution patterns and pressure to move away from a competitive fishery model.

North Atlantic Swordfish

Swordfish is a highly migratory species and usually enters Nova Scotian waters in June and leaves in October or November. It derives its name from the sword-like projection on the upper jaw which is used to stun or kill fish for food. The "sword" is also utilized as an offensive weapon and fishermen have long been aware of this danger. In fact, swordfish have "attacked" wooden-hulled vessels, dories and even whales.

Adult swordfish are a dark metallic blue-purple on the back and upper part of the sides, shading to silver-gray and white on the belly. Interesting characteristics are the "sword" and the absence of both teeth and scales, making them particularly difficult to age.

The Atlantic swordfish fishery began commercially in the late1880s as harpoon sailing vessels, primarily from Nova Scotia, fished swordfish throughout Atlantic Canada. In the early1960s, this fishery shifted from a harpoon to a longline fishery, and landings increased dramatically to a high of approximately 8,000 tonnes.

The swordfish fishery is still a primarily Nova Scotia based industry with 67 of the 77 swordfish longline licences based in our province. Additionally, there are approximately 1,400 swordfish harpoon licences Atlantic-wide, with the vast majority again based in Nova Scotia. Swordfish are caught primarily along the edge of Georges Bank, the Scotian Shelf and the Grand Banks (where they are known to feed) in vessels often less than 65 feet. Principal ports in Nova Scotia are Shelburne, Sambro and Clark's Harbour.

As a highly migratory large pelagic fish with a vast range, swordfish, like tuna, are truly an international fish and managed accordingly. The fishery is managed under the auspices of the International Commission for the Conservation of Atlantic Tunas (ICCAT ). Canada is a member of ICCAT and Nova Scotia participates on the Canadian team. In fact, Nova Scotia's recent international efforts were instrumental in Canada successfully gaining a much larger share of swordfish for our industry, based on the increasing abundance of swordfish.

The major issues facing the swordfish fishery in the near term are related to fleet management, economic viability (especially associated with high fuel costs) and bycatch. The longline sector has historically taken whales, seabirds, turtles and non-target fish in their efforts to catch swordfish. The industry has recently introduced measures to reduce non-target species and continues to work with government and non-government sources to develop acceptable fishing practices; however, what is different today is the increasing focus by the green movement on these practices. Last year, swordfish represented $12 million in landed value, and this number is expected to grow with our recent 30% increase in resource share and current science reports of a healthy stock.

North Atlantic Bluefin Tuna

The North Atlantic bluefin tuna is among the biggest and most powerful fish inhabiting the ocean and regarded as one of the most highly evolved species. Tuna, originating from the Greek work meaning "to rush", swim at speeds approaching 60 mph in sudden bursts. The North Atlantic bluefin tuna is also the most common tuna found off the Nova Scotia coast. It is an impressive looking fish (dark blue with silvery gray sides and belly). It can be quite large, weighing more than 1,000 pounds. The value to the Nova Scotia pelagic fishery is another impressive feature. With a landed value traditionally around $11 million, bluefin represent a significant component of the Nova Scotia fishing industry. Bluefin tuna is a highly migratory species which migrate up the Atlantic coast in warmer temperatures, reaching their highest fat content in mid to late summer when they reach Nova Scotian waters. Because of its high metabolic rate, the bluefin tuna maintains a body temperature warmer than the surrounding water.

Prior to the1960s, fishing North Atlantic bluefin tuna off Nova Scotia was limited to subsistence fishing, international sport tournaments such as the Sharp Cup held in Wedgeport, with a peak landing of 1,760 fish in 1949, and small scale commercial ventures such as the St. Margaret 's Bay trap fishery. During the1960s and 70s, Nova Scotia fishermen intensified their efforts as international markets developed for canned and fresh bluefin, especially the Japanese specialty market.

As a highly migratory fish with a vast range, tuna, like swordfish, is managed under the auspices of the International Commission for the Conservation of Atlantic Tuna (ICCAT). Management of and scientific research on Atlantic bluefin has been internationally coordinated among major fishing nations since the late1960s, when the population showed pronounced signs of stress from over fishing. Bluefin off Nova Scotian waters are currently managed under a strict quota system. Fishing gear used in the directed bluefin fishery includes handlines, rod and reel, longlines and trap nets.

As international demand remains high for the giant bluefin tuna, intensive international fishing raises concerns for the long-term sustainability of this resource. Given the large potential profits and many competing fishing interests, conservation efforts supported by Nova Scotia tuna fishermen have sparked heated international debates. It is under these conditions that provincial and federal governments seek to manage the Atlantic bluefin, integrating biology with the demands imposed by global economics and politics.

With a relatively stable share of the quota, the bluefin fishery in Nova Scotia will continue to prosper in the short term. However, issues associated with the international composition of the bluefin fishery, such as illegal over fishing by countries within and outside the current management structure, the International Commission for the Conservation of Atlantic Tunas (ICCAT) jeopardizes the long-term health of our industry.