LE3 .A278 2005

2005

Dadswell, Michael

Acadia University

Bachelor of Science

Honours

Biology

Biology

A survey of the groundfishes in Minas Basin and Scots Bay was conducted during the summer of 2004. A small trawl fishery for groundfish exists in the upper Bay of Fundy which is regulated similar to trawl fisheries occurring elsewhere in the Bay, regardless of the complex environmental variables of the upper Bay. Twenty one different species were caught during the four month survey but only winter flounder, spiny dogfish, Atlantic sturgeon, and skates were consistently caught during the fishing season. Length and weight measurements were obtained for all species except for sturgeon which were not weighed due to their large size. Age and sex were determined for winter flounder only. The average fork length of spiny dogfish was 75 cm and the average weight was 2.9 kg. Average length of skates was 48 centimeters, average weight 1.0 kg, and mean pectoral width was 29.5 cm. The sturgeon captured averaged 152 cm and weighed up to an estimated 100kg. Most sturgeon were tagged but no tag returns have been received to date. A total of39 sturgeon were caught and 27 of them were tagged and measured. The winter flounder caught ranged in age from 2 to 9 years and in length from 19 to 49.5 centimeters. Mean total filet weight for legal winter flounder was 205 gms. During June and the first 2 weeks of July winter flounder were ripe or recently spent. Landings reached their peak during the month of July at a total of 13640 kg of flounder. The fishery in Minas Basin is dependant on the catch of winter flounder but if a consistent market for dogfish could be established this would be a valuable asset to the local fishers.

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