Director of Contact Nature Presents Results of Scientific Fishing Study

Marc-André Galbrand, director general of Contact Nature and president of the CBBH, along with well-known retired fisherman in the region, Rémi Aubin, traveled to Moncton, New Brunswick on Thursday to present the preliminary results of the last five years of scientific fishing.

Three key topics were discussed by this advisory committee, which brought together important players in commercial fishing, indigenous communities, and representatives from Fisheries and Oceans Canada: the management and status of cod, turbot, and Atlantic halibut populations.

After presenting the preliminary results of the scientific study which focused on the migratory patterns of halibut, Contact Nature has submitted a request to continue the research project for the next three years.

“With a higher quantity. Initially, we had 100 halibut to catch in four years. Now, we are requesting a total of 150 halibut, 50 halibut per year.”

– Marc-André Galbrand, director general of Contact Nature and president of the CBBH

Studying the Impact of Halibut

A request to reopen recreational halibut fishing was also submitted last October, but the director general of Contact Nature did not discuss this with the advisory committee. The organization first wants to gather more information on the presence and impact of Atlantic halibut in the Saguenay Fjord.

“While studying the migratory patterns of halibut, we noticed that there was cod present in the stomachs of halibut, about 30%. Cod is a major predator, and cod populations are not doing well in general,” noted Marc-André Galbrand.

For several years, there has been a moratorium on cod commercial fishing in the Gulf of St. Lawrence. In the Saguenay Fjord, it has been observed that fishermen are catching fewer cod.

“One element we would like to document more is the potential impact of a significant presence of Atlantic halibut in the Saguenay, what impact that may have on the different populations with which halibut coexists, including cod,” he added.

“A Positive Outlook”

Marc-André Galbrand felt a “positive outlook” from the participants at the advisory committee. Fisheries and Oceans Canada will now review the preliminary results of the first research project and the related recommendations.

He is hopeful to receive a response to this request in the coming months.

The scientific fishing project was originally set to end in 2025 but was extended for one more season in 2026, with a quota of 35 halibut to be caught, aiming to reach a total of 100 halibut in four years.

Not all halibut were caught, only 30 were taken out of the water this year. Seeing how quickly they were being caught, Contact Nature decided to allocate the remaining permits per person and per sector to avoid exceeding the quotas.

“We had excellent collaboration from the fishermen, and we thank them for being able to quickly change course, to respect the guidelines. […] Showing that there is a serious commitment and that fishermen collaborate well makes all the difference in terms of credibility and reputation we can have.”

– Marc-André Galbrand