Mi’kma’ki/Nova Scotia – A report from the Ecology Action Centre finds that Nova Scotia’s commercial swordfish harpoon fleet could be seeing returns of $2.5 million by adding charters as another stream of income and a new gear type to adapt to low catch rates caused in part by climate change. “Keeping a century-old fishery alive” details two years of trials of a new rod-and-reel gear type, an economic analysis of adding charter operations to the fishery, results from surveys of industry stakeholders and recommendations for regulatory changes.
The Nova Scotia swordfish harpoon fleet is one of the oldest and most storied fisheries in Atlantic Canada and was once a highly successful fishery. Over the last several years, however, changing ocean conditions have made swordfish increasingly hard to find for this fleet, as the swordfish must be visible at the ocean surface to be harpooned. Harpoon fishers are leaving much of their small quota in the water, making it harder for this sustainable fishing method to be economically viable. The Ecology Action Centre and the century-old harpoon fleet are working together on solutions to adapt and keep important fishing revenue flowing to Nova Scotia’s rural, coastal communities.
“It’s critical to prioritize the adaptation of the swordfish fishery to proactively safeguard against climate change, which we see affecting ocean conditions and leading to reduced catches,” explains Holly Isnor, marine campaign coordinator with the EAC. “Adding a rod-and-reel licence and charter operations would provide economic relief to fishers, benefit Nova Scotia’s rural coastal communities and keep a sustainable food source on the market.”
The proposed rod-and-reel gear uses a single hook and line on a fishing rod with an electric or manual reel. The EAC tested rod-and-reel gear on boats in 2022 and 2023, with trials continuing in Cape Breton and the South Shore in summer 2024 and found it has very little bycatch of other species and can be used when harpooning is not possible.
“This fishery often takes place far offshore, so given the cost just to get to the fishing grounds, adding another way to access the catch will go a long way in making this economically viable again,” says Dale Richardson of the Nova Scotia Swordfish Harpoon Quota Society. “When you add charter operations, which would be paid guided sportfishing trips, licensed commercial fishers could increase their revenue while remaining within their quota, and tourists would get a thrilling, multi-day experience fishing for a unique species in our region.”
The report includes findings from surveys completed in 2023 exploring the potential benefits and challenges of this emerging venture.
“Our survey results show that there is clear support from industry and community stakeholders for developing charter fishing opportunities, but there are barriers that need to be addressed if they are to be realized,” says Isnor. “Pathways for licensing under the Department of Fisheries of Oceans and passenger carrying requirements under Transport Canada are unclear or hard to find. These barriers need to be prioritized, or the number of active licence holders in this fleet will continue to dwindle.”
The report offers specific recommendations with the goal of ensuring this livelihood continues in a sustainable way.
“We want to see this skilled and clean fishery thrive in our province for another century,” says Isnor.
Background:
Swordfish are found in Canadian waters from spring to fall, mainly near the edge of the Scotian Shelf and Grand Banks of Newfoundland. They hunt in deeper water and bask near the surface to regulate their body temperatures, making the combination of harpoon and rod-and-reel gear ideal.
Swordfish in the North Atlantic are managed internationally and domestically as they are highly migratory. The International Commission for the Conservation of Atlantic Tunas is responsible for assessing the stock and making management decisions, such as the total allowable catch and how that catch will be allocated to each fishing nation. The current total allowable catch is 13,200 tonnes, with Canada allocated 1,348 tonnes.
Domestically, the Department of Fisheries and Oceans is responsible for licensing commercial fishers and allocating the Canadian quota to fisheries. The harpoon fleet is allocated 10 per cent, or 138.4 tonnes, of Canada swordfish catches per year, and the pelagic longline fleet is allocated 90 per cent. Many harpoon-only licence holders in the Maritimes region have not participated in the fishery in recent years due to low catches.
Harpoon fishing typically takes place between June and late August. Harpooners hand “stick” the swordfish after they are spotted at the surface. It is considered the most sustainable way to land swordfish as there is no by-catch and it is very low-impact.
Pelagic longline, the other current gear type, consists of thousands of baited hooks which can span several kilometers. This method catches not only swordfish but also other species like tuna, at-risk sharks and sea turtles.
Community survey results show a clear interest from industry in exploring opportunities for charter fishing and reinforce the need to address regulatory barriers that limit the ability to establish charter fishing for these vessels. Results show there is the potential for benefits not only to the fishing industry directly through this value-adding option for their catch, but also for their rural coastal communities.
The EAC assessed the potential returns to the current Nova Scotia swordfish harpoon fishery from adding a charter fishery using both harpoon and rod and reel gears. Our research found that the rate charged for a five-day trip, per paying customer could be up to $10,000. There are currently 184 Harpoon A licence holders in the Maritimes region of DFO. If just 25 per cent of those licence holders chose to operate charter operations, that could generate over $2.5 million (2.0 million USD) in additional revenue across the fleet.
