Sentinel (Fixed-Gear) and Mobile Surveys

Since 1994 and continuing to the present, fish harvesters from around the province have been participating in cod sentinel surveys. Participants fish under systematic, well-defined and rigorous scientific protocols. The primary objective of the program is to collect information on stock trends, but information is also collected that contributes to the study of the distribution, migration, condition, and age of fish, as well as providing information on water temperatures.

There are currently 74 fishing enterprises involved with the fixed gear sentinel program around Newfoundland and Labrador, and there are four mobile gear vessels conducting a bottom trawl stratified random survey in 4R3Pn.

The sentinel program started in 4R3Pn in 1994 and in 3Ps in 1995. Later that year and into 1996, it expanded to include 2J, 3K and 3L. This program was instrumental in building scientific collaborations between fish harvesters, fisheries scientists and resource managers.

The sentinel data time series has been established and data collected is fully incorporated into the cod stock assessment.