IMIS - Marine Research Groups

Aquatic habitat on the east coast of Canada was mapped and classified, with emphasis on habitat used by American eels. Data on eel fishing locations were compiled to aid in determining the habitat used by eels.
Locations of elver fisheries in Newfoundland in 2008 were provided by the elver licence holder. Locations of other eel fisheries in Newfoundland and Labrador in 2005 and 2007 were derived from commercial logbooks (G. Veinott, pers. Comm.). Locations of estuary trap fisheries in the St. Lawrence estuary in 2009 are from records of the Québec Ministère des des ressourcrs naturelles et de la faune (G. Verreault and R. Tardif, pers. Comm.). Locations of eel fisheries in the southern Gulf of St. Lawrence for 2006 - winter 2010 are from interviews with DFO fisheries officers, conducted at local detachment offices during winter 2010. Locations of commercial (fyke, longline) eel fisheries in Îles-de-la-Madeleine in 2008 are from Richard (2008), and are based on interviews with fishers and visits to fishing sites. These locations are very similar to those given by Georges (2008). Locations of recreational spear fisheries in Îles-de-la Madeleine in the winter of 2003-2004 are from Georges (2005). These locations are approximate, because Georges (2005) identifies lagoons in which eels are speared, but not exact fishing sites. Locations of yellow and silver eel fisheries in Scotia Fundy in 2005-2007, and of elver fisheries for 1996-1999 and 2000-2003, are from commercial logbook programs (R. Bradford, C. Harvie, and G. Stevens, pers. Comm.). Coordinates reported for some fishing locations were on the land side of the coastlines. Reported fishing locations that were on land were likely due to small errors in GPS measurements or in digitizing points recorded on paper maps - in such cases fishing locations were shifted to the nearest point in water.