Migration Patterns of Newfoundland West Coast Herring,Clupea harengus, as shown by Tagging Studies

Abstract

Migration patterns of Atlantic herring in western Newfoundland waters were elucidated from eight tagging experiments in 1975-80 involving both spring and autumn spawners. A total of 43,700 external tags were applied from which 1,062 recaptures were reported to the end of 1981. The spatial and temporal distribution of the returns indicated that the western Newfoundland herring populations are discrete from stocks in adjacent areas, although extensive mixing occurs during part of the year, particularly outside the spawning season. The Strait of Belle Isle appears to be an important summer feeding area for the western Newfoundland herring populations and, to a lesser degree, for herring from northeastern Newfoundland and the southern Gulf of St. Lawrence. These results were utilized in establishing the boundaries for management of the western Newfoundland stock complex. These boudaries are considered appropriate for the current herring fisheries which exploit both spring and autumn spawners, but smaller management zones would be desirable if the fisheries become concentrated on exploitation of spawning herring.