Change striped bass management

AI summary

Petitioners ask the Minister to address striped bass overabundance in the upper–middle St. Lawrence by ordering scientific review, adopting adaptive regional measures (including recreational openings or quotas), consulting Indigenous and local partners, publishing findings. The government responds that striped bass are protected under SARA; Quebec manages recreational fishing; reassessment is scheduled for fall 2026.

AI summaries describe petitioners’ requests and claims. Consult the official record for the full text.

Official petition

Petition to the Minister of Fisheries, Oceans and the Canadian Coast Guard WHEREAS 1. The striped bass population in eastern Quebec waters has experienced significant growth in recent years, causing a major ecological imbalance; 2. Although the striped bass is a protected species, it is a highly efficient predator that places significant stress on other species, many of which are commercially important or already fragile; 3. Commercial fishers in these regions report that their catches are now dominated by this species, reducing their ability to harvest the species for which they hold valid licences, thereby compromising the economic viability of their activities and directly threatening their livelihoods; 4. The current regulatory framework creates a geographical discrepancy, as recreational striped bass fishing is permitted downstream, at the mouth of the St. Lawrence River, but remains prohibited upstream, where the imbalance is most acute; 5. This prevents the affected communities from actively participating in population management and deprives them of a potential economic and ecological tool to restore balance; 6. This results in a problem that is both: ecological, due to the disruption of natural food chains and the loss of biodiversity; and economic and social, as this compromises the viability of small fishing businesses and their related cultural heritage; 7. Local stakeholders-fishers, municipalities and environmental observers-have repeatedly attempted to engage Fisheries and Oceans Canada to obtain a concrete response, but no significant action has yet been taken. Therefore, we, the undersigned, respectfully request that the Minister of Fisheries, Oceans and the Canadian Coast Guard: 1. Recognize and address the ecological and socio-economic impacts resulting from the overabundance of striped bass in the affected regions without delay; 2. Undertake a thorough scientific assessment of the striped bass population dynamics and their effects on native and commercial species in the upper and middle St. Lawrence River estuary; 3. Implement adaptive, region-specific management measures, including, where appropriate, expanding recreational fishing opportunities and/or controlled fishing using quotas, to help restore ecological balance; 4. Conduct transparent consultations with local fishers, Indigenous communities, scientific experts and provincial officials to develop sustainable management strategies; and 5. Make the department’s findings and planned measures public to ensure that striped bass protection is compatible with the sustainability of commercial fisheries and the health of marine ecosystems.

Government response

Response by the Minister of Fisheries Signed by Ernie Klassen The Government of Quebec is responsible for the management of the Striped Bass recreational fishery under the Quebec Fishery Regulations, 1990. For this reason, the Government of Quebec conducts most of the research and monitoring for Striped Bass, including studies on its diet and its interaction with other species. Questions on this subject should be addressed to the Government of Quebec. Striped Bass was extirpated from the St. Lawrence River in the early 1960s due to human activities (dredging and overfishing). Since the reintroduction of Striped Bass into the St. Lawrence River in 2002, the population has shown encouraging signs of recovery. Although abundance indices show an upward trend in Striped Bass and groups report seeing increasing numbers of fish, caution is still necessary. Striped Bass meet their food needs by moving through estuarine or coastal environments, often in schools of individuals of the same size (Committee on the Status of Endangered Wildlife in Canada 2012) over long distances, which explains why a lot of local sighting can be observed without necessarily reflecting the true state of the population. However, given that the production of young Striped Bass is variable and unpredictable from year to year, it remains unclear whether the population can reliably sustain a recreational fishery. According to the Ministère de l’Environnement, de la Lutte contre les changements climatiques, de la Faune et des Parcs, the St. Lawrence River Striped Bass population is in good condition and has improved since the last assessment in 2020. This finding is based on the distribution of individuals, the abundance of young-of-the-year and the structure of the population (Ministère de l’Environnement, de la Lutte contre les changements climatiques, de la Faune et des Parcs 2025). Vigorous and sustained conservation measures over more than 20 years were necessary to restore the Striped Bass in the St. Lawrence River. It will be necessary to continue monitoring this population to confirm that it has recovered and to implement measures if its condition deteriorates (Ministère de l’Environnement, de la Lutte contre les changements climatiques, de la Faune et des Parcs 2025). Since 2019, the St. Lawrence River Striped Bass population is listed as endangered under the Species at Risk Act and is therefore legally protected. As such, recreational and commercial fisheries for St. Lawrence River Striped Bass are prohibited. This status was established following a 2012 population assessment by Committee on the Status of Endangered Wildlife in Canada, an advisory panel that is independent of Fisheries and Oceans Canada. The federal government does not have the authority to change the status of Striped Bass. A change in legal status requires Committee on the Status of Endangered Wildlife in Canada to first reassess the population through a new population status report incorporating the latest information available. Committee on the Status of Endangered Wildlife in Canada has scheduled a reassessment of the St. Lawrence River Striped Bass population for fall 2026. Until the Committee on the Status of Endangered Wildlife in Canada completes the species reassessment and the status review process is finalized, the current St. Lawrence River Striped Bass population will continue to be protected as an endangered species under Species at Risk Act, and protective measures for the species and its habitat will continue to apply. Should Committee on the Status of Endangered Wildlife in Canada change the status of Striped Bass, Fisheries and Oceans Canada. will hold consultations during the process of listing the species under Species at Risk Act. As part of these consultations, all stakeholders (First Nations, experts, fishers, interested parties and provincial and federal governments) will be invited to provide their recommendations. Fisheries and Oceans Canada. is anticipating the reassessment with interest and will carry out its analysis diligently once the reassessment is received. If necessary, Fisheries and Oceans Canada’s intentions on a potential change in legal status will then be made public and if the lifting of protections is required, in Quebec, the Government of Quebec will be responsible for implementing potential adaptive and regional fisheries management measures, such as opening the recreational fishery and establishing quotas. Questions on this subject should be addressed to the Government of Quebec.