Pelagic Fishing

This bid solicitation cancels and supersedes previous bid solicitation number F5211-200294 dated 28 September, 2020 with a closing of 13 October, 2020 at 14h00 ADT. A debriefing or feedback session will be provided upon request to bidders/offerors/suppliers who bid on the previous solicitation.

1.1 Introduction (context)

The Science Sector of Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO) is mandated to provide scientific information essential to the conservation and sustainable use of fisheries resources. Scientists assess stock status and advise fishery managers and industry on conservation and management measures to protect exploited species. They conduct research on the biology, ecology and physiology of marine invertebrates and fishes, as well as on the factors influencing their abundance, recruitment, growth and reproduction.

The goal of this work is to develop conservation strategies that ensure a sustainable exploitation of resources. Stock assessments are conducted for commercially exploited species in the Estuary and the Gulf of St. Lawrence such as Atlantic Herring. Herring is a pelagic fish with an important ecological role as it is prey to many predators, including some species of commercial importance. It also supports important commercial fisheries in Divisions 4R, 4S and 4T of the Northwest Atlantic Fisheries Organization (NAFO).

1.2 Requirements for the proponent (objective)

The overall objective of the project is to conduct an acoustic survey to estimate the abundance and distribution of Atlantic Herring in NAFO Divisions 4R and 4Sw. The present call for tenders is intended to address the need to charter a fishing vessel to validate data collected during the acoustic survey by fishing for herring samples.

The study area is located on the west coast of Newfoundland, from St. Georges Bay (47°53'35"N; 59°25'25"W) to Savage Point (north of St. Barbe, 51°20'21"N, 56°41'57"W), and on the Lower North Shore of Quebec, from Blanc-Sablon (51°24'48"N, 57°12'16"W) to La Tabatière (50° 49'17"N, 58°58'20"W), but may extend to other areas of NAFO Divisions 4R and 4S. The study area will be divided into strata and the Canadian Coast Guard hydroacoustic vessel will survey each stratum by following parallel transects that are perpendicular to the coast.

The chartered fishing vessel may operate independently but must remain in constant communication with the scientist on board the acoustic vessel. The fishing vessel should collect fish samples when aggregations are detected, in order to validate the acoustic signals.

To do this, the contractor will :

• Assist the DFO staff on fishing vessel.
• Freeze herring samples (or other captured fish) aboard the vessel and enter data into tables provided by DFO.
• Send the frozen samples and data tables to the Maurice Lamontagne Institute (DFO, 850 route de la Mer, Mont-Joli QC, G5H 3Z4, Attn: Jean-Martin Chamberland), either by the Bella Desgagnés, or by a specialized delivery service.
• Follow the instructions given by the mission head (scientist) and/or DFO staff on board the fishing vessel.

The contractor will not be allowed to make commercial landings during the contract with DFO as they will be fishing under a scientific license provided by DFO.

1.3 Scope

Fieldwork will take place in October and November 2020 on the west coast of Newfoundland and the Lower North Shore of Quebec in NAFO areas 4R and 4Sw, from St. Georges Bay (47°53'35"N; 59°25'25"W) to Savage Point (north of St. Barbe, 51°20'21"N, 56°41'57"W), and from Blanc-Sablon (51°24'48"N, 57°12'16"W) to La Tabatière (50° 49'17"N, 58°58'20"W), but may extend to other areas of NAFO Divisions 4RS. The maximum contract duration is from October 14 to November 10, 2020, but the dates could change according to meteorological conditions and to the cost per day at sea and day at the wharf.

1.4 Description of work

The work will begin between October 14 and November 5 2020 and will end no later than November 30 2020. The contractor will have until November 30 to deliver the data and all frozen samples.

The contractor will be paid according to the number of days at sea and days spent at a wharf. Sea days include days of transit and days when at least one fishing activity is successful (at least 100 intact herring caught). A sea day may be counted even when no herring are caught if a member of the DFO science team considers that the crew of the fishing vessel has worked assiduously.

If fish samples are caught, the chartered vessel and crew will have to continue working until the mission head (scientist) mentions that they can go to a wharf.

Workday duration will be approximately 24 hours (including transits).

The chartered vessel will have to stay in constant communication with the hydroacoustic vessel and will have to follow the instructions of the mission head (scientist).

The fishing vessel will have to survey all strata (divisions of the study area) in search of aggregations of fish, unless the scientist on board the acoustic vessel mentions it). When aggregations of herring are observed, the fisherman will have to attempt to capture samples if conditions are favorable. The fishing crew will be required to assist the DFO personnel to enumerate intact fish, put them in boxes and freeze them on board the fishing vessel. At the end of the mission, the contractor will be responsible for sending the frozen samples to the Project Authority at the Maurice Lamontagne Institute (MLI), either by the Bella Desgagnés or by a specialized delivery service. The samples will have to arrive frozen at MLI.

Fishing will be carried out using a purse seine, or a pelagic or semi-pelagic trawl with the adequate mesh size for catching herring.

The contract will be awarded including the fishing crew, the vessel and the necessary equipment (fishing gear, repair kits, maps for navigation, a chest (horizontal) freezer with a capacity greater than 20 cubic feet, etc.). Boxes for fish samples will be provided by DFO.

The contractor will be responsible for managing its fuel and food reserves, and other needs. However, the chartered fishing vessel will return to a wharf after each day of work.

The contractor could occasionally have to host a DFO science staff on board, provide meals, a cabin (or bed), etc.

The chartered vessel and fishing gear required for the project will have to be ready and previously tested before contract award, to be operational by that date.