Email sent but not hopeful for a intelligent response. I didn't realize the the Gulf herring are sort of there own identity in that they stay in the Gulf and reproduce here. Apparently there was a study done and that was the case.
To the contrary, DFO claims there are very few resident herring left in the Strait. Virtually all of the herring harvested migrate in from the outside to spawn. There has not been a commercial harvest on the outside for a few years. The only exception is a small First Nations spawn on kelp harvest. Regardless of where they come from, they spawn on the inside and the small herring hang around and provide a vital part of the food chain. I'm sure many people within DFO would agree they can't pass the red face test on this one.