Science Advisory Report 2009/015
Cod on the southern scotian shelf
and in the Bay of Fundy (Div. 4X/5Y)
Summary
- The TAC was reduced to 5000 t in 2006. Landings have remained near 3,900 t and below the TAC since 2005.
- Biomass indices from surveys have remained low since 2000 when a rebuilding strategy was initiated.
- There is no indication of a decline in either total mortality or relative fishing mortality since 2000.
- A population model was used to provide estimates of abundance, fishing mortality and natural mortality for 4X cod.
- Mortality for causes other than reported landings, including natural mortality, for cod of ages 4 and older increased in 1996 and is currently 0.7 (46%).The high mortality greatly restricts productivity.
- A fishing mortality of 0.2 was adopted as a target for this stock during the 1980s. Fishing mortality has been above this level since 1980, and is currently 0.35.
- Spawning stock biomass (SSB) at the beginning of 2008 is 9,000 t; this is the lowest level in the time-series, which started in 1948.
- Recruitment for the 2006 and 2007 yearclasses are below average, but about twice the abundance of the very low 2003 and 2004 yearclasses.
- A SSB limit reference point (LRP) of 25,000 t has been adopted, because below this value the likelihood of poor recruitment increases.
- Projections indicate that at removals of 1,450 t in 2009 (management target of F = 0.2) some growth in SSB is expected; however, SSB is unlikely to reach the LRP of 25,000 t in 2010 even with no harvest.
- To be compliant with the principles of the precautionary approach, removals of cod from all fisheries should be reduced to the lowest possible level. This would imply substantial reductions in TAC below current catch levels, and additional measures to reduce cod catch in the mixed-species groundfish fisheries and cod by-catch in other fisheries.
Accessibility Notice
This document is available in PDF format. If the document is not accessible to you, please contact the Secretariat to obtain another appropriate format, such as regular print, large print, Braille or audio version.
- Date modified: