Science Advisory Report 2019/011

Assessment of Northern Shrimp, Pandalus borealis, and Striped Shrimp, Pandalus montagui, in the Eastern and Western Assessment Zones, February 2019

Summary

• The assessment includes 2018 survey biomass indices, fishery data, and fishery exploitation rate indices for Northern Shrimp (Pandalus borealis) and Striped Shrimp (Pandalus montagui) from the Eastern and Western Assessment Zones (EAZ and WAZ).

Eastern Assessment Zone Pandalus borealis

• Total catch varied without trend around 6,000 t from 1997 through 2018/19.
• The fishable biomass index was below the long-term mean (62,412 ±13,735 t) in both 2017 and 2018. It increased by 19.6% (from 39,198 t in 2017), to 46,900 t in 2018.
• The female spawning stock biomass (SSB) index was below the long-term mean (38,592 ±9,688 t) in both 2017 and 2018. It increased by 32.4% (from 24,800 t in 2017), to 32,842 t in 2018.
• The reported exploitation rate index has varied without trend since 2007/08 and in 2018/19 was slightly above the long-term mean of 10.4 ±2.7% with 64% of the TAC taken. Based on the 2018/19 TAC of 7,840 t, the potential exploitation rate index was 16.7%.
• The resource is currently in the Healthy Zone within the Integrated Fisheries Management Plan Precautionary Approach (IFMP PA) framework.

Eastern Assessment Zone Pandalus montagui

• Total catch in 2018/19 was 150 t, 18% of the 840 t TAC.
• The fishable biomass index was above the long-term mean (13,952 ±6,677 t). It decreased by 16.3% (from 24,957 t in 2017) to 20,895 t in 2018.
• The female spawning stock biomass (SSB) index was above the long-term mean (9,787 ±6,062 t). It decreased by 16.5% (from 16,537 t in 2017) to 13,806 t in 2018.
• The reported exploitation rate index for 2018/19 was 0.7% with 18% of the TAC taken. Based on the 2018/19 TAC of 840 t, the potential exploitation rate index was 4.0%. Over the last three years, the resource remained in the healthy zone. Previously the resource has shown wide fluctuations year to year in the female SSB index. As a result, caution is advised when setting the TAC.

Western Assessment Zone Pandalus borealis

• Total catch was 1,307 t in 2018/19, which is 63% of the 2,080 t TAC.
• The fishable biomass index increased in 2018 to the level above the long-term mean (18,462 ±6,476 t). It increased by 101.0% (from 10,487 t in 2017) to 21,088 t in 2018.
• The female SSB index increased in 2018 to the level above the long-term mean (10,063 ±3,484 t). It increased by 147% (from 5,216 t in 2017) to 12,884 t in 2018.
• The reported exploitation rate index for 2018/19 was 6.2% with 63% of the TAC taken. Based on the 2018/19 TAC of 2,080 t, the potential exploitation rate index was 9.9%.
• The resource is currently not assessed with a PA framework.

Western Assessment Zone Pandalus montagui

• Total catch was 5,530 t in 2018/19, which is 90% of the 6,138 t TAC.
• The fishable biomass index was above the long-term mean (52,228 ±18,493 t). It increased by 77.7% (from 44,915 t) to 79,835 t in 2018.
• The SSB index was above the long-term mean (28,799 ±9,980 t). It increased by 57.8% (from 30,305 t in 2017) to 47,834 t in 2018.
• The reported exploitation rate index for 2018/19 was 6.9% with 90% of the TAC taken. Based on the 2018/19 TAC of 6,138 t, the potential exploitation rate index was 7.7%.
• The resource is currently not assessed with a PA framework.

This Science Advisory Report is from the February 12-14, 2019 Northern and Striped Shrimp Assessment. Additional publications from this meeting will be posted on the Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO) Science Advisory Schedule as they become available.

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