Science Advisory Report 2021/027

Assessment of the Estuary and Gulf of St. Lawrence (Divisions 4RST) Capelin Stock in 2020

Summary

• Since 2000, average annual capelin landings in NAFO Divisions 4RST were 7 973 t. In 2018, 2019 and 2020, landings were 8 503, 8 487 and 9 848 t respectively (last two years are preliminary), principally from the 4R seine fishery (93% of total landings).
• The Division 4R seiner performance index increased from 2004 to 2010, and subsequently varied, above the time series average.
• Length frequencies from the bottom trawl surveys indicate regional differences in size structure. Compared to length frequencies from the commercial fishery targeting spawning fish, the surveys capture smaller sized capelin on average. Based on known life history characteristics and inferred low fishing mortality in the Gulf of St. Lawrence (GSL), a large proportion of the capelin targeted by the commercial fishery is likely not available to the surveys because of mortality due to post spawning senescence.
• The survey index in the northern GSL was elevated and somewhat increasing over the 1990s, declining to lows during the first half of the 2000s, before increasing gradually to a peak in 2011 and subsequently declining to relatively low levels. In the southern GSL, the index was low in the in the 1990s and 2000s, rising rapidly to series highs in the 2010s and declining to around average levels since.
• Variations in capelin abundance indices derived from bottom trawl surveys were associated with environmentally-driven variations in capelin condition during the previous two years, consistent with proposed bottom-up regulation of capelin survival and cohort strength.
• Simulations performed using a newly developed Qualitative Network Model suggest that recent ecosystem conditions are generally favourable to capelin productivity.
• Plausible inferred fishery exploitation rate levels were at least one order of magnitude smaller than natural mortality (M) calculated based on life history traits. At the stock level, current fishing mortality for 4RST capelin is therefore unlikely to be deleteriously affecting the population.

This Science Advisory Report is from the March 18-19, 2021 Regional Advisory Meeting on the Assessment of capelin in the Estuary and Gulf of St. Lawrence (NAFO 4RST) in 2020. Additional publications from this meeting will be posted on the Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO) Science Advisory Schedule as they become available.

Science Advisory Report 2021/027 (PDF, 1,396 KB)

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