Terms of Reference

Stock assessment of Amercian Plaice (Hippoglossoides platessoides) of the southern Gulf of St. Lawrence (NAFO Div. 4T)

Regional Peer Review – Gulf Region

March 1 and 2, 2016
Moncton, NB

Chairperson: Gérald Chaput

Context

The last full assessment of the American Plaice (Hippoglossoides platessoides) stock in the southern Gulf of St. Lawrence (NAFO Div. 4T) was completed in February 2012 as part of a Recovery Potential Assessment and the establishment of the Limit Reference Point (LRP) for this stock (DFO 2011; DFO 2012; Morin and LeBlanc 2012; Morin et al. 2013). That review, using data to 2011, concluded that the 4T stock of American Plaice was at an all-time low level of abundance and had been below the LRP since 1997 (except in 2004). The indicators of abundance were updated in 2013 and 2014 (DFO 2014; DFO 2015). The research vessel and sentinel fishery biomass indices for commercial sizes of American plaice in recent years indicate that there has been no improvement in biomass for this stock since the last assessment and the indices indicate that commercial biomass remains at record low levels (DFO 2015). There is an annual total allowable catch (TAC) of 250 t for the fishery on this species.

In support of DFO Ecosystems and Fisheries Management multi-year management approach and request for advice for a TAC decision for May 2016 to May 2021 for the southern Gulf of St. Lawrence American Plaice, DFO Science Branch Gulf Region will undertake a peer review of the stock status of American Plaice and develop management advice for the fishery on this stock.

Objectives

To develop science advice in support of the multi-year TAC decision (May 2016 to May 2021) for American Plaice (NAFO Div. 4T) the following items will be considered.

Amounts, age, and size structure of the catch of American Plaice from the southern Gulf of St. Lawrence fisheries to 2015.
Indices of abundance of American Plaice from the research vessel and sentinel fishery surveys.
Best estimates from a population model of the spawning stock biomass, recruitment, recruitment rates, and mortality rates (fishing, natural) to 2015.
Definition of reference points for the American Plaice stock of the southern Gulf of St. Lawrence.
Status of the stock relative to defined biological reference points.
Population trajectories under current productivity (growth, recruitment, natural mortality) rates and assuming an annual total allowable catch of American Plaice of 100 t or 250 t, and probabilities of the spawning stock biomass being in the critical zone, the cautious zone, or the healthy zone of the Precautionary Approach framework for 2016 to 2021.
Identify indicators which would be used to characterize stock status in the intervening years of the five-year assessment and management cycle and the changes in the indicators or in the characteristics of the fisheries that catch American Plaice incidentally which would trigger a re-assessment earlier than the scheduled five-year assessment cycle.
Identification of uncertainties and knowledge gaps.

Expected Publications

CSAS Science Advisory Report
CSAS Proceedings
CSAS Research Document

Participation

Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO) (Ecosystems and Oceans Science, and Ecosystems and Fisheries Management)
Fishing industry
Aboriginal organizations
Provinces
External experts