Terms of Reference
Stock Status Updates of Groundfish Stocks in the Maritimes Region
Regional Science Response Process – Maritimes Region
December 4-5, 2017
Dartmouth, Nova Scotia
Chairpersons: Tana Worcester and Kirsten Clark
Context
In the Maritimes Region, Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO) Fisheries and Aquaculture Branch request an annual assessment of resource status for a variety of groundfish species. DFO conducts full peer-reviewed stock assessments for a number of groundfish stocks on a multi-year assessment schedule; however, in the interim-years, monitoring continues with Science providing annual updates on the status of these stocks. In addition, DFO has conducted an annual Summer Research Vessel (RV) Survey in the Northwest Atlantic Fisheries Organization divisions 4VWX and a small portion of 5Y since 1970. Results of these updates and the annual RV Survey are used for discussion with various industry stakeholders on recommendations for management measures, with the results of the RV Survey used to determine which stocks should be reviewed in more detail.
Objective
The objective of this Regional Science Response process is to review and evaluate biological and fishery information as well as provide updated advice on the status of the following stocks: Silver Hake, Atlantic Halibut, Cusk, Haddock, Cod, Pollock, and the RV Survey Trends. The objectives of each review are provided below.
4VWX Silver Hake
Review and evaluate biological and fishery information on 4VWX Silver Hake. Specifically, provide the following information and highlight any trends:- Fishery landings from previous years;
- Research Vessel (RV) survey biomass and length composition;
- Recruitment index (age 1 from the RV survey); and
- Description of biomass and exploitation in relation to adopted reference points.
3NOPs4VWX+5 Atlantic Halibut
- Review of biological and fishery information on 3NOPs4VWX5 Atlantic Halibut stock. In particular, update the landings, the Research Vessel (RV) survey index of abundance, the halibut survey index of exploitable biomass to include 2017, and the trend in fishing mortality (F) estimated from traditional tagging; and,
- Provide 2018 catch advice based on the Atlantic Halibut survey index of exploitable biomass and the F=0.14 harvest strategy with a cap in the change of total allowable catch of 15%.
4VWX5 Cusk
- Provide the three-year geometric mean of the Cusk catch per unit effort from the DFO-Industry longline survey relative to the Upper Stock Reference (26.6 kg/1000 hooks) and the Limit Reference Point (13.3 kg/1000 hooks); and
- Provide updated landings information, as available; and
- If applicable, provide advice on a revised index of abundance for Cusk, based on changes to the DFO-Industry longline survey.
4X5Y Haddock
- Provide the most recent survey and fishery information, including the fishery catch-at-age and weight-at-age, if available; and,
- Compare these results to 2016 projections, including proportion of strong year classes, weight-at-age, and biomass changes, and determine whether the catch advice from the projections is still valid; and,
- Include a table of indicators that provide support for either 1) maintaining existing catch advice, or 2) reducing catch advice.
4X5Y Cod
- Review and evaluate biological and fishery information, specifically provide the following information and highlight any trends in:
- fishery landings from previous years;
- RV length composition and survey biomass;
- age-structured indices of abundance; and
- total mortality (Z) and relative fishing mortality (F).
Western Component Pollock
- Provide the 2017/18 Western Component Pollock catch level generated by the Harvest Control Rule described in the 2011 Science Advisory Report DFO 2011/054.
- Update other indices of abundance for the WC Pollock stock, specifically US surveys and Canadian summer survey sets on Georges Bank.
4VWX and 5Y Research Vessel Survey Trends
- Review and evaluate information obtained from the DFO Research Vessel (RV) Survey on the Scotian Shelf and in the Bay of Fundy. Specifically, update the RV survey trends document to include
- Survey data for 2016;
- Provide information on distribution, biomass estimates and length composition, highlighting any trends over the long-term (duration of the RV survey), mid-term (past 15 years) and most recent period (5 years);
- A table reporting the biomass estimate for each stock for 2015, 2016 and 2017, as well as the averages; and,
- The following indices 1) the five-year geometric mean of the 22 cm+ Unit 3 Redfish; 2) the three-year geometric mean of the 42 cm+ 4X5 White Hake; and 3) total biomass of 4VW White Hake.
Expected Publications
- Science Response(s)
Expected Participation
- DFO Science, Maritimes
- DFO Resource Management, Maritimes
Notice
Participation to CSAS peer review meetings is by invitation only.
- Date modified: