Terms of Reference

Stock Framework for American Lobster in Lobster Fishing Areas (LFAs) 27-33

Regional Peer Review – Maritimes Region

January 23-24, 2018
Dartmouth, NS

Chairperson: TBD

Context

American Lobster (Homarus americanus) is found in coastal waters from Maryland to southern Labrador, with the major fisheries concentrated around Gulf of Maine and the Gulf of St. Lawrence areas. Though lobster is most common in coastal waters, they are also found in deeper, warm water areas of the Gulf of Maine and along the outer edge of the continental shelf from North Carolina to Sable Island.

Lobster in Lobster Fishing Areas (LFAs) 27-33 is assessed on a multi-year assessment schedule, with stock status update reports conducted in the interim years. The last stock framework review was conducted in February 2011 and stock assessment was conducted in July 2011 (DFO 2011; Tremblay et al. 2011). The 2011 assessment identified three stock units: LFA 27, LFAs 28-32, and LFA 33 and tabled abundance, recruitment, and fishing pressure indicators.  The last stock status update was completed in February 2017 (DFO 2017). This stock framework will revisit the indicators previously identified and propose new stock assessment indicators, as necessary.

Objective

The objectives of this regional peer review are:

• Describe the basis of the management units in context of stock structure.
• Identify strengths and weaknesses of data sources for providing indicators of size structure, recruitment, effort, exploitation and abundance.
• Explore new primary and contextual indicators of stock and ecosystem status
• Identify the suite of primary and contextual indicators to be used in assessments and stock status updates. 
• Update existing reference points and develop new reference points for primary indicators, as necessary
• Describe the biological impacts of a suite of potential harvest control rules in the lobster fishery.
• Review relevant biological and ecological information (e.g., life history, fishery footprint, environmental data).
• Describe the methodologies for estimating bycatch of non-target species in the LFA 27-33 fishery.
• Develop the assessment schedule, including guidelines for the monitoring of indicators and other events that would trigger an earlier than scheduled assessment.

Expected Publications

• Proceedings
• Research Document(s)

Expected Participation

• DFO Science
• DFO Fisheries and Aquaculture Management
• Aboriginal communities / organizations
• Provincial governments (NS)
• Industry Representatives
• Environmental Non-Government Organizations
• Academics

References

DFO. 2014. Assessment of Lobster (Homarus americanus) in Lobster Fishing Area 41 (4X + 5Zc). DFO Can. Sci. Advis. Sec. Sci. Advis. Rep. 2014/034 (Revised).

DFO. 2016. Lobster (Homarus americanus) in Lobster Fishing Area 41 (4X + 5Z): 2015 Stock Status Update. DFO Can. Sci. Advis. Sec. Sci. Resp. 2016/004.

Pezzack, D.S., C. Denton, M. Cassista-Da Ros, and M.J. Tremblay. 2015. Assessment of the Canadian LFA 41 Offshore Lobster (Homarus americanus) Fishery (NAFO Divisions 4X 5Zc). DFO Can. Sci. Advis. Sec. Res. Doc. 2015/066. v + 79 p.