Research Document 1998/78
Assessment of 4VsW cod in 1997 incorporating additional sources of mortality
By R. K. Mohn and L.P. Fanning
Abstract
The most recent stock assessment of 4VsW (Fanning et al. 1996) was completed in early 1996 and considered data up to the end of 1995. Thus this assessment will include new data for two complete calendar years, 1996 and 1997.
Comprising the south eastern portion of the Scotian Shelf, 4VsW has traditionally been fished for cod by large offshore trawlers with smaller vessels taking less than 25% of the total catch. Catches during the period 1958 to 1992 ranged from 10,000 to 80,000 metric tonnes annually, averageing 49,600. Due to the very low status of the stock the directed fishery for 4VsW cod was closed in September 1993 and has remained so since that time.
This assessment differs from previous assessments in that it contains explicit seal predation as well as an increase in natural mortality in 1985. However, an appendix has been added with the traditional natural mortaltiy assumptions to aid in linking with previous reports.
The short-term prospects for this fishery remain dismal. The productivity of the stock is very low, there are several factors causing increased mortality overall in addition to seal predation on the younger age groups. Although many scenarios were considered, producing a variety of results, there is little uncertainty about the status of the spawning stock biomass. The estimates of spawning stock biomass for recent years are very low in all cases.
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