Terms of Reference

Update on status of Striped Bass from the Southern Gulf of St. Lawrence to 2013

Gulf Region Science Response Process

February 3, 2014
Moncton, New Brunswick

Chairperson: Gérald Chaput (DFO Gulf Region)

Context

Striped Bass abundance has increased in the southern Gulf of St. Lawrence to a level where recreational fisheries were re-instated in 2013. The status of Striped Bass from the southern Gulf of St. Lawrence was updated to the 2012 spawning year (DFO 2013). DFO Fisheries and Aquaculture Management Branch has requested an update on the status of Striped Bass in the southern Gulf to 2013 and a compilation of the estimates of the total effort, total catch, and total retained Striped Bass in the recreational fisheries of 2013. The catch and effort data were collected using creel surveys conducted by Conservation and Protection officers during the May and August 2013 retention periods.

Objectives

The meeting has the following objectives:

• Provide best estimates of the abundance of spawners on the spawning grounds of the Miramichi River and relative to the recovery objectives defined in the Recovery Potential Assessment (DFO 2006) to 2013.
• Describe the characteristics of the spawning stock from the Miramichi including size and age distributions by sex, length to weight relationships, and length conversion factors.
• Update the indicators of abundance and the size structure of Striped Bass from the DFO index trapnets in the Miramichi.
• Provide estimates of angling effort, angling catch, and retained Striped Bass in the angling fisheries during the two retention periods in 2013.
• Recommend modifications to the creel survey methods to improve the completeness and accuracy of the angling data.
• Summarize the data and knowledge gaps.

Expected Publication

• Science Response

Participation

• Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO) (Science Branch, Fisheries and Aquaculture Management Branch)

References

DFO. 2006. Recovery assessment report for the St. Lawrence estuary, southern Gulf of St. Lawrence and Bay of Fundy striped bass (Morone saxatilis) populations. DFO Can. Sci. Advis. Sec. Sci. Advis. Rep. 2006/053: 21 p.

DFO. 2013. Update to 2012 on spawner abundance and biological characteristics for striped bass (Morone saxatilis) in the southern Gulf of St. Lawrence. DFO Can. Sci. Advis. Sec. Sci. Resp. 2013/010.