Science Advisory Report  2011/038

Assessment of the Estuary and Northern Gulf of St. Lawrence (Areas 13 to 17, 12A, 12B, 12C and 16A) Snow crab stocks in 2010

Summary

• In 2010, all stocks in the Estuary and northern Gulf of St. Lawrence had a low or decreasing residual biomass. Strong reliance on recruitment in order to maintain the commercial biomass was observed in most stocks.
• In areas 17 and 12A, the TAC reduction from 2006 to 2008 helped stabilize and then generate a small commercial biomass recovery. In areas 16 and 14, lower catch rates during the commercial fishery and in the post-season survey, suggest a decrease in commercial biomass. In Area 15, the commercial biomass remained relatively high according to the 2010 fishing results, but could drop in 2011 according to the post-season survey. In areas 12C and 16A, the reduction of residual biomass, leading to increased reliance of the fishery on recruitment, indicates that yields should not be increased in order to help maintain the commercial biomass. In Area 13, the commercial fishery catch rate, which was near the 1998-2009 average, and the predominance of intermediate-shell crab in the landings, suggests that the fishing mortality rate was not too high.
• Advices encourage the maintenance of an adequate reproductive biomass for males so as to not adversely affect the recovery or maintenance of the population in a given area. Recommendations assume that the natural mortality rate will not differ in 2011 compared with previous years.

Recommendations:

• In Area 17, a 10% TAC increase in 2011 compared to 2010 would likely not reduce commercial biomass indices if recruitment is equal or higher in 2011 than the 2009 and 2010 values.
• In Area 16, a 15-25% TAC decrease in 2011 compared to 2010 could halt the decreasing commercial biomass in 2011 and reduce the fishery’s reliance on recruitment.
• In Area 15, the status quo or a 10% TAC decrease in 2011 compared to 2010, should help maintain the commercial biomass if older crabs are targeted and the eastern part of the area is exploited.
• In Area 14, a 20% TAC decrease in 2011 compared to 2010, could help stabilize the commercial biomass.
• In Area 12A, a 20% TAC increase in 2011 compared to 2010, would not likely jeopardize the observed recovery.
• In Area 12B, a 10% TAC increase in 2011 compared to 2010, would not likely produce a decline in the resource.
• In areas 12C and 16A, maintaining the 2010 TAC in 2011 should help sustain the commercial biomass at an acceptable level.
• In Area 13, the available information does not provide any reason for changing the pre-established management plan for the 2011 fishing season.

This Science Advisory Report is from the Fisheries and Oceans Canada, Canadian Science Advisory Secretariat, regional advisory meeting of February 7-9, 2011 on Assessment of the Estuary and Northern Gulf of St. Lawrence Snow Crab Stocks.  Additional publications from this process will be posted as they become available on the DFO Science Advisory Schedule

Complete document (PDF, 250 KB)

Accessibility Notice

This document is available in PDF format. If the document is not accessible to you, please contact the Secretariat to obtain another appropriate format, such as regular print, large print, Braille or audio version.