Terms of Reference

Stock Assessment of Northern Shrimp (Pandalus borealis) and Striped Shrimp (P. montagui) in the Eastern Assessment Zone and Western Assessment Zone for the 2023-24 fishing season

Regional Peer Review - Ontario and Prairie Region

February 15-16, 2023
Virtual Meeting

Chairperson: Joclyn Paulic

Context

Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO) Fisheries Resource Management requests a biennial stock assessment for Northern Shrimp (Pandalus borealis) and Striped Shrimp (Pandalus montagui) in the Eastern and Western Assessment zones (EAZ/WAZ). While monitoring occurs every year, DFO Science conducts a full stock assessment, which examines available fishery data to evaluate the state of the stock (stock status indicators) and other environmental factors that could affect the stocks (i.e., climate, oceanographic conditions, predator-prey relationships) every 2 years. In the interim-years, DFO Science provides an update on the status of the stocks, which generally serves as a mechanism to consider stock status indicators (i.e., biomass and exploitation rate indices) within the context of the Precautionary Framework. The full stock assessment and the stock status updates are used by DFO Fisheries Management to inform the co-management decision-making process on annual harvest levels for the fisheries. The last stock status update was held in January 2022, and all stocks were determined to be in the Healthy Zone based on preliminary (not yet finalized) Upper Stock Reference points (DFO 2022). DFO Fisheries Management has requested a full stock assessment to inform decision-making for the upcoming 2023/24 fishing season. This stock assessment will report on the catches to the end of the 2022 fishing season and biomass indices from the 2022 survey using the limit reference indicators developed in 2020 (DFO 2020). This science advice will be used by Fisheries Management for future consultations with the Nunavut Wildlife Management Board, Nunavik Marine Region Wildlife Management Board and the Northern Shrimp Advisory Committee (NSAC).

Objectives

The objective of this peer-review meeting is to:

• review and update the stock status indicators (biomass indices, exploitation rate indices) and catches for Northern Shrimp and Striped Shrimp in the EAZ and WAZ within the context of the Precautionary Framework (Limit Reference Points and proposed Upper Stock Reference Points); and,
• review available and relevant summaries of oceanographic conditions, biological community structure and trends, and pertinent knowledge of ecological interactions (e.g., predator/prey interactions) and other stressors (e.g., anthropogenic impacts).

Expected Publications

• Science Advisory Report
• Research Document
• Proceedings

Expected Participation

• Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO), Science and Fisheries Management sectors (Ontario and Prairie Region, Newfoundland and Labrador Region, Arctic Region, and National Capital Region)
• Nunavut Wildlife Management Board (NWMB)
• Nunavik Marine Region Wildlife Board (NMRWB)
• Fishing Industry
• Academics
• Other invited experts

References

• DFO. 2020. Science Advice on Limit Reference Points for Northern Shrimp (Pandalus borealis) and Striped Shrimp (Pandalus montagui) in the Eastern and Western Assessment Zones. DFO Can. Sci. Advis. Sec. Sci. Advis. Rep. 2020/053.
• DFO. 2022. Update of stock status indicators for Northern Shrimp, Pandalus borealis, and Striped Shrimp, Pandalus montagui, in the Western and Eastern Assessment Zones, January 2022. DFO Can. Sci. Advis. Sec. Sci. Resp. 2022/013. (Erratum: February 2022)