Proceedings 2016/002

Proceedings of the Regional Assessment of an Eastern Scotian Shelf Shrimp (Pandalus borealis) Framework; April 14-15, 2015

Chairperson: Thomas Wheaton
Editor: Kristian Curran

Summary

The northern or pink shrimp, Pandalus borealis, is the only shrimp species of commercial importance in the Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO) Maritimes Region. The fishery consists of 28 DFO Maritimes Region-based licences (fished by 9 vessels in 2014), mostly <65’ length overall (LOA) and 14 DFO Gulf Region-based licences (fished by 5 vessels in 2014), 65-100’ LOA. All mobile licenses have been under Individual Transferable Quotas (aITQs) since 1998. A competitive trap fishery with 14 licenses (7 active in 2014) is largely restricted to Chedabucto Bay. The status of Eastern Scotian Shelf shrimp was last fully assessed by DFO Science on November 27, 2014 (DFO 2015). As part of the Regional Science Advisory Process, a northern shrimp of the Eastern Scotian Shelf framework assessment science advisory meeting was held April 14-15, 2015, at the Bedford Institute of Oceanography, Dartmouth, Nova Scotia. A working paper was provided to meeting participants on April 7, 2015, ahead of the meeting. Overall conclusions of the meeting were:

1. the Traffic Light Approach should continue to be pursued and refined where possible (e.g. add a trap catch index);
2. a Bayesian Model analytical approach yielded inconclusive results, as dynamics of this stock are driven by extrinsic factors (i.e., environmental) rather than by fishing mortality;
3. the current assessment approach does not support a direct linkage with Harvest Control Rules (HCR) and therefore HCRs should not be pursued at this time; and
4. triggers for a move from an interim update to a full stock assessment (during the interim update years) should be identified using core indices, retrospective analysis, and in comparison with other fisheries.

A Science Advisory Report (SAR) was not a product of the meeting. Participants agreed that provided the working paper incorporated comments made at the meeting, it was acceptable for publication as a Research Document. This Proceeding constitutes a record of the meeting discussion.

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