Research Document - 2008/029

Assessment of the cod (Gadus morhua) stock in NAFO Subdivision 3Ps (November 2007)

By J. Brattey, N.G. Cadigan, B.P. Healey, E.F. Murphy, M.J. Morgan, D. Maddock Parsons, D. Power, K. Dwyer, and J.-C. Mahé

Abstract

This document summarizes scientific information used in the 2007 assessment of the cod stock in NAFO Subdiv. 3Ps off the south coast of Newfoundland.  Principal sources of information available for this assessment were: reported landings from commercial fisheries (1959‑March 2007), oceanographic data, a time series (1973‑2007) of abundance and biomass indices from Canadian winter/spring research vessel (RV) bottom‑trawl surveys, an industry offshore bottom‑trawl survey (1997‑2005), inshore sentinel surveys (1995‑2006), science logbooks from vessels < 35ft (1997‑2006), industry logbooks for larger (> 35ft) vessels (1998‑2006), and tagging studies (1997 onwards). The fishery was still in progress at the time of the assessment and complete information on catch rates and age compositions from the 13,000 t TAC from 1 April 2007 to 31 March 2008 was not available. As in 2006, no model of the dynamics of the entire stock was accepted and the assessment is based primarily on analyses of survey indices and trends in catch. The DFO RV trawl survey indices were revised to include data from inshore strata that have been fished since 1997; the revised indices remain variable with no clear trend in spite of the 12% increase in area surveyed. The industry (GEAC) trawl survey index, which concluded in 2005, was declining. The two inshore (fixed gear) indices from fishing conducted shoreward of the trawl surveys have been stable. New information on recruitment from the DFO RV survey and sentinel linetrawl is consistent with recent assessments (2005, 2006) and indicates that year-classes produced during 2000‑2004 are weaker than those produced in 1997 and 1998. The 1997 and 1998 year‑classes have been well represented in the catch during 2003‑2006; however, these are followed by weaker recruitment (2000‑04 year classes) and at current catch levels it is anticipated that fishing mortality will increase over the next few years.

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