Research Document - 2010/098
Summary of 2009 Herring Acoustic Surveys in NAFO Divisions 4VWX
By M.J. Power, G.D. Melvin, and A. Clay
Abstract
Automated acoustic recording systems deployed on commercial fishing vessels have been used since 1997 to document the distribution and relative abundance of Atlantic herring from industry vessel surveys and fishing excursions in the Bay of Fundy and coastal Nova Scotia area within Northwest Atlantic Fisheries Organization (NAFO) divisions 4VWX. In 2009, regularly scheduled surveys at approximately 14 day intervals were again conducted on the main spawning components, and the spawning stock biomass for each component was estimated by summing these results. Five structured surveys were conducted in Scots Bay, two on Trinity Ledge, and seven on German Bank, with most following the established protocol. In most cases, these surveys provided good coverage of the spawning areas consistent with established protocols. Additional data from fishing nights in various areas were also examined but were not applied to the overall spawning stock biomass (SSB).
In 2009, biomass estimates increased for all survey areas in Scots Bay, Trinity Ledge and German Bank to 377,000t from 221,400t in 2008. The 2009 estimate for the overall area is about the same as that recorded in 2007 and remains below the long term average.
Biomass estimates from surveys of the coastal Nova Scotia spawning components for the Little Hope/Port Mouton, Halifax/Eastern Shore and Glace Bay areas were also examined. Four surveys were completed for Little Hope, five surveys for Halifax and three for the Glace Bay area. There were substantial increases in SSB recorded for Little Hope and Halifax areas while Glace Bay showed very little fish in the surveys completed.
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