Research Document - 2010/099

Reference points and harvest strategy framework for the Atlantic herring (Clupea harengus harengus) fishery of the west coast of Newfoundland (NAFO Division 4R)

By F. Grégoire and I.H. McQuinn

Abstract

In compliance with the Precautionary Approach, limit reference points (LRP) and upper reference points (URP) have been established for the two herring (Clupea harengus harengus) spawning stocks of the west coast of Newfoundland (NAFO Division 4R). The application of a harvest strategy framework for a fishery also requires calculating limit exploitation rates. The objective of this study was to calculate the exploitation rates of the two herring spawning stocks off the west coast of Newfoundland from the results of the most recent analytical assessments. For the spring spawning stock, F_med (0.03) and F_0.1 (0.16) were proposed as limit exploitation rates, and F_high (0.19) and F_0.1 (0.22) for the fall spawning stock. The harvest strategy frameworks established for these two stocks are characterized by a narrow cautious zone. To increase the biomass range of this zone, it was suggested that the upper reference points should be higher than their current values. Thus, corrective management measures could be applied more rapidly in order to reduce the risks that these stocks end up in the critical zone of their harvest strategy frameworks. The two harvest strategy frameworks defined in this study could be updated following the return of the acoustic survey and analytical assessments.

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