Research Document - 2015/083

The 2014 assessment of the snow crab (Chionoecetes opilio) stock in the southern Gulf of St. Lawrence (Areas 12, 19, 12E and 12F)

By M. Hébert, E. Wade, P. DeGrâce, and M. Moriyasu

Abstract

The 2014 assessment of the southern Gulf of St. Lawrence (sGSL) snow crab, Chionoecetes opilio, stock (Areas 12, 19, 12E and 12F) is presented. Snow crab management Areas 12, 19 12E and 12F comprise a single biological population and the sGSL stock is considered as one unit for assessment purposes. The 2014 assessment was conducted as per the recommendations of the Snow Crab Assessment Methods Framework Science Review held in November 2011. The exploitation rate of the 2014 fishery in the sGSL was 37.1%. The 2014 post-fishery survey biomass of commercial-sized adult male crabs was estimated at 67,354 t (95% confidence intervals 60,994 to 74,579 t), an increase of 2.5% from 2013. The available biomass for the 2015 fishery, derived from the 2014 survey, is within the healthy zone of the PA Framework. The residual biomass (23,897 t) from the 2014 survey decreased by 11.1% compared to 2013. Sixty-five percent (65%) of the 2014 survey biomass, available for the 2015 fishery, is composed of new recruitment (43,630 t). The recruitment to the commercial biomass from the 2014 survey increased by 11.9% relative to the previous year. The predicted recruitment of commercial-sized adult male crab for the 2016 fishery was estimated at 42,300 t (32,760 to 51,840 t). A risk analysis of catch options for the 2015 fishery is provided.

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