Research Document - 2016/087
The 2015 assessment of the snow crab (Chionoecetes opilio) stock in the southern Gulf of St. Lawrence (Areas 12, 19, 12E and 12F)
By Hébert, M., Wade, E., DeGrâce, P., and Moriyasu, M.
Abstract
The 2015 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 2015 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 2015 fishery in the sGSL was 38.4%. The 2015 post-fishery survey biomass of commercial-sized adult male crabs was estimated at 58,808 t (95% confidence intervals 52,754 to 65,466 t), a decrease of 12.9% from 2014. The available biomass for the 2016 fishery, derived from the 2015 survey, is within the healthy zone of the Precautionary Approach Framework. The residual biomass (24,022 t) from the 2015 survey remained at the same level as 2014. Fifty-nine percent (59%) of the 2015 survey biomass, available for the 2016 fishery, is composed of new recruitment (34,929 t). The recruitment to the commercial biomass from the 2015 survey decreased by 19.9% compared to 2014. The predicted recruitment of commercial-sized adult male crab for the 2017 fishery was estimated at 50,000 t (36,400 to 66,900 t). A risk analysis of catch options for the 2016 fishery is provided.
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