Research Document 2018/045

Review of the 2017 snow crab (Chionoecetes opilio) fishery in the southern Gulf of St. Lawrence (Areas 12, 19, 12E and 12F)

By Hébert, M., Surette, T., Landry, J.-F., and Moriyasu, M.

Abstract

The review of the 2017 snow crab (Chionoecetes opilio) fishery in the southern Gulf of St. Lawrence (Areas 12, 19, 12E and 12F) is presented. Total landings in the sGSL in 2017 were 43,656 t out of a revised quota of 43,475 t. The allowable quota in the notice to harvesters was 43,822 t. In Area 12, landings were 39,825 t (revised quota of 39,651 t). The mean catch-per-unit-of-effort (CPUE) from logbooks increased in 2017 (72.0 kg per trap hauled (kg/th)) compared to 2016 (64.0 kg/th). The mean size of commercial-sized adult males decreased from 111.9 mm of carapace width (CW) in 2016 to 109.8 mm CW in 2017. The incidence of soft-shelled crab remained low at 6.0%. In Area 19, landings reached 2,944 t (revised quota of 2,945 t). The mean CPUE remained high in 2017 at 142.8 kg/th and is comparable to 2016 (142.5 kg/th). The mean size of commercial-sized crabs remained high in 2017 (113.7 mm CW). The incidence of white crabs increased from 8.2% in 2016 to 11.6% in 2017. In Areas 12E and 12F, landings were 203 t (revised quota of 199 t) and 684 t (revised quota of 680 t), respectively. In Area 12E, the mean CPUE increased in 2017 (60.9 kg/th) compared to 2016 (51.5 kg/th). The incidence of soft-shelled crab remained low at 2.0% in 2017. In Area 12F, the mean CPUE increased from 43.9 kg/th in 2016 to 72.6 kg/th in 2017. The incidence of soft-shelled crabs decreased from 10.4% in 2016 to 1.9% in 2017.

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