Research Document 2018/046
The 2017 assessment of the snow crab (Chionoecetes opilio) stock in the southern Gulf of St. Lawrence (Areas 12, 19, 12E and 12F)
By Hébert, M., Surette, T., Wade, E., Landry, J.-F., and Moriyasu, M.
Abstract
The 2017 assessment of the southern Gulf of St. Lawrence (sGSL) snow crab, Chionoecetes opilio, stock (Areas 12, 19, 12E and 12F) is presented. Snow crab in the southern Gulf of St. Lawrence is considered as a single stock unit for assessment purposes. The 2017 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 2017 fishery in the sGSL was 44%. The 2017 post-fishery survey biomass of commercial-sized adult male crabs was estimated at 66,021 t (95% confidence intervals 57,456 to 75,495 t), a decrease of 33.4% from 2016. The available biomass for the 2018 fishery, derived from the 2017 survey, is within the healthy zone of the PA Framework. The residual biomass from the 2017 survey was estimated at 14,759 t, a decrease of 40.7% compared to the 2016 estimate. Seventy-eight percent (78%) of the 2017 survey biomass, available for the 2018 fishery, is composed of new recruitment (51,262 t). The recruitment to the commercial biomass from the 2017 survey decreased by 31.0% compared to 2016. The predicted recruitment of commercial-sized adult male crab for the 2019 fishery was estimated at 47,700 t (33,800 to 64,880 t). A risk analysis of catch options for the 2018 fishery is provided.
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