Research Document 2020/024
Assessment of Haddock (Melanogrammus aeglefinus) in NAFO subdivision 3Ps
By Wheeland, L., Rogers, B., and Rideout, R.
Abstract
Information available to evaluate stock status of Haddock (Melanogrammus aeglefinus) in NAFO Subdivision 3Ps consisted of commercial landings data (1953-2017) and information from Canadian spring RV trawl surveys (1972-2018). The commercial fishery on this stock has historically harvested a few large year classes, with landings peaking in the early 1950s, reaching a high of 58,000 t, largely due to the exceptional 1949 year class. A smaller peak occurred in the mid-1980s driven by the 1982 year class. A moratorium on directed fishing for this stock has been in place since 1993. Landings from bycatch averaged 332 t over (2013-17). Survey indices of biomass and abundance have been at or below the series average for the last four years (2015-18). Spawning stock biomass (SSB) has been variable through the Campelen series, with peaks in 1998, 2004 and 2013-14. Recruitment is sporadic in this stock, with few large recruitment events observed, defined here as recruitment (<20cm TL) anomalies amongst the 90th percentile. No incoming recruits were caught in the RV survey in 2017 or 2018. A Limit Reference Point was defined for this stock based on the highest SSB index to yield a large recruitment event. The stock is currently below the LRP, in the critical zone.
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