Research Document 2021/011
Summary of the 2019 snow crab bottom trawl survey activities in the southern Gulf of St. Lawrence
By Allain, R., Surette, T., Landry, J.-F., Boudreau, S., Hébert, M., and Moriyasu, M.
Abstract
The present document summarizes the details of the 2019 snow crab bottom trawl survey conducted in the southern Gulf of St. Lawrence. Details of survey protocols and activities, tow characteristics and information on snow crab catches and by-catch species are included. The primary objective of these surveys is to provide data on abundance and distribution of snow crab and other by-catch species. This report accompanies the in-depth analysis of the survey data presented in the stock assessment document. The 2019 survey was conducted from July to September using a chartered commercial fishing vessel, the FV Avalon Voyager II. A total of 355 grids were visited and 352 grids were successfully sampled in 2019. Additionally, in 2019, a side-by-side comparative survey was performed at the final 40 stations using the current FV Avalon Voyager II and previous FV Jean Mathieu survey vessels. The total duration of the 2019 survey was 76 days with 46 days at sea. Total number of adult male crab catches increased from 5,439 in 2018 to 6,416 in 2019 whereas catches of commercial-male crabs slightly decreased from 2,441 to 2,419. For adult females, the total number of crabs increased from 8,802 in 2018 to 12,305 in 2019. Recorded by-catch during the 2019 survey consisted of 84 species/groups that comprised of 53 fish and 31 invertebrates. Observed increases in overall catches may be due in part to an unaccounted prolongation of the tow distance that was more pronounced in 2019 compared to previous years.
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