Science Advisory Report 2008/043
Assessment of the Estuary and Northern Gulf of St. Lawrence (Areas 13 to 17 and 12A, 12B and 12C) Snow Crab Stocks in 2007
Summary
- The last recruitment wave was fully exploited in certain management areas and is still ongoing in others. Landings are now characterized by the last intermediate-shell crabs from the previous wave and by a significant proportion of recruits (new crabs) whose abundance will be decreasing. Advices for 2008 vary, from increasing the TAC by 10% to significantly lowering it based on whether new crab arrivals have been sufficient or not to maintain the available commercial biomass.
- It is recommended that the moratorium be lifted in Area 13 to allow for a small scale commercial fishery. Advices for 2008 encourage the maintenance of an adequate reproductive biomass for males so as to not adversely affect the recovery of the population in a given area. Recommendations assume that the natural mortality rate will not differ in 2008 compared with previous years.
In Area 17, a 30% drop in the 2007 TAC is recommended for 2008.
In Area 16, a TAC not exceeding that of 2007 would be acceptable for 2008.
In Area 15, a TAC increase of 10% would be acceptable for 2008.
In Area 14, the same TAC level as in 2007 is recommended for 2008.
In Area 13, the moratorium should be lifted along with a TAC of 150t for 2008.
In Area 12A, a TAC reduction of around 80t is recommended for 2008.
In Area 12B, the same catch rate as in 2007 is recommended for 2008.
In Area 12C, a 10% catch increase would be acceptable for 2008.
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