Science Advisory Report 2009/020

Assessment of the Greenland halibut stock in the gulf of St. Lawrence (4RST) in 2008

Summary

• Preliminary landings as of December 2008 totalled 3,438 t.
• Standardized catch rates of traditional gillnetters using 6 in. mesh nets have remained stable over the last five years.
• The proportion of females in catches was 83% in 2008 and has remained more or less the same since 2000. The mean size of fish caught dropped to 47.3 cm between 2007 and 2008, and the proportion of individuals smaller than 44 cm increased from 15% in 2007 to 19% in 2008.
• The biomass index (kg/tow) from the DFO surveys dropped in 2008 but remains average for the last ten years (1998-2007). The biomass estimate from the July sentinel fishery index also dropped in 2008 despite remaining above the 1998-2007 average and comparable to the values recorded since 2005.
• The size at which 50% of fish are mature has remained at a rather low level since 2001. At 44 cm, 63% of females and 4% of males are immature.
• The 2009 fishery will mostly be supported by the 2002 year-class for a third consecutive year, as well as by the weak 2003 year-class. The arrival of the strong 2004 cohort will partly contribute to the fishery since only a portion of these individuals will have reached minimum legal size.
• The 2010 fishery will also be supported by the 2004 year-class. The 2005 cohort, which will enter the fishery in 2010, is of low abundance.
• Data from the DFO and sentinel fishery survey suggest that recruitment to the fishery should be similar in 2009 due to the arrival of the 2004 year-class, even though it is made up of fish under the minimum legal size. In 2009, the increased occurrence of fish around the minimum legal size will result in an increase of the number of fish caught in order to reach the catch level. However, the principal indicators will have to be closely monitored over the three years following the arrival of the 2004 year-class in order to verify whether there is any strong cohort. Thus the status quo is recommended for catch levels for the 2009-2010 and 2010-2011 fishing seasons.

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