Science Advisory Report 2009/044
An Assessment of the Sea Cucumber (Cucumaria frondosa) Resource on the St. Pierre Bank in NAFO Subdivision 3Ps
Summary
- The fishery was initiated in 2003 with an allocation of 454 t. This allocation was increased in 2005 to 612 t and has remained unchanged. The catch averaged 460 t over the period 2003-06. In 2007, the catch was 190 t due to poor market conditions. The catch was 647 t in 2008.
- The fishery has been concentrated in the northwest portion of the resource distribution./li>
- As is common in emerging fisheries, commercial catch per unit effort (CPUE) has increased since the start of the fishery.
- In 2004, DFO negotiated a 5-year partnership with the Fish, Food and Allied Workers Union (FFAW) involving 8 harvesters to fund and undertake a pre-fishery sea cucumber resource survey in 3Ps on the St. Pierre Bank. It is recommended that this resource continue to be surveyed annually.
- The biomass index estimates from 2004 to 2008 (excluding 2005) averaged 88,000 t west of the French corridor and 212,000 t east of the corridor. The 2005 estimate is not considered reliable due to gear configuration problems.
- Sustainable exploitation rates are unknown; however, the annual exploitation rate has been very low at less than 1 %.
- There is limited information on the life history of sea cucumber on the St. Pierre Bank. Productivity and renewal rates are unknown. Basic metrics such as size-at-age cannot currently be obtained.
- Given the uncertainties with this species on the St. Pierre Bank there is no scientific basis for assessing the risk of any increase in harvest level.
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