Science Advisory Report  2010/036

Assessment of Georges Bank Scallops (Placopecten magellanicus)

Summary

• The 2009 total allowable catch (TAC) was 5,500 t for zone ‘a’ and 350 t for zone ‘b’. Total reported landings were 5,524 t for zone ‘a’ and 261 t for zone ‘b’.
• The commercial catch rate did not change from 2008 to 2009 and remains above the long-term average.
• By-catch estimates of yellowtail flounder in 2009 were lower than in 2008; by-catch estimates of cod and haddock increased but are still below the 2006 and 2007 estimates.
• In 2009, survey catch rates of pre-recruit, recruit and fully recruited scallops were above their respective 28-year median levels. The 2009 estimate of recruits is higher than in any year in the survey series to date; however, the abundance of this year-class has declined from that observed as pre-recruits in 2008.
• Fully recruited biomass, estimated to be 18,320 t in 2009, declined from the 2008 estimate (20,760 t) but is above the 28-year median biomass of 10,405 t. Recruit biomass was estimated to be 19,640 t in 2009, the highest since 1981.
• The 2010 interim TAC of 5,500 t results in an exploitation rate of 0.15, and incoming recruitment is expected to be among the highest in the time series. Harvest scenarios ranging from 2,000 to 8,000 t are all predicted to yield increases in commercial biomass for 2010.
• Harvest scenarios depend on the successful recruitment of the large 2006 year-class to the fishery in 2010. They assume a natural mortality of 0.1 for the recruit biomass and no fishing mortality of scallops below 95 mm.

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