Science Advisory Report 2010/044

Stock assessment on scallop of the inshore waters of Quebec in 2009

Summary

• This science advisory report is valid for the 2010-2012 seasons unless some major changes occur in stock status.
• From 2007 to 2009, annual scallop landings in Quebec totalled an average of 91.4 tons of meat, a decrease of 25% compared to 2006. A reduction in fishing effort by 29% was also observed. Landings from the Magdalen Islands sector were at 52%, the North Shore at 41%, and the Gaspé Peninsula at 7%.

North Shore

• Iceland scallop landings on the North Shore dropped by 61% in 2007-2009 compared to 2006. The decrease was the result of a 60% drop in fishing effort due to an unfavourable socio-economic context.
• Areas 16A2, 16B, 16C, 16D, 16G, 16H and 18D were not harvested, and there was very little fishing effort in Areas 15 and 18A between 2007 and 2009. Commercial harvesting indices do not provide enough information to determine the status of the resource.
• Catches per unit effort in Areas 16A1, 16E and 16F were below the reference average (1992-2006).
• Research surveys in Area 16E in 2007 and 2008 indicated that the abundance of scallops larger than 70 mm was below average and that of scallops smaller than 70 mm was about average. In Area 16F, abundance indices have been dropping since 2004.
• Management by controlling harvesting effort in 2006 in Areas 16E, 16F and 18A was aimed at maintaining a steady exploitation rate in a situation where all the effort would be deployed. However, the indicators have been decreasing despite a drop in fishing effort, suggesting that the exploitation rate could be too high. For the moment, the maximum fishing effort should be maintained at current levels for 2010, 2011 and 2012.
• In Area 15, the potential harvesting effort includes a large number of unused licenses and likely far exceeds the stock’s capacity to sustain exploitation. To avoid possible overfishing, it is recommended to reduce the potential fishing effort.
• Preventive TACs in Areas 16A1, 16A2, 16G and 16H are much too high in relation to historical landings. It is recommended to reduce them to prevent overexploitation, which could occur if all license holders deployed a maximum and sustained fishing effort.

Gaspé Peninsula

• Landings of sea and Iceland scallops from the Gaspé Peninsula dropped by 21% in 2007-2009 compared to 2006. The decrease was the result of a 37% drop in fishing effort.
• Fishing effort was very low or nil in Areas 17A1, 17A2, 18B2 and 18C from 2007 to 2009. Commercial indices do not provide enough information to determine the status of the resource.
• Sea scallops have been harvested in Area 18B1 since 2003. Catches per unit effort have been stable and the harvested scallops have been large.
• In Area 19A, following a decrease of harvesting capacity, the fishing effort has been low since 2002. From 2007 to 2009, landings and fishing effort were comparable to those of 2006. Catches per unit effort and the size of harvested scallops have been increasing since 2004 and are comparable to the average in 2009. This improvement in the status of the resource is the result of low exploitation since 2003. Therefore, the status quo is recommended in this area.

Magdalen Islands

• In 2007, because of concerns about the status of the resource, the potential fishing effort in Area 20A was reduced. It is now controlled by a maximum number of days at sea during the season.
• Sea scallop landings at the Magdalen Islands have increased by 166% for the 2007-2009 period compared to 2006. This increase in landings occurred without any increase in fishing effort.
• Catches per unit effort from 2007 to 2009 were significantly higher than that of 2006. This increase is explained by the access to scallop beds that had not been exploited for a minimum of 2 years. These closures of areas were intended to protect juvenile concentrations until they reached commercial size. In the short term, catches per unit effort should decrease.
• The 2009 research survey indicated that scallop abundance is comparable to the average (1987-2009), but has dropped sharply compared to 2008.
• It is recommended to increase the minimum catch size from 95 to 100 mm to increase the yield per recruit. The selectivity of the Digby scallop dredge should be adjusted accordingly so as not to catch scallops of less than 100 mm.
• Decision rules were established to determine the fishing effort. This effort is calculated using catch per unit effort from logbooks and abundance indices from the research survey.
• The maximum harvesting effort recommended for Area 20A in 2010 is 391 days at sea. This effort is to be reviewed annually after the indicators have been updated.
• The status of this population is still precarious. Results from the last three seasons are not guarantees for the future.

Complete document (PDF, 565 KB)

Accessibility Notice

This document is available in PDF format. If the document is not accessible to you, please contact the Secretariat to obtain another appropriate format, such as regular print, large print, Braille or audio version.