Science Advisory Report 2010/090
Assessment of capelin in SA 2 + Div. 3KL in 2010
Summary
- The Total Allowable Catch (TAC) in Div. 3KL was not taken in 2009 or 2010. Preliminary landings in 2010 were 15,470 t, 55% of the TAC, possibly due to a combination of poor market conditions, mismatches in fishery timing and spawning, and poor capelin availability.
- Fish harvesters report observing increases in capelin abundance locally and offshore.
- Fall distribution is contracted southerly compared to the 1980s. In spring 2010 capelin were located in deeper water along the shelf edge, and not in strata which have had typically high densities during the last decade.
- Capelin vertical distribution remains deeper with less diurnal migration than in the 1980s.
- The size and age of capelin continue to reflect changes that occurred in the early 1990s. Mean length, weight and age of capelin in 2009 were the lowest in their respective series.
- The proportion of maturing two year olds observed in a spring acoustic survey has increased since the mid-1990’s, and continues to increase. In most years since 1999 the majority of capelin had matured at age 2.
- Condition has been gradually declining for most lengths and both sexes since the early 1990s and was the lowest in the time series in 2009.
- Beach spawning times in 2009 were one of the latest in the series; larval survival is lower when spawning is late.
- Larval densities from the Trinity Bay September 0-group index are lower than during the mid 1980s, and the mean length of larvae is smaller.
- Four recruitment indices are coherent and indicate that the 2008 and 2009 year classes are lower than the 2007 year class.
- The 2010 estimate of abundance from the spring acoustic survey in Div. 3L is the lowest in the series, about 10% of recent values and less than 1% of historic levels.
- Physical and biological oceanographic conditions in 2009 were not favorable for capelin growth, distribution and spawning.
- Fish and seal predation on capelin has increased in recent years.
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