Science Advisory Report 2011/027
Assessment of Browns Bank North Scallops (Placopecten magellanicus)
Summary
- The 2010 TAC was 200 t for Browns Bank north and total reported landings were 201 t.
- The commercial catch rate in 2010 was at the long-term median (1991-2009).
- In 2010, survey catch rates of pre-recruit, recruit and fully recruited scallops were above their respective 19-year (1991-2009) median levels. The 2005 year-class is the largest seen since 1991 and has now started to recruit to the fishery.
- The overall condition factor (meat weight relative to shell height) for scallops on Browns Bank north in 2010 declined from 2009 to 11.05 g/dm3 and was well below the long term median (12.3 g/dm3 from 1991-2009).
- Fully recruited biomass, estimated to be 9,096 t in 2010, increased from the 2009 estimate of 5069 t due to the highest recruit biomass since 1991 estimated to be 5,077 t in 2009
- Continued strong recruitment in 2011 will result in a fully-recruited population dominated by younger scallops (95-105mm) and higher exploitation rates at this time could result in a loss of potential yield.
- The 2011 interim TAC of 500 t will result in an exploitation rate of 0.04 and an increase in fully-recruited biomass of 43% to 13,090 t assuming no change in condition factor from 2010.
- Harvest scenarios ranging from 200 t to 1,000 t were examined and all were predicted to yield increases in commercial biomass for 2011 with low probability of decline
This Science Advisory Report is from the Fisheries and Oceans Canada, Canadian Science Advisory Secretariat, regional advisory meeting of 8 February 2011 on Browns Bank North Scallop Assessment Additional publications from this process will be posted as they become available on the DFO Science Advisory Schedule.
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