Science Advisory Report  2011/059

Assessment of Georges Bank Scallops (Placopecten magellanicus)

Summary

• The 2010 total allowable catch (TAC) was 5,500 t for zone ‘a’ and 200 t for zone ‘b’. Total reported landings were 5,300 t for zone ‘a’ and 66 t for zone ‘b’.
• The commercial catch rate for zone ‘a’ declined slightly from 17.43 kg/hm in 2009 to 15.17 kg/hm 2010 but remains above the long-term median (10.15 kg/hm).
• By-catch estimates of yellowtail flounder have increased from 84 t in 2009 to 200 t in 2010. Estimated discards of cod declined from 69 t in 2009 to 44 t in 2010, and estimated discards of haddock declined from 54 t in 2009 to 14 t in 2010.
• In 2010, survey catch rates of recruit (75-94 mm) and fully recruited (≥95 mm) scallops were above their respective 29-year median levels while catch rates for pre-recruits (<75 mm) were at the 29-year median level. The 2010 estimate of recruits remains high, although overall abundance of the 2006 year class has continued to decline since it was first fully observed in 2008.
• Fully recruited biomass, estimated to be 20,785 t in 2010, increased from the 2009 estimate (16,610 t) and is above the 25-year median biomass of 12,745 t. Recruit biomass, estimated to be 14,040 t in 2010 declined from the 2009 estimate (18,890 t), but is still the third highest estimated biomass since 1986.
• The 2011 interim TAC of 4,500 t for zone ‘a’ results in an exploitation rate of 0.16, and incoming recruitment is expected to be among the highest in the time series. Harvest scenarios ranging from 1,000 to 9,000 t are all predicted to yield increases in commercial biomass for 2011.
• Harvest scenarios depend on the continued recruitment of the large 2006 year-class to the fishery in 2011. They assume a natural mortality of 0.1 for the recruit biomass and no fishing mortality of scallops below 95 mm.

This Science Advisory Report is from the Fisheries and Oceans Canada, Canadian Science Advisory Secretariat, regional advisory meeting of 5 May 2011 on Georges Bank Scallop Assessment. Additional publications from this process will be posted as they become available on the DFO Science Advisory Schedule.

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