Science Advisory Report  2013/005

Wolffish in the Atlantic and Arctic regions

Summary

• Northern Wolffish and Spotted Wolffish remain Threatened under the Species at Risk Act (SARA), while Atlantic Wolffish is still of Special Concern.
• Northern Wolffish were described as “fish specialists” (piscivores), Spotted Wolffish as “echinoderm specialists” (benthivores), and Atlantic Wolffish as “mollusc specialists” (benthivores).
• Northern Wolffish in Newfoundland and Labrador waters appear to comprise at least two distinguishable groups. Atlantic Wolffish also appear to comprise two distinguishable groups.
• In the Gulf of St. Lawrence, dissolved oxygen levels where some wolffish are found were shown to reduce growth rates of Spotted Wolffish in laboratory studies.
• SARA logbook data from fishers aboard >35 foot commercial vessels fishing in Canada’s Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) indicated that a large percentage of wolffish were released alive in 2005-2010.
• In recent years, there was a very gradual increase in catch rates of Northern Wolffish during the DFO spring research survey in Northwest Atlantic Fisheries Organization (NAFO) Div. 3LNO, and during the fall survey in Div. 2J3K and Div. 3LNO.
• In recent years, during the DFO fall research survey in Div. 2J3K and Div. 3LNO, catch rates of Spotted Wolffish were generally increasing. However, during the spring survey, following a general increase in Div. 3LNO over 1995-2006, catches of this species have been declining.
• Annual mean number per tow for Atlantic Wolffish in the DFO-Maritimes Region research surveys has declined since 1990. Area of occupancy (AO) for Atlantic Wolffish has exhibited a steady decline: from approximately 60,000 km² to about 10,000 km² in 2012.

This Science Advisory Report is from the January 23-24, 2013 assessment of Northern, Spotted, and Atlantic Wolffish related to population status, life history, and habitat. Additional publications from this process will be posted as they become available on the Fisheries and Oceans Canada Science Advisory Schedule.

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