Science Advisory Report  2013/033

Stock Assessment of Atlantic Halibut of the Gulf of St. Lawrence (NAFO Division 4RST) for 2011 and 2012

Summary

• Reported landings for the last two fishing years are the highest recorded in the past 50 years, reaching 737 t in 2011–2012 and 700 t (preliminary as of December 31, 2012) in 2012–2013, corresponding respectively to 102% and 97% of the total allowable catch of 720 t allocated for each of these two years. This TAC was raised by 20% in 2011–2012.
• In 2012, 102 t of halibut, or 14% of the TAC, were landed as by-catch in the gillnet fishery. Of these landings, 95% came from the Greenland halibut directed fishery. It was estimated that a high proportion (60% in numbers) of the halibut catches in this fishery were below the minimum legal catch size of 85 cm. These fish were discarded at sea without being recorded and presumably with a high (greater than 50%) mortality rate.
• The various abundance and biomass indicators from scientific trawl surveys rose dramatically between 2000 and 2006 and reached maximum historical values between 2007 and 2010. These indicators have since remained relatively stable. The range of sizes measured during the surveys remains very broad.
• Catch per unit effort (CPUE) values calculated for the directed Atlantic halibut longline fishery in 4RST have been very high and stable over the last four years. In 2012, longline catches recorded at sea showed that pre-recruits were still abundant (25% in numbers) whereas the proportion of halibut larger than 130 cm was steady at about 10%.
• The modal size of halibut measured dockside over the last two years is 91 cm. This indicates that a large proportion of the fish landed are immature. The length at which 50% of halibut reach sexual maturity is 92 cm for males and 130 cm for females.
• In light of this assessment, the species' long life cycle and late maturity, and the lack of information on the stock's productivity, caution should be exercised when deciding to increase catches. The suggestion is therefore to increase the TAC by a maximum of 20% in total for the next two fishing years.
• However, industry stakeholders disagree with this recommendation. In their opinion, the stock is still growing. They consider that the TAC increase should be higher.

This Science Advisory Report is from the February 27, 2013 Assessment of the Gulf of St. Lawrence (4RST) Atlantic halibut. Additional publications from this meeting will be posted on the Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO) Science Advisory Schedule as they become available.

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